One More Taste by Melissa Cutler Page A

dock, the one the previous owners had left behind. “Tonight seems as good a night as any.”
    As drained as he was, he found it impossible to turn Granny June down. “If that’s what you’d like. I haven’t been out on the water yet, but I rowed crew in college, so I’m sure we’ll manage. As long as the boat doesn’t spring a leak,” he added with a wink.
    Emily took a step back. She gave a little wave. “See you two tomorrow. I’ve got to get on with the dishes and then get out of here. It’s a long drive home.”
    She’d been quiet and unobtrusive during this walk, as she had throughout the day. He’d thought he’d overshared with her about himself and his dad while in his truck that afternoon, but now that he was considering it, she probably knew more about his family history than he did. She’d been that same quiet observer to the Briscoe family’s goings-on for more than a decade.
    Her calm presence, and the fact that she wasn’t a Briscoe, with that same loaded history, was comforting. He was glad Granny June had insisted she join them on their stroll, but there was no logical reason that his personal chef should take a boat ride with him and his grandmother. The trouble was, he found himself very much wishing she would, and yet he had no earthly idea how to ask her to stay without making it weird.
    â€œWait just a second, there,” Granny June said, looping her arm with Emily’s. “I insist you come along. Besides, you’re my ride home. Make an old woman happy and take a rowboat ride with us.”
    â€œI thought Knox was going to drive you home.” Emily blinked, then a thought dawned on her and she looked at Knox. “Oh. Your truck. I forgot, you can’t. Yeah, I’ll have to be the one to drive her.”
    Knox could have corrected her—he should have corrected her—and told her about him borrowing Shayla’s car to get Granny June home. But he didn’t.
    Emily looked at him pointedly and nodded at the rowboat, as though checking in with him for permission to join them. He faked a nonchalant nod and shrug, as though to say, Why not. There’s no harm in it.
    â€œAll right, then. A boat ride it is,” Emily said.
    But if there was truly no harm in Emily joining them, then why did it feel dangerous for her to take his hand and step onto the boat with him. Why did it feel as though they were crossing over into uncharted territory?
    After helping Emily get seated, he reached a hand back to aid Granny June, but headlights distracted him. A red, compact car bounded up Knox’s driveway.
    â€œWhoops,” Granny June said. “That’s Paco. I’ve got to go.”
    What? “I thought Emily was taking you home.”
    Granny June tapped her temple. “This daffy old mind. I can’t keep anything straight these days.”
    â€œBut…” Emily spluttered.
    Knox couldn’t decide if he should call bullshit or agree with Granny June because her mind did seem to tip onto the daffy side. Before he could speak, Granny June had crouched down with a litheness that belied her age and untied the boat from the dock.
    â€œYou two go on ahead and have fun. Don’t forget to take pictures of the resort from the lake. They’d look great on my Facebook page. Speaking of which—” She brought forth a smart phone and before either Emily or Knox could do more than open their mouths in protest, she snapped a shot, blinding them with the flash.
    Knox was blinking away the bright spots from his vision when the boat rocked. Granny June had shoved them off.
    â€œI’d better not keep Paco waiting. You kids have fun, now.”
    â€œBut…” Emily said again.
    But Granny June was already walking at a brisk clip toward the sedan. It might have been Knox’s imagination, but she seemed to have a bit of a skip in her step.

 
    Chapter Six
    No. No. No.