She’s always amazing, but today, watching her shine out there, drinking in the spotlight and returning its radiance, moves me to tears.
At the end, I dare a glance into the audience. My mom is wiping her eyes too. She always does though. She’s a sucker for seeing Sloan on stage. Then I see Knox. And he looks like I feel. And seeing it, makes my heart burst into a million beautifulbut painful pieces. Because in fourteen years, I’ve never had someone to share that feeling with. No one who looks at her the way I do. Not even her own father could ever relate to me on this one,should have been natural, thing.
Unable to avert my eyes, I pull back my entire body until the scene is out of view. Then, blinking away tears, I turn and march for the dressing rooms to change the next kid into their next costume. Because, you know, the show must go on, and all that.
Almost two hours later, the show is over, backstage is cleaned up, and Sloan and I are walking out to meet everyone.
My parents are the first to embrace Sloan, showering her in hugs and bouquets and loads of compliments. Meanwhile, my ex is busy chatting up Knox like they’re old pals.
“We should do dinner. Are you all free?” Ebeneezer asks tentatively, looking at me like he’s worried I might say no. Like I’m the old shrew who’s always going around killing everyone’s good time.
I look to Sloan who shrugs. “Can we go to Stefani’s? I could go for their fried mozzarella sticks right about now.”
“Yes!” Her dad claps his hands together. “That’s a great idea.” He turns to Knox. “You like Italian?”
“Who doesn’t like Italian?”
My ex grabs his shoulder and shakes it like they’re friends from way back when. Knox is going along with it, but every time our eyes meet, I swear I can read the four-letter words shooting off inside his mind.
“My man.” Ebeneezer laughs. “Mama!” He hasn’t called my mother that in years. This is one hell of a show he’s putting on. “You guys joining us?”
My stepfather, the only one my ex hasn’t attempted to charm so far (probably because he knows Javier won’t be near as nice about his bullshit as everyone else is being), answers for them. “We’ll come to dinner.”
“Can I ride with you guys?” Sloan asks, scooting in between her grandparents, just in case her father had any ideas about suggesting she make the trip to Stefani’s with him in his car.
“Of course.”
With plans set, we all start making our way outside. Knox casually escapes my ex and sidles in along Sloan, handing her a small bouquet of white roses he’s been holding this whole time. He leans down, saying things to her I can’t make out, but know must be pretty special based on the smile that starts on her lips and grows all the way to her eyes.
He hugs her to his side, bending down to kiss the top of her head. “I mean it,” he tells her. “Every word.”
He releases her, smiles at my mother, and makes his way over to me. “She’s amazing,” he murmurs against my ear before kissing my cheek. “She gets it from you, you know.”
“I think that’s debatable, but I think it’s sweet you think so.” I rest my head against his shoulder while we walk, all the running around of the last few hours suddenly catching up with me. Or maybe it’s just the reality of what’s coming, or rather, what’s going, come tomorrow morning.
“Knox,” my ex calls out as we all start to spread out in the parking lot, heading to our own vehicles. “Kenley can meet us there. She’s no fun after shows anyway. Has to unwind in silence.” He hooks his thumb toward his car a few spaces over. “We can listen to that recording I was telling you about on the way there.”
“Oh, God,” I groan into Knox’s shirt so no one else can hear. “Don’t tell me he wants you to listen to his cousin’s blue grass band.”
“Yep.” Then he turns toward Ebeneezer. “I’m going to drive the truck. Kenley’s exhausted and I don’t want her left alone doing something I could do for her to offer her a little ease after taking care of everyone’s little dancers all night.” Knox waves forhim to go ahead. “I’ll have a listen later. You can always send me the file.”
Then Knox turns us abruptly, breaking all possibilities for eye contact with my ex and making it entirely possible to ignore him as we walk away to the truck while he continues to try and sway Knox.
“Dinner is going to be fun,” he mutters dryly.
“You have no idea.” But I do. I know all of Ebeneezer’s games, and this one, I find particularly bothersome. Mostly, because it still makes me anxious. Even after all this time.
CHAPTER TWENTY
KNOX
I don’t hate anybody. Usually. But I want to hate this guy. I thought he was despicable the moment I saw him put his hands on Kenley. The second I understood making Sloan cry was intentional. The night I realized he’d already spent a solid decade making a habit of seeing them hurt. But this, watching him play this part of charming former son-in-law, doting ex-husband (and I do mean doting, he’s already been to the kitchen twice to get something for Kenley – first, to get her extra tomatoes for her salad because he overheard her say they always go too light on those, second to get her a side of sauce when she mentioned her sandwich was dry, neither time, she asked him to), supposed super dad and simultaneously pretending we’ve become best pals over the course of one evening, all while acting entirely oblivious to the fact everyone at the table knows what a piece of shit he is, is pushing me over the edge to new levels of distaste.
He can’t possibly think we’re all going to forget,that I’m going to forget, who he really is just because he ordered half the appetizer menu for the table.
“You want another beer?” he’s asking Javier, like Javi can’t order his own fucking beverage.
“I’m good.” Kenley’s stepfather looks as annoyed as I feel.
