Page 106 of When We Are Falling

Without thinking, I pull her into my arms, wrapping her up in a way that feels both familiar and right. She doesn’t resist, doesn’t hesitate—just melts into me, her head resting against my chest. I breathe her in, and my heart swells at the sensation of her body against mine, right where it should be.

Her hands slide up to rest on my chest, and she whispers, “Thank you for everything.”

I press my chin to the top of her head, holding her tighter for a moment, wanting to keep this feeling forever. But then one ofthe bands takes the stage, and someone calls her name. I release her, watching as she disappears through the crowd.

Just as I’m about to grab a drink, Liam catches my eye, waving me over, his expression tight. “We’ve got a problem.”

“What now?” I ask, already bracing myself.

“The vendor who was supposed to donate the weekend yacht trip for the auction? They just pulled out. It was the biggest-ticket item on the list.”

“Shit.” This was our contact, an item Liam and I arranged for the auction. I glance over at the tables where the auctioneer is going through the smaller items with Blake. “We need something big to replace it. We’ll lose momentum.”

Liam nods. “I know. What are we gonna do?”

For a second, I rack my brain, searching for any solution that’ll keep the event running smoothly. Then, it hits me. “We’ve already put up a boat trip on theFreedom. How about we sponsor something else?”

Liam raises an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“A group skydive,” I say. “You know how much people pay for those. It’ll be perfect, plus it’s different—something memorable.”

A grin slowly spreads across Liam’s face. “That could work. I’m in.”

Just as I’m about to call over the auctioneer to slot in the new prize, a voice pipes up from behind us.

“Did I hear you boys talkin’ about needing something for the auction?”

I turn to see Joe Heart, Danny’s dad, standing nearby. He’s looking thinner than the last time I saw him, his complexion pale, and there’s a faint wheeze in his breath. The cancer’s been getting worse lately, but there’s strength in his eyes, and I know better than to underestimate him.

“Yeah,” I say. “One of the vendors pulled out, but we’re gonna donate a group skydive instead.”

Joe nods slowly, his lips pressing into a thin line as he thinks. “I might have somethin’ that’ll sweeten the deal for you.”

Liam and I exchange a glance as Joe reaches into his jacket pocket, pulling out his phone. He opens the photo app and scrolls through before showing us a picture of a baseball sitting inside a velvet box, yellowed with age. Scrawled across the surface in faded black ink is the nameLarry Doby, who helped break down baseball’s color barrier and was the first Black player in the American League.

“Holy shit, Joe,” Liam says, leaning closer to get a better look. “Is that really...?”

“Yep,” Joe says with pride. “It’s the real deal. Danny bought it years ago. It meant the world to him.” His smile falters slightly, and he slides his phone back in his jacket. “But this is for a good cause. Danny would’ve been all over something like this—helping kids who need a safe place. I can’t think of a better way to honor him than to let this ball help raise some funds.”

My throat tightens as I look at the older man, remembering all those afternoons on the field with Danny playing baseball, and I step forward and place a hand on Joe’s shoulder, squeezing gently. “Joe, you don’t have to do this.” But I already know there’s no talking him out of it.

He shakes his head. “I want to, Ethan. I need to. Danny would’ve wanted this. I know that for a fact. And after the town rallied to raise money for my medical expenses at the last Founder’s Day Festival, I’m more than happy to give back.”

For a moment, I’m at a loss for words, before pulling Joe into a hug. “Thank you.”

When I step back, Joe smiles up at me, his eyes glistening. “You’re a good man, Ethan. Always was. I’m real glad to see you and Blake working together on this fundraiser.”

I rub the back of my neck, my heart beating a little faster at the mention of her name. “She’s amazing.”

Joe nods. “She is. I hope it works out between you two. She’s smiling again, you know? I haven’t seen her smile like that in a long time. Danny loved you both so much. He would have wanted this.”

I glance over at her, standing by the auction table, laughing at something the auctioneer said.

Joe gives my arm one last pat. “Go on, tell Blake and the auctioneer. Let’s make sure this ball raises some money.”

“Thanks, Joe. This is amazing.”

Liam gives me a thumbs up as I head toward Blake, my mind already spinning with ideas, thinking about how we can get people excited about Joe’s donation. We’ll need to project the photo onto a screen, maybe play some clips of Larry Doby playing. This auction could be a game-changer for Blake’s cause.

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