Page 123 of Falling Too Late

“What’s got you all smilin’?” I reached for her, brushing the small hairs at the nape of her neck away before I settled my hand there, gently massaging. I just wanted to have my hands on her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,”she answered in a sing-song voice.

“Bullshit. You have the same look on your face you did when you bought me those seat covers for my birthday.”

“I do not!” she laughed, leaning back into my touch. “I’m just happy. Can’t a girl just be happy?”

“Just happy, huh?” I gave her a sidelong look as we got off her driveway and into the clearing of her home. I slowed down quickly, confused. “Who's here?”

There was a small SUV parked off to the side, along with another car that I didn’t recognize. When I looked to her, her face had fallen, and her eyes were wide.

“I didn’t expect anyone.” I hit the brakes and threw the car in park. King and Queen were nowhere to be seen, but I could hear them barking.

“Stay here.” I got out of the still-running car and went inside. The dog’s barking started to get louder, and I felt a breeze hit me through the house.

“What the. . .” I walked down the hall and through the kitchen to see balloons drift in the breeze through the kitchen window.

“Surprise!”

Voices shouted from all different directions. Gavin, Troy, and Riley stood together—and Mario too. There was a table set up with food, balloons on each side of it, with awelcome homebanner set up.

“You have got to be kidding me.” I grinned, turning around to see Wren leaning against the door frame with a shit-eating grin on her face.

“I’m better at keeping secrets now.” Her eyes sparkled.

She walked down and took my hand, “Alex, I want you to meet Mario. Mario,” she paused, looking up to him and tugging me closer, “thisis Alex.” She stressed the word, and I felt the meaning behind my own name.

Mario put his hand out and we shook hands. “It’s. . .surreal to finally meet you.” He gave a small laugh.

“Well, here I am in the flesh.”

I tried keeping my face neutral. I knew all about this man from the information Foster had given me, but meeting him now, in-person, was another story.

He was clean shaven, tall and well-dressed. I glanced between him and Wren and could see something there that I was not privy to. He was someone to her that I wasn’t. He had filled a void in her life that I wasn’t a part of.

And stupidly, I hated it.

He meant something to her and I was jealous of it. For years I had been the main person in her life, her protector, now I shared the space with him.

Dan pressed his way between us, relieving me of the turmoil of emotions I felt. “I just can’t believe it.” He hugged me tight before pulling away, wiping his face.He had done a good job keeping himself together at the office, but he seemed just as amazed to see me now as he was then.

“Oh, I can’t believe it.” Frannie was freely crying. A tissue wadded up in her hand. I had to stoop to hug her. “I can’t believe they made such a huge mess-up like this.”

“That’s the damn government for you!” Dan shouted while wiping his eyes.

Straightening, I smiled down at her. “It’s good to see you, too, Frannie.”

I had been telling everyone that the jail made a mistake. There was no other way for me to explain everything, so this would have to do for now.

Gavin and Troy were there then, handing me a beer and raising their bottles.

“It’s about time we had a beer together,” Troy said.

“You know, he could have quit while in prison,” Gavin put in plainly. “You should be considerate of that.”

“I promise, I didn’t quit drinking while in prison.” I raised my beer to him before I brought it to my lips, glancing over my shoulder at Wren. Riley was standing with her, rubbing her shoulder while Wren wiped a finger under her eyes. They both turned and went inside.

I wanted to follow her. I wanted to be the one who wiped her tears away. There was no reason she should be crying, but I stayed put out on the porch with everyone else.

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