Page 37 of The Friendly Fall

“Here.” She grabs a towel from Roger and hands it to me. “You must be freezing.”

I take it from her and smile, ignoring the cool breeze that’s sending a shiver down my spine. “You’re feeling a little guilty about dunking me, huh?”

She blushes, causing my heart to stutter. “Well … you know. It was worth it, but I don’t want you to freeze. You’re a good sport.”

“You have a great arm,” I say, wrapping the towel around my shoulders. Hindsight being twenty-twenty, I should’ve taken my shirt off before getting dunked, but whatever. It’ll be fine.

“If it makes you feel better, there’s a fire going over there.” She points to the massive fire pit off to the side of the stage, where you can cook your own hot dogs and make smores. Just the sight of the fire has me feeling warmer and I nod.

“I think I’ll probably survive.”

“You’re literally thebestfor doing that,” she beams, bouncing beside me. “That totally made my whole night.”

“Well good. The next time you’re having a bad day, I’ll be sure to remember I can just borrow the dunk tank and let you have at it,” I joke, noting the curious look on Vanessa and Daniel’s face.

“So … you two…” Daniel begins, just before Vanessa swats his arm.

“We’ve gotta get home. Louise can only handle the twins for so long,” she says quickly, giving us a smile. “I heard the band is supposed to be really good tonight. You two should stay and enjoy it. Maybe sit by the fire and dry first, though.”

“Yeah, of course,” I chip in when Eliza stays quiet. “Have a good evening.”

“Thanks for cheering me on,” Eliza finally says as they turn to leave. The look on her face is difficult to read, and I’m not sure if she’s ready to go home or if something they said put her off…

“I can take you home if you want,” I say, my voice softening as we stand off to the side. More people are funneling in as the band sets up on the stage, and I try not to show that I’m shivering in my boots.

She looks up at me. “Oh, are you ready to go? I guess not having a change of clothes kind of ruins things.”

“I’m up for anything.”

She frowns, letting out a sigh. “Well, let’s at least go sit by the fire for a while so you can dry.”

I follow her over to the large fire and pull up two metal chairs. The flames are a welcomed warmth, and I find myself scooting closer as we both sit down. “I haven’t really introduced you to anyone,” I say cautiously, suddenly wondering ifthat’swhy she’s not happy.

“Oh, that’s okay,” she dismisses me, crossing one leg over the other. “Everyone is busy and enjoying their families. I’ll get to know people in time. I just have to get out more.”

I nod, relaxing as my jeans start to feel more damp than drenched. “I can’t imagine moving to a new town. If I was in your shoes, I probably wouldn’t ever get to know anyone.”

She raises her brows, her green eyes full of surprise. “Really? You seem like a social kind of guy.”

“Not really.” I purse my lips, shifting to angle the other, more wet, side of my body toward the fire. “I mean, sure, I talk to the people I know, but I don’t make friends all that easy. I really only have two close friends: Daniel and Vanessa.”

“Ireallylike Vanessa,” Eliza adds, leaning her elbows on her knees. “I think she’s super cool. She’s not from around here, either, which gives us something in common.”

“Yeah, I bet that’s nice to have in common—”

“But it’s good to have friends who’ve lived here, too,” she says quickly, poking my knee. “I think you’re already shaping up to be a great friend.”

Friend. Right.

Well, that’s what we are.

I nod,swallowing the disappointment. “Glad you think so. I hope you like it here,” I continue talking so that I don’t wallow in the rejection. “I know Vanessa is thrilled you’re here. There’s just not a lot of people our age around this little town, so she always gets stuck hanging out with Daniel … and me.”

“Ah, so your BFF time is invaded by your best friend’s wife,” Eliza teases, laughing as she leans back in her seat. “You poor thing.”

I chuckle but shake my head. “I just think she deserves to have some friends of her own”

She shrugs, the lines around her eyes deepening with thought. “I’d rather be one of few than one of many, I think. Chicago always just seemed to swallow me up. It’s like it never mattered if I was coming or going. I was invisible to most people.”

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