Page 59 of Even if You Fall

“You did,” I said firmly but just as softly. “Leaving me at a dump of a motel would’ve been better than what this is gonna do to your family. Leaving mehomewould’ve been better.”

His shoulders sagged just slightly, and I knew from the look he gave me that he was going to argue why he couldn’t. But before he could say anything, his dad made a noise to get our attention.

And even though Adam once again remained silent, I knew his dad was talking about me.

The following silence felt heavy and suffocating as everyone looked at Adam and me, seemingly waiting for an explanation.

“Why aren’t you telling me what he’s saying?” I asked under my breath. When Adam didn’t respond, I risked a glance his way and found him studying me. “Adam, what’d he say?”

After long seconds, he released a heavy sigh and glanced around the room before reluctantly telling me, “I know real when I see it.” He cleared his throat, looking more uncomfortable than I’d ever seen him when he added, “Something that special deserves more than to be turned into a joke.”

My heart raced even as I tried controlling it—tried telling it thiswasn’treal, no matter what his family might think, no matter what my traitorous heart might want. Adam and I wereco-workers at best, as he’d said earlier.

But then copper eyes locked onto mine as he finished translating, “You risk losing her by treating her like she doesn’t mean anything—joke or not,” and I once again couldn’t help but wonder if some part of Adam wanted this to be real too.

“So, stop being the world’s lamest boyfriend,” one of the girls said irritably, seconds before Adam reached out to grab whatever was thrown that time.

The edges of a soft blanket gently curled around my arms before Adam let it fall to the floor. His uneasy stare darted between the members of his family before falling to the small space between us, and I knew in the guilt that marred his features that I was an idiot for considering Adam would ever be battling the same war as me.

Of course he didn’t want this to be real. I’d been forced onto him like an unwanted babysitting job. Nothing more.

I needed to remember that.

“You should’ve left me in Texas,” I whispered to him before twisting away, simultaneously untangling myself from theblanket and getting off the couch. And for some reason I couldn’t understand, I was unable to meet any of their stares when I stood.

“Adam isn’t the world’s lamest boyfriend—well, I don’t know,” I told them with a laugh that sounded sad, even to me. “You’d have to ask someone he’s actually dated. But everything we’ve told you today has been true. I really am just his co-worker, and barely that. I only started there two weeks ago.” Pressing a hand to my chest, I tried looking at Adam’s mom and felt like a coward that I still couldn’t lift my stare fully. “I know what him bringing me here means—I know. He told me. And I’m so sorry to do this to your family—I’m sorry to get your hopes up—but this really isn’t what y’all think it is.”

I started backing away when the silence in the room became unbearable and told them, “You have a beautiful family. Thank y’all for being such wonderful hosts.”

You could feel the confusion, doubt, and shock pressing down like a heavy cloud when Chloe stole out of the living room.

For over a minute, silence filled the room before everyone began talking at once.

“Adam,” Mom said in disappointment.

“Wait, you were being serious?” Ellie asked, dumbfounded.

“I don’t understand,” Sam’s wife whispered as Sam stated, “There’s no way.”

“But you act like a couple,” Dani said as if she was struggling to wrap her head around it all, while her husband grunted his affirmation.

Dad just stared at me, not saying anything until everyone eventually stopped going back and forth on whether or not they’d had any indication, and if this might still be part of the joke.

Told you I know real when I see it, Dad signed, making my eyelids momentarily shut before I leveled him with a look.

“This isn’t real,” I said, my movements just as exhausted as the words that left me. “She’s...she’s just a co-worker.”

“Then why didn’t you tell us?” Mom asked. “Why didn’t you tell us what was going on when you told us you were coming?”

“Would you have believed me then?” I asked on a weary laugh. “Besides, I was trying to get Briggs to change his mind up until late last night.”

“There’s no way,” Ellie said, vehemently shaking her head. “There’snoway. All of us have literally been watching the two of you for hours now.”

“And not one of us thought something was off between you,” Dani finished for her.

“Or maybe that was because you weren’t really looking,” I told them. “You guys have been dismissing everything Chloe and I have said from the minute we got here. We told you—wetriedtelling you what this was and what it wasn’t, but maybe you were all just too excited by the idea of what itcouldbe, that you refused to see there’s nothing between us.”

“Maybe you’re the one who isn’t seeing,” Mom said pointedly.

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