Page 89 of Fall at Once

Natalie swung my hand as we walked. “I’m going to sit with Dexter and his family. Is that okay? I know they’re here. I saw their car. His mom said it was okay.” She held her phone out, showing me the text from Dexter’s mother, giving her permission, and telling me she would drive her home when the fundraiser was over.

“It’s fine with me. As long as you stay with his family at their table the entire time.”

“I will, I promise. His mom wouldn’t let us go anywhere anyway. She’s just like you. Strict but still cool.”

“All right then.” I chuckled, relieved. “Go ahead.”

“Thank you, Dad.” She took off, looking far too grown up for my liking. It was so much easier when she was a little girl, and I didn’t have to worry about things like dating and all the potentialheartache that came with it.

“Where did the years go?” Tate chuckled. “They grew up too fast, man.”

“Don’t I know it?”

After the slap, Sherry attended several sessions with Natalie. Things have been looking up with them since we began therapy.

We had agreed to let her go to the Fall Ball with Dexter last month, and now they are dating. I’d known his parents forever, which helped me feel okay about it. He was a good kid. I was also relieved that Sherry had committed to prioritizing our kids again. They needed her.

I stood on the walkway. I didn’t want to go in without Madi. We’d spent so much time planning this it felt wrong to see it without her.

“She’ll show up. There’s no way she’d miss this. Have faith.”

“I hope you’re right. I hope I didn’t fuck everything up.”

“Let’s get inside.”

I followed him in and was greeted by a breathless Monica.

“Catch you later.” Tate took off into the room.

“So? What do you think?” She held her arm out with a smile. I took it all in.

The tables were covered with white fabric and topped with bouquets of mums, marigolds, and roses dyed in autumnal shades. Buffett stations had been set up along the walls on three sides of the space, while a platform intended for the bachelor auction was on the fourth.

I gulped and fought the temptation to turn tail and run. I wasnot looking forward to this. At all.

“It’s beautiful. Thanks for supervising the setup. It’s flawless.”

“Of course. This is always my favorite day of the Fire Brigade year.”

“I wish I could say the same,” I muttered, suddenly nauseous for reasons other than Madi. “I am not looking forward to standing on that platform.” My stomach roiled. “In front of everyone. With people watching me?—”

“Take a deep breath, Cole. It will go fast. I promise.” Monica was always the de facto hostess of the fundraiser, while I was like the grumpy dad who said hi at a holiday get-together and then disappeared—not tonight, though. “I’ll go easy on you. I won’t make jokes or anything. I’ll save that for Tate. He can take it.”

“I appreciate it.”

“I got you. I promise. Go get a cold drink and sit down. Maybe grab a plate too. You’re looking a little green around the gills. Eat something.”

“I—okay.”

I trudged toward one of the buffets and grabbed a glass. The food looked delicious, but I couldn’t eat. I filled my glass with chilled apple cider from the punch bowl and found a table in the corner.

“Hey.” Tate slid into the seat across from mine. “Monica said you weren’t doing too good. You look like crap. Take a deep breath or something. Do not puke.”

I let out a sardonic laugh. “I’m nervous and can’t stop wondering where Madi is. She still hasn’t returned my text.”

“I’ll do the welcome speech thing if you want,” he offered. “You can stay right here.”

“Thanks. I don’t have the capacity for any of this shit tonight.”

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