Page 105 of Never Fall Again

“No.” The word came out a bit more defiantly than she’d intended.

Mo shook his head. “Head to the river. He’ll find you.”

Landry figured he would. Probably because Mo would text him as soon as she got out of sight.

She wavered. But she missed Cal. And they’d had almost no time alone since they’d officially taken their relationship in a new direction. They needed to talk.

And she needed reassurance.

She started walking down the path toward the river. Ugh. She didn’t like this part of herself. But there was no denying it. Dylan had done a number on her confidence. Right now, things with Cal felt like the moment when she finished a piece on her wheel and it was time to take it off the bat and move it to her drying rack. The shape was there, but the clay was still wet and easily pulled out of shape. One wrong move, and the piece could be ruined.

It could be fixed. But it would never be exactly the same again. Sometimes it was better than the original.

Sometimes there was nothing to do but start all over.

She didn’t want to start over.

Maisy reached her first, but not by much. She bent over to give Maisy a rub. Then two strong hands landed on her waist, and a very content male voice spoke in her ear. “There you are.”

“Hi.” She stood. What should she do? Face him? Stay where she was, his chest to her back? Where should she put her hands?

Why was everything so weird in her head?

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m nervous.” The words flew right out of her mouth before she could stop them. They were true. But really?Way to play it cool, Landry.

Cal gently turned her to face him. He stepped back but didn’t release her. He took both her hands in his, and his thumbs swept across her skin. “Want to walk with me? Just a short walk.”

“I’d love to.” He kept one of her hands and laced their fingers together as he led them toward the river. “It’s a beautiful night.” She’d led with a conversation about the weather? “Sorry. I’m—”

Cal pulled her against him, then his lips found hers.

And her nerves were gone.

She slid her hands up his chest and locked her arms around his neck. The last coherent thought she managed was that she hoped they were far enough down the path that Mo couldn’t see them.

When they broke apart, she dropped her head against his chest. “Hi again.”

He chuckled. A very satisfied male chuckle. “Hi.”

They walked along the river with their arms around each other’s waists. “I assume Mo knows?”

“I don’t kiss and tell.”

“Then—”

“My mother, however, apparently has a big mouth. My phone rang all morning. That’s part of the reason I stayed here this afternoon. Dad called first thing. Then Granny called. Mo, Meredith,Bronwyn—and speaking of Bronwyn, I didn’t tell her, but apparently you did.”

“She asked. I wasn’t going to lie.”

“I should hope not. I’m not planning to keep us a secret.”

“Me neither.”

He stole a quick kiss. “Good. Because I’m pretty sure we’d do about as well at keeping us a secret as we did at being friends.”

“Hey! We were great friends.”

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