Page 37 of Until We Fall

My stomach knots. I don’t understand his family, not at all.

I pull out my phone. “Then I’ll invite you to ours.”

His eyes widen. “What? No, D. You don’t have to?—”

I click send on the invite link to Rory. “It’s already done. It’s up to you if you accept or not.”

He blinks. “Is anyone else besides your family in there?”

I tuck my phone away. “Not yet.”

“D…” His teeth scrape across his bottom lip. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted to.” I lean my forearms on the table. “Will you tell me about them?”

His lips press. “It’s not like they’re monsters or anything.”

“Okay.”

I wait.

He swipes his napkin off the table and fiddles with it. “They’re outdoorsy, is all. Hunting and fishing. They’resurvivalists. My brothers are all into it too.” He glances down at his lap. “I’m just different. I don’t fit, and everyone knows it.”

“That sounds really lonely.”

“It’s fine,” he says stiffly. “It’s silly to complain about. A lot of people have it worse.”

I clear my throat. “Has anyone ever put you first, Rory?”

His lips part. He doesn’t say anything, but I can read the answer all over his face.

No. In his entire life, no one has ever really put him first.

What is wrong with us? I mean, all of us? Why are people like this? If someone like Rory doesn’t know how amazing he is, then what the fuck are we, as a whole damn society, doing? Why are we even going about life if?—

“You do.”

My focus snaps back to him. “Is that true?”

“All the time, D.” He swallows. “You put me first. I always feel soseenwith you. Like you’re listening.”

“I am listening.”

He pales slightly, fidgeting again. “And like you can’t stop looking.”

Well, that’s the truth. “Ireallycan’t stop looking.”

A blush warms across his cheeks, and it must be pretty intense for me to see it in the dark. “I still don’t know why.”

My brows rise. “Because you’re a gorgeous as fuck man who I want to pull onto my lap and kiss for hours.” I pause as the server returns with our tab.

Rory’s blush deepens. He’s looking down, like he’s shy about someone overhearing what I just said. Or like… he thinksI’mshy about it? Like he thinks I wouldn’t say that for someone to overhear?

I clear my throat, glancing up at the server. “My date is hot, don’t you think?”

The guy doesn’t miss a beat. “Absolutely, sir. I completely agree.”

“And,” I continue despite Rory’s fierce blush, “he’s funny and kind and curious and intelligent.” Rory’s blush just keeps deepening, his lips parting like he doesn’t know what to say. “He’s absolutely fucking amazing,” I add.

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