Page 101 of Fall Into Me

“I’m sure Ashton will fill you in at an incredibly inappropriate time.”

She stared at me like she was seeing me a little more clearly. I hadn’t expected her to say anything back to me, but the very idea that she might think that who she was to me had changed so completely and that I’d been too caught up in my own head–too choked up with my own words–to tell her. It made me sick.

That Calista Grey would think that she was anything other than the center of my entire fucking universe.

“When can we go home?”

“Tomorrow,” I murmured. “They’re keeping you for observation.”

“What about Jerry?”

“Delilah went and got him for the night.”

“What?” She would have looked less shocked if I’d turned into a leprechaun.

“She almost tore off my balls when she showed up. Her boyfriend held her back.”

Cali’s giggle washed over me, and the pressure in my chest eased. “What did you do?”

“You were sleeping, and she was crying like a hyena. I didn’t want her to wake you up.”

She hummed, looking at me with eyes narrowed and a little grin playing on the corners of her mouth. “I better rest up then, we have a big day tomorrow.”

I lifted a brow in question, because she’d lost me entirely.

“The Autumn Fair,” she said simply.

“You can’t be serious.” It was my turn to give her a deadpan look.

“Yes, I am absolutely serious. This is tour three. Meeting the people of the town, participating in something small-townish. Seeing the community here and how changing the town will change its people. You’re so far removed from it that you and your contractors can’t see that.”

“Cali—” I knew even as I said her name I wasn’t going to win the argument, even if it was to tell her that I already knew that. That neither this nor any of the tours had been important in the way she thought.

“What happened to no more fighting with me?” She quirked an eyebrow, and she knew she had me.

“Fine.”

“Please, rein in your enthusiasm.”

“Rein inyourenthusiasm.”

“Oh, good one, buddy.” She did a tiny little huffing laugh that reminded me of Sheldon’s character inThe Big Bang Theory.

“Okay,Sheldon.”

I snorted, and Cali pulled her hand from mine just to flip me off.

“Careful.” I didn’t even try to hide my grin. “You know what that does to me.”

Cali rolled her eyes before sliding her hand back into mine. “Where’s Declan?” She said it so casually as if she didn’t want to seem like she cared, but the grip she had on my hand told an entirely different story.

“Skipped town,” I told her, pulling her hand back to my lips. “Ash has some people coming in to double-check, but it’s pretty clear he took off when…”

“When he hit my car and thought he’d killed me?” Her voice was sharp, but beneath it, I could hear the tremble.

What could I say to that? Nothing. Nothing would erase the image of her face, pale and panicked, or the sound of her screaming my name, a sound that had buried itself into my chest, rattling against my ribs like it would never leave.

Her fingers tightened again, her voice a whisper now. “So, we’re safe?”

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