Page 81 of When We Are Falling

She does as I say, leaning against the counter, watching me with those green eyes that always seem to see right through me. I pass her a glass of wine and then chop vegetables and sauté garlic and fresh ginger, before putting on a pot of water for the noodles.

The stir-fry is soon ready and I carry two steaming plates to the table while Bandit settles in his bed. I put Animal Planet on for him, the TV muted, before sitting opposite Blake. We eat and talk about our day—her dealing with the increased numbers at the Tavern, me griping a little about the state of the wetlands.

As we finish dinner, Blake’s phone buzzes on the table. She glances at the screen, and her expression shifts, the lightness in her eyes dimming just a little as worry takes over.

“It’s Reverend Billy.” She picks up the phone. “Sorry, I better take this.”

She answers the call, listening intently to whatever the reverend has to say. Her face softens with concern. “Yep, I’ll drop by later tonight. Okay, see you then.” She ends the call and looks up to meet the intensity of my gaze.

“What’s up? David’s not here, is he?”

Her face darkens when I mention David. “No, he still hasn’t returned any of my calls. This isn’t about David, it’s about someone who needs my help.”

The thought of David already has my back up, but I remind myself not to overreact. “What’s going on?”

She leans back in her chair, studying me. “There’s this woman. She’s had to leave her partner multiple times, often with minor injuries she says happenedaccidentally, and she keepsgoing back to him and then ending up at the shelter. Reverend Billy says she’s in a bad way tonight and needs someone she can trust.”

David’s not here, although this doesn’t sound a whole lot better. I take a moment, choosing my words carefully. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to go out there tonight? You’ve already had a long day. Can someone else handle it?”

She shakes her head, her expression firm. “I can’t just ignore this. She needs me.”

“I get that, but what if it’s dangerous? What if her partner shows up and you get caught in the middle of something that turns violent?” My mouth runs on ahead of me, like it has a mind of its own.

“I’ve handled worse.” She shrugs like what I just said is no big deal. “This is what I do. You know that.”

My chest tightens a little. Even though I know she wants me to drop it, something compels me to keep on talking. “Let me come with you, at least.”

She raises one eyebrow. “Don’t be so ridiculous. I need to do this on my own. This woman trusts me, and I don’t want to overwhelm her with more people. Especially a man she doesn’t know.”

Small twin lines appear between her eyebrows. It’s clear she’s going to do this, whether I like it or not. I want to respect her independence, but every instinct is telling me it’s a very bad idea for her to go help this woman alone.Verybad. “Please don’t put yourself in another risky situation.”

She shakes her head again, more emphatically. “It’s not risky. I’m just going to talk to someone who needs help. Reverend Billy wouldn’t have called me if it wasn’t important. You’re being stupid.”

“Please, let’s just talk about this.”

Her frown deepens, and her expression grows more irritated: suddenly it hits me that I’m not the only one with unresolved feelings after what happened with David on the boardwalk.

Chapter 37

Ethan

For a long momentBlake and I look at one another across the table, me willing her to understand, to see my point of view.

The green of her eyes seems to deepen. “There’s literally nothing to talk about. You handle your business, and I’ll handle mine. End of discussion.”

Each dismissive response from her is like slamming into a brick wall. Part of me knows I’m letting my emotions get the better of me, but she’s not even willing to talk about this.At all.And it’s driving me insane.

I try to keep my voice level, to not let my frustration show: “You really need to stop and think. You don’tknowthat you’re definitely going to be safe. You’re always jumping in headfirst without worrying about possible danger or repercussions.”

“Excuse me?”

My voice rises despite my efforts to keep it in check, and it’s like I’m watching myself from a distance, unable to stop myself,unable to stop the worry and the deep, primal need to keep the woman I love safe.

“That mess with David was only a few days ago—who knows how that would have ended if I hadn’t turned up—and now you’re running off again without even considering what could go wrong.” I’m being an ass but I can’t help it. This is her safety we’re talking about.

She leans forward, looking at me across the table, eyes narrowed. “I won’t let anyone—even you—dictate how I live my life. And let’s not talk about what happened with David.”

“Why not? Because you know I’m right?”Jeebus. What the hell, mouth? Do youwantthis relationship to go pear-shaped?

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