Page 60 of When We Are Falling

At the end of the night, the band winds down, and the crowd slowly trickles out, leaving behind a bar that’s a mess of empty glasses and sticky counters. Blake and her staff are visibly exhausted, but they all look so happy.

Lucy and the others help clean and leave one by one—soon it’s just Blake and me. The bar is quieter now, a peaceful contrast to the earlier frenzy, and she starts cashing up the earnings in the register. She looks up at me, a tired but triumphant expression spreading across her face.

“We did it,” she says, her voice filled with a mix of disbelief and pride. “Even with the proceeds going to the oil spill, we made enough to cover the next mortgage payment.”

I can see the relief in her eyes. “I told you we’d figure it out,” I say, stepping closer and wrapping an arm around her, hugging her from behind. “You did an amazing job tonight.”

She leans into me, resting the back of her head against my shoulder. “Wedid an amazing job,” she corrects softly. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

The warmth of her words and the closeness of her body make my heart swell, and in this quiet moment, everything feels so right. The words that have been building in my mind for about a week now sit on my tongue, waiting for me to get the courage to speak them.I love you.

And nothing has ever felt truer. Until I met Blake, I never thought I’d really fall in love. It’s too messy, too complicated. I’ve seen first hand how relationships can implode, and I’ve always kept the women I’m seeing at arm’s length. But here I am. Totally wrapped around her perfect little finger.

Spinning her around to face me, my arms go around her and I kiss her long and hard. She responds, her body melting against mine. I’m about to pull back and tell her just how much she means to me, when someone raps on the front door.

The sound is jarring in the otherwise quiet room, making both Blake and me jump. “Blake! Blake, it’s me! Open up!”

Her face pales. “It’s David,” she says, her voice tight.

I move toward the door, but Blake stops me with a hand on my arm. “I’ll handle it. Please, stay back. I don’t want to spook him.”

I don’t like it, but I reluctantly follow behind her. “I’ll be right here.”

Blake unlocks the door, and David stumbles in, looking like a wreck. His eyes are bloodshot, his hair disheveled, and he reeks of sweat and desperation, like he hasn’t showered in weeks.

“David, why haven’t you called me back? I’ve been so worried,” Blake says as we stand just inside the doorway to the bar, the three of us staring at one another, a triangulated pressure point. The boardwalk is visible through the glass panel behind David and it’s dark outside, everyone else gone.

His eyes dart around the room, never settling, and I’m suddenly on edge.

“I’ve been busy. Things... things have been rough.” He scratches at his arm, his movements erratic. A hand runs through the dirty mop of his brown hair. Too long nails digging into his scalp. I need to get this guy away from Blake.

“Busy?” Blake echoes, her voice rising even though I can tell she’s doing her best to stay calm. “You look like you’re using again. People care about you. I care about you. You can’t just disappear like this.”

He takes a step closer to her, his gaze intense, and my pulse skyrockets. If he even touches her once, I’m going fucking in. I don’t care if Blake is worried about him getting spooked.

He leans in, hands twitching by his side. “I need to know. Are you ready to tell the truth about what happened with Sylvia?”

I step forward, but Blake shoots me a warning look. “Please. Let me talk to him.”

It takes every ounce of self-control I have, but I stay put, my muscles tense, ready to spring into action if necessary. Blake puts her hands up slowly in a calming gesture.

“I’ve told you before, nothing happened to me. Sylvia was awful, but she didn’t hurt me the way you think she did. But I’m happy to help you. We can bring her to justice for what she did to you.”

David’s face contorts with anger. “You’re lying!” he shouts, his voice echoing off the walls. “You’re just like everyone else, trying to cover it up.”

Blake takes a deep breath, her voice steady. “Please, listen to me. I’m not lying. I want to help you.”

But he isn’t listening. His eyes are wild, and he starts pacing, his fists clenching and unclenching. “I can’t do this anymore. I can’t...”

I take a step closer, unable to stay back any longer. “Hey, you need to calm down.” My voice is firm but as gentle as I can manage.

He whirls on me, his face twisted with rage. “Stay out of this!” he spits, before turning back to Blake. “You’re supposed to be like my sister. You’re supposed to help me.”

Her eyes fill with tears, but she keeps her voice steady. “I am your sister. And I want to help you. But you have to let me. Don’t disappear again. Let me get you some help. Everything will be so much clearer when you’re sober.”

For a moment, it looks like he might listen. His shoulders slump. But then, just as quickly, the moment passes, and he shakes his head violently. “No. No, you’re lying. You’re all lying. I can’t deal with this.” His hands go to his hair, tugging violently, his voice rising. “Why are you doing this to me?”

Before either of us can respond, he turns and walks out the door, leaving Blake standing there, staring after him. The door is still swinging shut when I pull her into my arms, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. “Are you okay?”

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