Chapter 153: I KNEW IT

NORA’S POV

The line rang twice before a familiar, breathless voice picked up over the faint hum of a commercial refrigerator.

"Sugar & Spice Bakery, Ellen speaking."

Hearing my mother’s voice brought a sudden, warm prickle of tears to my eyes. She barely checks the caller ID when she’s busy.

"Mom," I said, leaning over Knox’s phone on the kitchen island. "Are you sitting down?"

"Nora?" A ceramic mug clattered against a stainless table on the other end. "Honey, what’s wrong? Did something happen with the compliance board? Are you okay?"

"I’m more than okay, Mom," I said, a watery laugh breaking through my throat. "The Tri-County Showcase committee just sent out the Round One results."

The line went completely dead.

I could hear Ellen’s sharp intake of breath, followed by the quiet rustle of paper as she fumbled for words. "The... the brioche crown? Nora, tell me you’re not joking with me. There were thirty commercial bakeries in that wildcard pool. High-end caterers from Boston..."

"Entry Number Fourteen," I cut her off, my voice trembling with excitement as Knox squeezed my shoulder. "Total score: ninety-six out of a hundred. We placed second overall."

A choked, ragged sound broke from my mother.

For five seconds, the only sound coming through the speaker was Ellen Bennett sobbing into her flour-dusted apron.

"Ninety-six..." she whispered. "Your father’s sourdough starter... your recipe... oh, God, Nora. I was standing in the back room this morning staring at the cracked door on the deck oven, wondering if I was going to have to put the ’For Sale’ sign in the front window before the new year."

"You’re not selling anything, Mrs. Bennett," a deep, confident voice broke in.

Knox leaned down close to the phone on the island, his tone quiet, respectful, and completely steady.

The line went quiet for a beat.

"Wait..." Ellen sniffled, caught off guard by the deep masculine voice on the line. "Is that... Knox? Knox Sheridan?"

"Yes, ma’am," Knox replied. "I know we only spoke for two minutes when I came into Sugar & Spice looking for Nora back in October, but I promise you, you’re not selling a single flour sifter. Sugar & Spice qualified for Round Two next weekend at Emerald Pines Resort in the mountains. I’m booking you a suite at the lodge, and Bear is driving out to Oakhaven to pick you up in his truck."

"And tell her she gets shotgun with the heated seats!" Bear hollered from across the island with a mouthful of bagel. "I got four cupholders and the best classic rock playlist in New England, Mrs. Bennett! We’re hauling the whole bakery up that mountain pass!"

My mom let out a wet, breathless laugh on the other end, clearly overwhelmed by the chorus of hockey players in her daughter’s corner.

"Oh, heavens... you boys are going to make an old woman cry all over her pastry case," she said, her voice shaking with gratitude. "Nora told me about the compliance board dismissing everything yesterday, but Knox... are you sure? A resort suite? I don’t want to be an imposition—"

"You’re not an imposition, Mrs. Bennett," Knox cut in gently, his eyes catching mine with an intensity that made my throat tight. "Nora worked herself to the bone to get in front of those judges. You raised an incredible daughter, and we take care of our own."

After five more minutes of emotional tears, excited recipe talk, and promise after promise, I finally hung up.

A profound, glowing warmth settled into my bones. Knox looked down at me, his gray eyes full of quiet pride as he brushed a stray curl behind my ear.

"Come on, Bookworm," Knox murmured. "Let’s get you back to North Hall before you freeze in my kitchen."

Ten minutes later, we were in his heated truck, cruising through the quiet campus streets.

The heat blasted through the vents, keeping the late-November chill at bay. Knox kept one calloused hand resting over mine on the center console, his thumb lightly stroking the back of my knuckles as he navigated the turns.

Every time we stopped at a red light, his gaze drifted over to me, taking in the rolled-up joggers bunching around my ankles and the giant #19 on my chest. A slow smirk touched the corner of his lips each time, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

When he pulled up to the curb outside North Hall, Knox shifted into park and unbuckled his seatbelt.

I reached for the door handle, but Knox’s fingers caught my chin, turning my face toward his.

"Not so fast," he rasped softly.

He leaned across the console and kissed me.

It was slow, deep, and thoroughly possessive, leaving my head spinning and my lips tingling. Right outside the glass doors of the dorm, with half a dozen students walking past with backpacks, Knox Sheridan kissed me like he had all the time in the world.

"I’ll see you later," he whispered against my mouth. "Text me when you’re done with classes."

"I will," I breathed, my cheeks burning.

I climbed down from the truck, pulled Knox’s hood up over my curls, and walked through the front doors of North Hall.

The moment my sneakers hit the hallway linoleum, that tender, delicious ache deep between my thighs flared up again, making my walk slightly guarded. I took the elevator to the third floor, unlocked Room 304, and pushed the door open.

Priya was sitting cross-legged on her bed with a constitutional law casebook propped open on her knees and highlighters scattered across the comforter.

She looked up with an exhausted sigh, but the second her eyes landed on me, she froze.

Her gaze dropped to the charcoal hoodie with the giant #19 across the chest. Then it slid down to the oversized black joggers rolled three times at the waist, pooled around my sneakers.

Finally, Priya’s eyes snapped up to my face.

"Bennett," Priya said, her voice dropping into a flat, razor-sharp interrogation tone. "Where were you all night?"

"Where else?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

"Whereee?"

"I was at the SinBin," I said, trying to sound as casual as humanly possible while kicking off my sneakers. "And before you say anything, you need to check your phone. Sugar & Spice made Round Two of the Tri-County Showcase. We scored a ninety-six!"

Priya’s jaw dropped. "A ninety-six?!"

She tossed her highlighter onto the bed, letting out a loud, genuine squeal of excitement. "Holy shit, Nora! Second place in the wildcard round?! I never doubted you for a second, girl."

"We’re going to Emerald Pines Mountain Resort next weekend," I said, leaning back against my desk with a relieved smile. "The whole crew is driving up."

"That is incredible!" Priya cheered, clapping her hands.

Then, she stopped.

Her whatever instincts kicked in like a steel trap. Her dark eyes narrowed to slits, scanning me from head to toe with terrifying precision.

"Wait a damn minute," Priya said slowly, climbing off her bed and taking two slow steps toward me.

"What?" I asked, trying to keep my face completely blank.

"Why are your cheeks flushed bright pink?" Priya demanded, pointing a manicured finger at my face.

"The wind outside is freezing," I deflected immediately.

"The wind didn’t do that," Priya countered, circling me like a hawk. "And why are you standing like that? You’ve got this weird, stiff hitch in your step, like a newborn foal trying to walk for the first time."

My throat went completely dry. "My legs are just cramped from sitting on a stool at the island."

"Bullshit," Priya said flatly. She planted her hands on her hips, her eyes burning with pure suspicion. "You’ve spent forty hours a week at the SinBin for two straight months, Bennett. You have never once come home wearing Knox Sheridan’s literal sweatpants. You didn’t even pack an overnight bag."

"I was cold!" I insisted, my voice pitching up a fraction of an octave. "The floors downstairs are hardwood! Knox just gave me some spare clothes so I wouldn’t freeze while we ate Goldie’s bagels!"

"Goldie’s bagels?" Priya arched an eyebrow, leaning in until our noses were practically touching. "So you’re telling me you stayed out until ten in the morning, wearing the varsity captain’s jersey, walking with a visible limp, and all you did was eat bagels?"

"Yes!"

"Nora Bennett," Priya said, dropping her voice to a low, lethal whisper. "Did you and Number Nineteen boink?"

"Priya, stop..."

"Did you sleep with him?" Priya pressed, her eyes widening with relentless curiosity. "Did you two finally cross the line? Look me in the eye and tell me you didn’t."

I tried to hold her stare. I really did.

For three agonizing seconds, I attempted to channel every ounce of academic discipline I possessed.

Then my face caught uncontrollable fire. Heat rushed from my collarbones straight up to my hairline, burning hot enough to fry an egg.

A tiny, breathless squeak escaped my lips.

"...Yes," I whispered.

Priya froze. Her eyes went as wide as dinner plates, her mouth falling open in complete, stunned silence.

Then, she lost her mind.

"AHHHHHHHHH!"

Priya let out an ear-piercing shriek that probably echoed down all three floors of North Hall. She lunged forward, tackling me backward onto my twin mattress with enough force to knock the breath right out of my lungs.

"I KNEW IT!" Priya screamed into my ear, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me violently as I dissolved into helpless laughter. "I KNEW IT! OH MY GOD! BENNETT!"

"Priya, shhh! The whole floor can hear you!" I gasped, trying to shove her off.

Priya sat up on my hips, pinning me to the sheets, her dark eyes practically throwing off sparks.

"I don’t care if the Dean of Admissions hears me!" Priya declared loudly, pointing at my face. "You are not leaving this bed until I get the full, unfiltered, R-twenty-one recap! Every. Single. Detail!"