I shook my head, having no idea what was going on, but feeling as if I’d done something wrong, as if he might never meet me in the woods again. “Why won’t you even look at me?” I finally asked.
One eye appeared from the side of the tree, but it looked so full of regret, it calmed my worries. At least I hadn’t done something to put him off. But still…something was seriously wrong.
“Why were you following me?” I hedged, hoping to somehow work my way to the real issue of whatever was bothering him.
He went back to pressing his forehead to the tree and bumping his hand against the trunk, only now he used his fist instead of an open palm. “Just, you know, to make sure you got home okay?”
I sniffed. “I’ve never had a problem walking home by myself before.”
That one eye reappeared, serious as it watched me. “You’ve never walked home by yourself before. I’ve always been there.”
Instant warmth spread through me, knowing he’d always been worried about my safety, always seeing to my protection. Then I frowned. “No you haven’t.”
“Yes I have.”
“But what about the first day? When we met. You ran off first.”
He shrugged. “I almost stumbled into your brothers that day, so I doubled back and caught sight of you heading home. You didn’t look like you were walking too steady, and after you’d hit your head the way you did, I worried you might not make it. So I’ve followed you back to the edge of the woods ever since, just to be sure.” Another shrug. “It became a habit.”
I grinned. “Why you stalker, you.”
He didn’t grin back, and I couldn’t take the subtle approach any longer. I dove at him and grabbed his arm, yanking him away from the tree until he was facing me fully.
He gaped at me, startled. Then he winced with guilt and shame.
“Oh my God,” I blurted, slapping my hands over my mouth. “Your eye. Knox, what happened?” I stepped to him to touch the bruised side of his face, but he flinched away.
“It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big...” I repeated, incredulous. Then I set my hands on my hips. “Knox Arrow Parker, yes, it is a big deal. Who did this to you?” He glanced away, and unease plopped heavily into the pit of my stomach. “Was it my brothers?”
“No,” he instantly reassured, taking my hands and giving me an earnest look. “This was...it was my own fault.”
I cocked my head to the side, not understanding.
He sighed and glanced away. “I didn’t want you to see because...it’s embarrassing.”
All my sympathies aching for him, I stepped in closer. When he didn’t shy away, I leaned up onto my toes and gingerly pressed my lips to the red spot. He closed his eyes and sighed as if he relished the contact. So I kissed his boo-boo again. Turning into me, he nuzzled his nose into my hairline and then wrapped his arms around me. “How do you always know how to make everything better?”
“It’s a gift.” Cupping the unwounded side of his face, I rained more delicate kisses over the slightly puffy skin. Something had to have made quite an impact to leave this much of a mark. I shuddered, wondering what he’d been through.
He merely held me close and tipped his face down toward me, allowing me to perform more tender loving care.
When I had him good and mollified, I kissed his jaw and murmured into his ear. “How did you get a black eye, Knox?”
“My dad,” he rasped, only to turn into me fully and hide his face in my hair.
I hugged him back, and we held each other for the longest time.
“I made us a picnic,” I finally said.
He made a sound in his throat; it reminded me of a sob. “I know. I saw. It broke my heart to watch you pack it back up.” He groaned his regret. “I should’ve just come out of my hiding spot and shown you my eye then.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I assured him, taking his hand. “We can still eat it now.” I led him back to the basket, but when I reached for it, he took it from me.
“I can carry it.”
I smiled at him. “Thank you. Do you want to eat at our tree? I think that’s closer than the dock.”