Page 64 of Dare to Fall

“Okay,” she said.

I tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, and my heart swelled to see a sliver of her strength beam through the brokenness.

“Now, what do you say I take you to get some comfort food? I know a pretty good place downtown.”

As she wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands, she chuckled and said, “I think that sounds pretty good.”

32

Eva

Savory notes waftedthrough the air that should have made my mouth water, but it only edged me closer to nausea. A deep ache nagged at the insides of my stomach. Famished was an understatement for how my body felt, but the thought of eating only made the nausea worse, and I didn’t want to embarrass myself any more in front of Garth by vomiting all over him.

The waitress guided us to a table, and as I pulled out the heavy oakwood chair, I realized just how weak I’d become. The weight of the chair felt like a million pounds.

I still had no desire to run or do anything I did before this all happened, and it made me wonder if any enjoyment of life would come back or if I would remain a shell of who I used to be forever.

“Can I get you two something to drink?” the waitress asked.

“Do you mind if I order for us?” Garth asked me.

“That’s fine.” I was thankful to not have to make any decisions. My mind was muddied, and the extra energy it took to sort through my thoughts to make any decisions was too much.

Garth gave me a gentle smile and took the menu from me.

“We’ll have two waters. I’ll take the ribeye with asparagus and mashed potatoes. She’ll have the chicken marsala with mashed potatoes and the three-cheese macaroni.”

“Okay, great. I’ll have that right out for you, Mr. Walker.”

My brows stitched together as the waitress said Garth’s last name. I couldn’t recall him mentioning his name prior to us sitting down. But then again, I wasn’t in the best state of mind for remembering much of anything.

“So, it seems that Lucas and your friend Drema got on pretty well the other night. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Lucas that enamored with someone before.”

I knew he was trying to distract me from everything that was happening in my life, and I welcomed it. If there was anyone who was capable of taking my mind off the drama, it was Garth.

“Yeah, she told me they went out after the exhibit and had a pretty good time. I’ve never seen Drema do anything other than paint, so it was nice to hear she was out and enjoying herself.” My voice croaked a bit, probably due to the fact that I’d hardly talked in days and spent most of the time crying, making my throat raw.

“Her pieces were incredible, by the way. When things settle down a bit, I would love to stay true to my offer and meet her for coffee to discuss some networking opportunities. It’s a huge part of an artist’s job, cultivating relationships within the community with fellow artists and potential buyers. She has great talent, and I think she could make a really big mark for herself.”

As I took in the man sitting across from me, I was suddenly struck with a feeling of warmth and peace. To know that there were people out there who truly wanted the best for others in a time of my life when it felt like the sharks were circling for blood brought me comfort. Garth didn’t owe anything to Drema, but he saw a young woman with hopes and dreams, and he was able to guide her in the right direction. There would be nothing in it for him, and that made his willingness to help her even more powerful.

And how he was spending his day making sure I was taken care of when no one else was around or willing to do it. Behind his cool and gruff exterior was a man I knew was dependable and thoughtful. So different from my experience with Connor where it felt like I was the one who constantly took care of him, in one way or another.

If only just for a moment, the pieces of my fractured soul felt like they might have a chance of being stitched back together.

“That’s very generous of you to offer your time to her.”

With a glimmer in his eyes, he said, “It’s the right thing to do. I had many people throughout my career who reached their hand down to me, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without their help. Now, I’m in a position to do the same for the next generation of artists.”

“You’re a really amazing person, Garth. For wanting to help Drema. And for wanting to help me.”

He reached across the table and took my hand in his. Butterflies swarmed my stomach the moment I felt the rough planes of his skin touch mine. The pad of his thumb brushed the back of my hand in soothing circular motions. The jolt of electricity searing through my body was exhilarating, a jumpstart to my soul. He was the safety net, catching me with gentle ease after a very long fall.

My gaze raked up the length of his strong arms, stopping at the hard line of his jaw covered in a neatly trimmed stubble, inching just above to where his lips were set in a comfortable pout. The same lips I so desperately wanted to kiss. Desire pulsed between my thighs at the thought of those lips finally touching mine, only to graze the rest of my body with sweet tenderness. And looking past his sun-kissed skin to find his hazel-green eyes set in a steely gaze was almost my undoing. The chains I bound myself to were slowly coming unhinged from the power of everything I felt for the man looking back at me.

It gave me strength and the confidence to know that everything would be alright. Maybe not right now, or even in the coming days, but there was so much potential for me to live a happy and meaningful life beyond all the chaos.

I tore my eyes away from him as the waitress brought out a tray filled with our waters and plates of steaming hot food. I didn’t think I’d ever seen an order come out so quickly before. The savory notes I’d smelled as we walked into the restaurant were even more intense as the food was placed in front of me.

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