Things We Never Got Over is a contemporary romance by Lucy Score. This isn’t a book review but an actual summary of what happens in the story so keep in mind there will be spoilers ahead.
- Book Title: Things We Never Got Over
- Author: Lucy Score
- Publication Date: January 13, 2022
- Category: Contemporary Romance
- Print Length: 572 Pages
Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon.
Knox doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.
Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order.
Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and go home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.
There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.
At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns into real danger.
Naomi has had a bad night – she lost her phone and she hasn’t showered and she badly needs coffee. Naomi has a twin sister, Tina who is difficult, to say the least. Tina has often stolen from Naomi and used her identity to get away with a lot. Naomi tries to get coffee after a bad day and they won’t serve her because they think she is Tina. She has to explain the situation and finally, she’s able to get a coffee. A large and intimidating man comes in and threatens her, thinking she is her sister. He’s blonde with a full beard and so Naomi thinks of him as a grumpy Viking. She discovers his name is Knox and he has a bad history with her sister Tina.
When she attempts to leave her car is gone and she assumes it was towed. Knox offers her a ride and she accepts after a lot of distrust. Knox thinks about how Naomi looks like a free spirit and one of those “romantic people,” and he seems to be disdainful of those types of “flower children.” He mentions that he doesn’t like people who take too much commitment.
At the towing yard, they discover no cars have been towed today so it’s suggested that the car might have been stolen, likely by her sister Tina. Naomi almost begins to cry and in Knox’s point of view we find out that he hates it when women cry, it makes him feel awful, so he offers to help her further. Naomi accepts the help easily this time.
When they arrive, Naomi’s motel room has been ransacked. Knox is protective and won’t let Naomi in until after he checks the place out. There’s a child there who Knox calls Waylay, or Way for short. It turns out this is Naomi’s niece and Tina’s child. Naomi didn’t know that she had a niece until this moment, so she was a little taken aback, especially since Tina has stolen her car and ransacked her motel room. Naomi screams into a pillow, frustrated and confused. Her purse and laptop have been stolen by her sister, and she doesn’t want to call her parents. They’ve been stressed out by both daughters, although the reader doesn’t know why Naomi has stressed them out by this point.
She decides to call Tina instead, using Knox’s phone, but Tina says that it’s her car now and she left Waylay in Naomi’s care. Knox threatens to call the cops on Tina, but Tina says she doesn’t care. Evidently, she has warrants out for drunk in public and petty theft and vandalism. Naomi admits that sounds like Tina and Knox tell Naomi that Tina said that she would be back when she felt like it. Naomi thinks that she’s always wanted kids, but she never imagined adopting a pre-teen and that Tina had always done whatever she wanted and been a rebel.
Knox calls Naomi “Daisy” during this time and picks a flower out of her hair. This is the reason he had earlier referred to her as a “flower child,” he tells her. There’s also a wedding dress crumpled in Naomi’s hotel room, so now the reader gets a hint that she’s a runaway bride. A cop (who Naomi finds very attractive) named Nash shows up at the hotel room and Naomi is upset because she wanted to handle it on her own.
It turns out that Knox and Nash are brothers, and Nash claims to be the good one. Nash advises Naomi to use Virginia’s kinship care act so that Waylay can stay with a family member instead of going into the system. Nash and Knox give each other a look during this conversation, making Naomi wonder what history they have with foster care. Despite the fact that Knox acts as if he doesn’t like being around Naomi, he seems angry with his brother for offering her help instead. Nash leaves and Knox takes Naomi to Tina’s house, which seems to be under threat of eviction. The trailer that Tina used to rent is a mess, and the landlord says she’s behind months on rent, so Knox calls Naomi “daisy” again and tells her that she’s asleep on her feet and to get in the truck after packing Waylay’s things.
Naomi is too tired to argue so she does, and Knox takes them to his place, which has a small cottage close to it that’s available for rent from Liza J, Knox’s landlord. Naomi loves the cottage and so does Waylay, but Naomi worries she can’t afford the rent, especially since Tina has stolen everything from her. Knox tells her not to worry but just to go to dinner at Liza J’’s house, and gives her a big smile which almost knocks Naomi off her feet. She tells him how attractive he looks with the smile and he tells her she must be overtired.
Naomi falls asleep and when she wakes, there is food and soda there that Nash brought over to help out with Waylay. Naomi thinks about how she has a big responsibility now and that she might have to change her life a lot in order to take care of Waylay. Naomi finally reveals that she is supposed to be in Paris right now for her honeymoon but that she crawled out of the church’s basement window to escape from her fiance, Warner.
Waylay and Naomi bike to the store in order to pick up coffee and necessities and have a nice time on the way. Naomi encounters yet another person who assumes that she is her twin sister, Tina, and she’s almost denied service at the grocery store. Eventually, she’s able to convince the employee that she’s not her sister and they return to the coffee shop from the beginning of the book and get smoothies and coffee.
A woman named Sherry shows up and offers Naomi a job as a waitress at a bar called The Honky Tonk, which Naomi agrees to after securing childcare for Waylay. Things seem to be looking up for the aunt and niece.
In Knox’s point of view, Nash has declared that he has intentions to ask out Naomi, and Knox doesn’t like it. He suggests they fight for it, which is apparently how their family resolves issues. Nash comments that Knox doesn’t even like Naomi, and Knox thinks to himself that he’s mostly doing this just to annoy his brother. He thinks that Naomi isn’t his type and she’s too much trouble but he decides that for whatever reason, he doesn’t want his brother going after her. Naomi catches them rolling around in the dirt and fighting, and they break it up. Waylay pets Knox’s dog, Waylon, while Naomi and Knox load up the car. Nash tells Naomi that the car was reported stolen by a man named Warner, and it turns out his name had been on the title. Naomi essentially stole a car to get away from her ex, but Nash doesn’t seem interested in charging her with theft. They all four head to the dinner with Liza J.
Knox suggests a drink and Naomi is all for it. They arrive at Liza J’s and we realize that she is Nash and Knox’s grandmother. Naomi tells Liza J over wine that she got a new job at The Honky Tonk, and Liza J advises her not to tell Knox about it because he wouldn’t think it was a good idea. Naomi says that’s her business and Liza J agrees, telling her that she will watch Waylay for her while she works. Liza will also be providing the cottage rent-free, only expecting Naomi to pay the utilities and help out around Liza’s house.
During dinner, there’s mention of Knox and Nash’s friendly sibling rivalry and a friend of theirs named Lucian Rollins. Knox sits next to Naomi and she’s acutely aware of her attraction to him throughout dinner. After dinner, Nash talks to Naomi and tells her that even if Tina comes back, she’s unlikely to keep custody of Waylay due to her legal problems, so Naomi has to make a choice between adopting Waylay and putting her into foster care.
Naomi witnesses Knox in his boxer briefs the next morning and appreciates his tattoos and his other assets, blushing and turning away. She takes Waylay to the library, where a woman named Sloane tells her that Waylay volunteers there and she’s a great kid. Naomi still doesn’t contact her parents, even though they also don’t know that Waylay exists or that Naomi is okay after fleeing the wedding. She doesn’t want them to end their vacation, as it is their first in ten years. She sends a note and says that she’s sorry she left the wedding and that she’s okay, but tells them not to worry and says nothing about Tina or Waylay. She also sends a note to her friend Stef and Tina and creates a Kinship Guardian to-do list, telling the reader that she’s decided to adopt Waylay.
Back in Knox’s point of view, he goes to work at a barbershop called Whiskey Clipper. Knox is a barber there, and he also co-owns the bar next door, The Honky Tonk. It turns out that he is part owner of both businesses, with his friend Jeremiah, and Sherry hasn’t told him that she’s hired someone new. While at work, Knox thinks of Naomi and stalks her on social media, specifically Facebook. He’s not surprised she was a cheerleader in high school or that she seems very different from her sister, Tina. He sees pictures of what her ex looks like, and he’s not impressed, thinking that he seems like a jerk and entitled. He asks himself why he feels so annoyed by the pictures of her with his ex, and decides that it isn’t his problem. He’d gotten Naomi and Way to a safe place, and his responsibility is over.
Naomi handles her first shift at work well until Knox shows up and she finds out that he’s now her boss. Knox is angry and doesn’t want her working there, but Sherry handles the hiring and puts her foot down. Naomi is angry when Knox refers to her as an “uppity, needy pain in the ass, but she continues her shift. Knox keeps insisting that he will fire her if she gets so much as one complaint, so she’s determined to do well.
Silver, the bartender, seems quiet and not very friendly, but she helps Naomi to learn the ropes and tells Knox that he’s being an asshole and that’s why the Honky Tonk has such high turnover rates. Naomi is grateful for the backup. Knox is still a jerk, though, assigning Naomi to a rowdy table in hopes that she will mess up, even after Justice (the owner of the cafe Naomi loves) and his wife show up to be Naomi’s guests.
From Knox’s point of view, he tells himself that he should go and do paperwork but he wants to watch Naomi mess up her first shift. Silver asks him why he has such a problem with Naomi, and Knox can’t exactly answer. She’s just not his type, too put together and she would want a commitment he can’t provide, but usually, he would ignore that and not be so angry about her general presence. It’s his attraction to her that bothers him. He thinks to himself that he needs a vacation and that’s what he’ll do, take some time off and get laid. When one of the patrons grabs Naomi by the wrist, though, Knox interjects himself to protect her, and when Nash shows up and Silver insinuates that his brother has a crush on Naomi, Knox admits to himself that he has a crush on Naomi too, but he didn’t want either of them to end up getting the girl.
Naomi is too high class for him, Knox reasons, and he simply doesn’t want his brother to win. When Nash offers her a ride home, Knox is angry about that too, deciding for her that Knox will take her home instead. Naomi finally agrees after she finds out that Nash lives upstairs from the bar and it’ll be out of his way. Knox hates the way that Nash keeps finding ways to touch Naomi but he finally locks himself in his office and does payroll after Sherry and Silver remind him. He thinks that he cannot possibly work day in and day out with Naomi or he’ll pin her against a wall and kiss her to shut her up. After her shift, Knox takes a shot with all of the staff because the sales beat the previous week’s sales and that’s the deal he made with them. Naomi announces that she quits and Knox goes after her and convinces her to continue to work there, even making a comment that she’s not his type but he’s definitely attracted to her. Naomi doesn’t know how to take this comment so she lets him give her a ride home instead of taking her bike like she planned.
Naomi marvels that she still hasn’t heard from the court or the Department of Children’s Services regarding Waylay, but she has been sneaking vegetables into Waylay’s food. Naomi and Waylay head to Liza J’s in order to earn their rent and Waylay helps Liza with computer issues while Naomi cleans. Liza treats them to lunch and there’s a conversation there about how Nash and Knox seem to be fighting over Naomi. Naomi finds this ridiculous and says as much, saying that Knox can’t stand her, but Liza J and the other townspeople tell her that Knox doesn’t ever fight over women so if he is, it’s important. Naomi also discovers that Knox is a multi-millionaire who won eleven million dollars in the lottery and doubled his money by buying the businesses. She also witnesses Knox barbering and thinks about how attractive he is, especially with all his muscles and tattoos. She thinks about how Warner was very stuck-up and entitled but his family were not millionaires. Waylay makes a friend named Chloe and she is the librarian’s daughter.
In Knox’s point of view, he attends a cookout with Jeremiah that Naomi is at, and he’s surprised by how attractive she looks and angered by his brother Nash’s flirting with her. He tells himself it’s only to keep Nash from winning. Knox is also upset that Naomi seems to be avoiding him while being friendly and warm to everyone else.
Chloe and Waylay become better friends at the cookout. Waylay is asked to help out with tech issues at the cookout and Knox demands ten dollars per job. Knox is encouraged by the way Naomi gives him a grateful look after this. Knox approaches Naomi and asks why she’s thrown this potluck, and Naomi confesses that she wanted Waylay and Chloe to get along since Chloe is popular. Naomi also confesses she’s nervous about Waylay starting school, especially since this is her first try at being a guardian. She’s made a list in a notebook to that effect, and Knox steals it to read and she’s annoyed. Knox tells her that she doesn’t have to do this alone, but she insists she doesn’t need help. Knox offers her more shifts at the bar. Naomi shoots back that she was a needy pain in the ass so why does he want her around and Knox tells her that he didn’t mean it.
Naomi confesses that Tina often told her that she was too needy and Knox realizes that his comment hurt her, but he teases her instead of actually apologizing. Just before he gives in to apologize, a woman from Child Protective Services shows up.
Naomi fills out paperwork to keep Waylay in her custody and it goes well, but she’s still worried about Waylay going back to school so she sells her wedding dress and takes her back to school shopping. They’re going to take a Lyft, but Knox offers to drive them, saying that he’ll drop them off. When they arrive, though, Waylay seems to want him to shop with them so Knox agrees. Naomi is a bit upset about it because she wanted to bond with Waylay, but Knox insists that he won’t mess that up. While at the mall, whenever Waylay’s eyes light up when she’s looking at something, Knox pulls out his credit card and buys it. He also enters an underwear store with Naomi and buys her underwear and a new phone, which confuses Naomi and she makes a comment. Knox says that he doesn’t know why he’s into her but he’s trying to keep her occupied because some guy is looking for her, which Naomi assumes Nash told him.
After asking a few questions, Naomi realizes who it must be, and she’s right – it’s her best friend, Stefan, who we only knew as Stef before now. He’s incredibly handsome and loving and Knox is noticeably jealous, to the point that Stefan notices. He tells Naomi she’s done the right thing by leaving Warner and that Knox definitely wants her. She disagrees, saying that he hates her. Stefan also lets her know that he’s been in contact with her parents but insists he hasn’t told them anything that she’s told him.
Stefan even goes to Knox’s the next day, warning him that Warner will come after Naomi and asking him to make a move but Knox refuses. Stefan takes Waylay and Naomi to the hair salon, where he flirts with Jeremiah.
At the Honky Tonk the next night, Naomi waits on a poker table and is instructed not to let Nash back there – apparently the local rich people come to play on these nights, and among them is Lucian, Nash, and Knox’s best friend from childhood. Naomi has a good time and is going to make a great tip, but Knox comes around and makes her leave the table, stating that it’s dangerous because of the people that are there – even his friend Lucian. Lucian and Sloane meet up and it seems they have some kind of history, but in the meantime, Nash shows up and Knox has Naomi flirt with him to distract him. He lives to regret this, though, since Nash flirts right back, and it turns out he hasn’t come for the poker game at all, but to warn Knox that Tina, Waylay’s mother, and Naomi’s sister, seems to be in bigger trouble than they realized.
When Knox comes back into the bar, Naomi is learning to play poker at Lucian’s side and Knox is jealous even when they end up gifting her with over twenty thousand dollars. Again, Knox reminds her that Lucien is dangerous, and in his point of view we find out that Knox hasn’t always been on the right side of the law, either. Apparently, Nash is the only one of those three that grew up to be a cop, and both Lucien and Knox think of it as some kind of betrayal. Naomi and Knox almost kiss but then Naomi gets a phone call and it turns out that Nash has been shot after leaving the bar and he’s in critical condition.
Knox and Naomi head to the hospital but Knox tries to push her away, and tells himself that he should have made up with his brother a long time ago. Eventually, he lets go and cries in Naomi’s arms. She says he needed a hug and he says no, he needed her and they have a soft moment together before she asks what the fight with his brother was about. Knox confirms it wasn’t about a woman and tells the story. When Knox won the lottery he gave his brother Nash some of the money and Nash donated it to the police fund – the same police who had harassed Nash, Knox, and Lucien as teenagers. Naomi reminds him that Nash cleaned up the department and Knox acknowledges that she’s right. The doctor comes in to tell them Nash is awake and Knox kisses Naomi. Knox and Nash have a bit of a reconciliation and Lucian shows up to assure Knox he’ll take care of whoever shot Nash.
Naomi and Knox have sex, with Knox dirty talking and telling her how much he wants her and how perfect her body is, and he assumes they’ll hook up a few times and then call it off. Naomi is distracted by her parents coming into town so she and Knox have to appear to be dating, and also by Waylay having a teacher who has a personal beef with her mother, Tina, so she treats Waylay poorly. Naomi rectifies that situation and throughout, she and Knox are sleeping together. Knox even brings her to spend the night at his house and he panics a bit about how much he likes seeing her in his clothes. Naomi has her own moment of panic when Knox takes her on a picnic lunch and she says it doesn’t feel like pretending anymore. Knox has no answer for her, and everyone in town says that he doesn’t actually date, so this is a big deal.
Warner continues to email Naomi every day but she ignores it. Stefan tells her that eventually, she will have to deal with him, but she refuses. She’s afraid, and she finally confesses to Knox that Warner had been physically abusive to her toward the end of their relationship. They make love again and it’s softer than usual and then the next day, Knox meets a man from his past again, named Duke.
The man instantly realizes that Knox is in love with Naomi and Knox becomes afraid, thinking he’s not good enough for her. He breaks up with Naomi the next day and offers her money and Naomi is heartbroken and offended. Knox continues to text her and wants her to come back to work at the bar, but she refuses to speak to him. Naomi’s father even goes to talk to him and tell him that they all see good in him, but that Knox doesn’t see it in himself. Their friends at the bar all convince Naomi to speak to Knox again in time and Knox confesses that Duke is his father and he’s an addict and they had a terrible childhood after Knox’s mother died. Naomi doesn’t want to get back together, though, because now she doesn’t trust Knox with her heart.
Tina calls Naomi and Naomi meets up with her but it turns out that Tina and her criminal boyfriend are kidnapping Naomi for ransom money from their parents and Knox. Lucien uses his connections to find out where they are and Knox rescues her from Tina and Hugo, her criminal boyfriend. It turns out that Hugo was also the one who shot Nash, and Knox nearly kills him before Lucian pulls him off, especially since Hugo had almost strangled Naomi to death.
Later, Knox tells Naomi and Waylay that he loves them, and Waylay is particularly touched since her mother is now in prison. He and Naomi make love again and he impulsively asks her to marry him but she blows him off.
Still, later, they hook up at a cookout and Knox tells her that he wants to have more kids with her and marry her. He insists that she marry him at the end of the book, and tells her that he wants daisies in her hair, calling back to his nickname for her.
Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon.
Knox doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.
Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order.
Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.
There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.
At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.
