Page 84 of The Fall

“He emailed me after you graduated,” she said, terrified of my reaction and pulling the covers closer to her.

“What?”

“You were in Cabo with Cammie. I told him you had gone to Cabo with that guy Patrick you were seeing.”

All the blood drained from my face.

“There’s more.” She was wringing her hands. “Before you kick me out—”

“Please just tell me,” I said quickly.

“I knew he’d hurt you. I was trying to be a good sister. I just didn’t want him thinking you were sad.”

“ROSE!”

“I told him you were in love with Patrick and that you were probably going to get married.”

“Jesus, Rose!”

“I was trying to have your back. I had no idea. I know you would have done the same if David had come back after he’d hurt me that way. It wasn’t a secret when you ended things. Dallas, I promise I wasn’t trying to ruin your life.”

“You didn’t.”

“Wait…what?”

“An email doesn’t mean shit. He was probably engaged by then.” I dismissed it all, climbing back into bed.

“Maybe he was—”

“Let’s go to sleep.” Turning the light off, I punched my pillow out of habit.

“I’m kind of afraid to sleep with you right now. You’re taking this way too well.”

“Rose, seriously, my days of being obsessed with the ‘what ifs’ are over. I need to focus on our practice. But tell me about Dean…I mean Grant.”

“He’s perfect.” Her voice was shaking. “What if he was going to come back to propose to you Dallas?”

“Rose,” I leaned in so we were forehead to forehead. “I love you more than anyone in the world. Do you understand? You are my number one.” I felt her nod and gave her a quick squeeze. “It doesn’t matter. I’m glad you told me the truth, and maybe if I’d told you mine a little sooner, it could have been helped. Honestly, I just want to move on. I think all of us have suffered enough—including you. Love’s a bitch, but if she’s going to be a bitch to me, I’m glad she’s being good to you. Let’s go to sleep.”

I pulled my cell from underneath my pillow and looked at the screen.

DEAN: I just delivered a beautiful boy. I can’t stop thinking about you and how beautiful our baby would’ve been. We will have more. I promise you, Dallas.

For the first time since Dean popped back into my life, I wanted to believe him.

Dallas

Now

“Seth Whitaker, I’m still young enough to divorce you!” Rose and I laughed hysterically at our parent’s fussing in the kitchen.

“Good morning!” I chirped as I watched them fight over the stuffing recipe. They ignored me as they fought for ten minutes about whose turkey tasted better.

“I bought two, Seth. You didn’t defrost yours—deal with it!” She raised her hands in a Hail Mary as he shook his head, his hands on his hips.

“Laura, you want to explain to me why you took yours out and didn’t bother with mine?”

“Are you saying I purposefully sabotaged your turkey?” My dad winked at me as my mom’s blood pressure rose to an all-time high.

---