Page 54 of When We Are Falling

He leans back in his chair, a sympathetic look in his eyes. “Blake, I understand your situation, but the mortgage is in your moms’ names. Without them coming in to discuss this, there’s not much I can do. Bank policy, you know.”

I swallow my disappointment. “I get it. I’ll talk to them and see if they can come in.”

“Please do. We’ll do our best to help, but we need to follow the rules.”

“Please don’t mention anything to them if you see them around town. I want a chance to speak to them first.”

“Of course.”

I thank him and leave the bank, heading straight to the Tavern, hoping the familiar routine will help me clear my mind and figure out what the heck I’m going to do. Telling my mom we can’t make the mortgage repayment is not an option, especially when she’s finally starting to do a little better.

When I arrive, Lucy is already there, setting up the bar for the day ahead, her brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. She’s a good worker, and it’s always nice to have her around. We chat about our days as we work, and her older brother—and my good friend, Jake—comes up in conversation.

Lucy leans against the bar, turning to look at me, tanned arms folded across her chest. “Adele’s going to be thirteen in a few months. Can you believe it?”

“Thirteen? God, I remember when she was born.”

“I know, right. Jake’s freaking out about having a teenage daughter.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “I can imagine. I bet he’s remembering everything we got up to in high school.”

“Yeah, he’s trying his best to act cool, but he’s worried.”

Thinking back to when Jake’s ex-girlfriend found out she was pregnant just after senior year. He was dating Kelly Charleston at the time and they seemed so in love, but he ended things with her todo the right thing. It was the biggest scandal at the time. Things didn’t work out between Jake and Adele’s mom, but they’ve managed to have a good co-parenting relationship for Adele. And Jake is such a good dad.

An unexpected jolt hits me: a memory of my own dad, of the bedtime stories he used to tell me. How much I still miss him sometimes.

Lucy’s looking at me. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just thinking back to high school. We were all a little crazy. Ethan was probably the worst.”

“He was such a bad boy. All the girls wanted him. Remember that black leather jacket he used to wear? And that beat-up car his dad got him? He was the first one out of the boys to get a car and they’d all pile in.”

“Yeah, I remember.” It feels like only yesterday, back when Danny was still alive, before we even started dating. Time has a way of slipping past so fast, everything changing in small ways, little by little. Then one day, looking around, everything’s different.

The memory of those high school days feels both distant and close, like a dream I can’t quite grasp. I think about how much we’ve all changed since then, the ways we’ve grown and the challenges we’ve faced, like losing Danny.

Lucy grins at me, pulling me from my thoughts. “It’s funny to think Harbor’s Edge’s biggest playboy is at your beck and call. I never thought I’d see the day that Ethan would be swooning overanyone.”

“Ha. It’s not like that.”

“Yes it is. He’s obsessed with you. In a good way!”

“Maybe.” Although part of me knows she’s right, and I love it.

I get through the rest of the shift on automatic, my mind switching focus from Ethan to a whirl of numbers and worry. Lucy chats about her weekend plans, and the bar remains quiet, like it has for weeks—by 7 p.m., it’s clear we’re not getting any more customers tonight. Lucy leaves first and I lock up, the click of the door echoing in the empty space.

Texting Ethan, I head straight to the community center. He’s already there, leaning against the wall outside, fidgeting, hands in his pockets: he’s feeling out of his element. When he sees me, he straightens up and gives me an adorable crooked smile.

“Seriously? I’ve got two left feet, remember? I’m going to embarrass you so bad tonight.”

“You’ll do fine.” I step closer. He wraps his arms around me and kisses me softly. For a moment, the world feels a little less heavy.

“How was your afternoon?”

“Nothing to report,” I reply quickly.

His eyes search mine, concern etched in his features. “Are you okay? You seem... off.”

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