Finding Us (Finding #1)(31)
Author: Megan Smith

I push back against him, “Get out of here, we need to get dressed before Jeremy comes up here begging for your attention again.”

Knox turns me around and gives me one of his knee weakening kisses.

After we finish changing into our beach attire, Knox grabs my hand again and leads me downstairs. As we are walking down the stairs the little girl’s voice rings through the whole ground floor. I can’t help but smile. Knox looks back at me; he smiles and gives me a wink when he sees that I’m smiling and not nervous anymore.

A little girl with raven black hair that flows in curls down her back comes running down the hallway in our direction. “Uncle Knox!”

Knox lets go of my hand and crouches down as the little girl runs right into his open arms. “How’s my little lady doing?”

She giggles, “I’m not little. I’m a big girl.”

Knox sighs dramatically, “How could I forget. You’re three now right?”

She swings her little body from side to side, “Yes.”

Jeremy comes walking down the hallway with a princess cup in his hand, “More like going on thirty.”

I put two and two together and discover that this little girl is Jeremy’s. Seeing them together makes it undeniable. Same color hair, same bright green eyes and killer smile.

Knox turns the little girl in my direction, “Ava, this is our friend Jasmine. Jasmine this is Ava.”

Ava’s little mouth hangs open like she just saw the most memorizing thing. “Are you a princess like Princess Jasmine?”

The biggest smile appears on my face, she is too cute for words. “Ha! Princess my a…” Jeremy trails off and Knox and I start laughing.

“What’s funny?” Ava asks with a frown on her face.

Knox kisses Ava on the cheek, “Nothing, little lady.” He places her back down and she wraps herself around Jeremy’s leg acting shy now.

Jeremy hands Knox Ava’s princess cup so that he can reach down for her. “They were laughing at Daddy, sweetheart.” He explains. Jeremy reaches for the cup again and then walks back down the hallway with us trailing behind.

I wrap my hands around Knox’s forearm. “I can’t believe he has a daughter.”

“Hard to believe, huh?”

“It’s kind of hot.”

Knox stops dead in his tracks, “What did you just say?” His jaw is clenched tight as he turns and stalks towards me.

I bite my lower lip and take a step back, right up against the wall. We’re chest to chest, nose to nose, and toe to toe. “What did you say?”

I don’t back down, “You heard me. I said it’s kind of hot.”

“I’ll show you hot.” Knox says through gritted teeth.

As his mouth is descending upon mine someone clears their throat. Both our heads turn to the sound but no one is there until they clear their throat again. We look down and see Ava standing there with her hands on her hips. “No kissing a princess, Uncle Knox!”

I quickly look the other way so that Ava doesn’t see me holding back my laughter. Knox is somehow able to hold it in and answers her, “No kissing Princess Jasmine?”

I look back down to Ava who shakes her head. Her black curls bouncing as she does.

Knox takes a step away and puts his hands up in surrender.

“Thank you for saving me, Ava.” She shrugs her little shoulders and walks into the kitchen.

I follow right behind her before Knox can finish what he started.

“This isn’t over.”

“As long as Ava is here it is big guy.”

Knox groans but doesn’t say anymore. Jeremy is buttering a bagel at the kitchen counter, he shrugs when he sees me looking at him. I walk over to the fridge and grab a bottle of water. I lean up against the counter and twist the cap off. “She looks just like you.”

Jeremy places the knife down on the counter and then picks up the plate and walks around me. “Thanks.” He places the plate down in front of Ava, “Tanks Daddy.” Jeremy kisses the top of her head.

Rex walks in with Summer on his back. “Who’s kid?” Summer asks as Rex lets her down.

“Jeremy’s.” Rex answers.

Summer reaches in the bowl on the table and grabs an apple. “That’s hot.”

I look over at Knox and mouth, “Told you so.”

Knox just shakes his head. I glance over to Rex to see his reaction; he’s glaring at Summer who blows him a kiss.

“Where is everyone else at?” Knox asks.

“Cade never came home and Rhea and Tanner ran out to get ice for the cooler.” Ava picks up a half her bagel and acts like it’s a steering wheel. “Ava, you have to eat that or you can’t go down to the beach.” Jeremy says with authority in his voice.

“Ok Daddy.” Ava takes a big bite out of her bagel.

Summer fills us in on what everyone did last night. They all went to Margaritaville and that’s where they lost Cade. She explains that they tried to call him and looked around for a good hour before calling it a night and leaving him there.

“Speak of the devil.” Rex starts. “Holy sh…sugar.” Rex catches himself before cursing in front of Ava. “What happened to you?”

Cade takes a seat at the table next to Knox and across from Ava.

“Uncle Cade, you got a boo boo?” Ava says through a mouth full of food.

Jeremy starts laughing, “Yeah he does, Ava.” Jeremy puts a hand on top of Cade’s head and faces it towards him, “Damn, you got it.”

“Daddy!” Ava yells, “You said a bad word.”

“Sh…Crap, Daddy’s sorry sweetheart.” Ava takes another big bite and goes about humming to herself while she’s eating.

“So what happened?” Knox asks.

Cade groans and rubs his temples. “I didn’t know.”

“Know what?” Summer asks.

Cade glares at Summer who glares right back, “That she had a boyfriend.”

The guys all shake their heads and I scrunch my nose up in disgust. I know I haven’t dated much but I can’t see how girls can do one night stands. I guess it could be just me. Sex isn’t something I think I can leave my emotions out of. Hell, just messing around and my emotions are involved. I know Summer has done it a time or two and even though she said it didn’t bother her that she didn’t hear from the guy again I secretly think it did.

“Let me guess,” Rex says, “He caught you in the act?”