Page 2 of The Fear of Falling
My jaw clenches when I read that one. While I’m glad Eric hired a consultant to help us figure out how to scale our company, I’m not sure why he thought the week after what would have been our honeymoon was a good time to bring him in.
Dani twists in Mason’s arms, looking behind her—toward Eric’s office—before meeting my eyes again. “Give us a second,” she tells her boyfriend. In a flash, she slips out of Mason’s hold and shuts herself in my office, leaving her man in the hallway. “Ishethe reason you haven’t left yet?”
As Eric sends another message, I try not to let my stomach tie itself in a knot. “Who?”
“Ave, you have to go!”
“On my honeymoon? Bymyself?” My words come out harsh—too harsh—and Dani flinches, flooding me with guilt. She was planning to come with me to Italy and take Eric’s spot, but then she met Mason. He’s been good for her and is the only reason I got a first draft of Dani’s next book, but thanks to him, Dani isn’t spending the week with me in Florence. Sighing, I get to my feet and wrap an arm around her. “I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you. It’s not your fault you tamed a handsome womanizer while you were supposed to be writing me a bestseller.”
She smirks—apparently I’ve been forgiven. “Ididwrite you a bestseller.”
“We’ll see.” I’m joking, but also not. I want her second book to do as well or better than the first, both for her sake and for Rose & Quill. The little publishing company Eric and I started a few years ago has suddenly made a name for itself thanks to Dani, and I would hate for us to be a one-hit wonder.
Are books called hits, or is that just songs? Where did that phrase come from, anyway?
Dani nudges her elbow into my ribs, hitting me right in my ticklish spot. I squeak and duck away, and she narrows her eyes at me. “You’re not scared to go alone, are you? You used to travel by yourself all the time.”
“That’s not technically true.” Most of the time, I ended up making friends whenever I went somewhere, so I was neveralone. Technically. “I’m not scared, I’m just…busy. And no, Eric isn’t the reason I’m still here.” That part’s a lie. Heisthe reason I haven’t left the office yet, though I haven’t figured out if it’s intentional or not. Our breakup was mutual, and he’s known about my plans to go to Italy anyway. Eric isn’t the type of guy to be petty, but I’m also leaving him for a week when we’re barely keeping our heads above water as it is. I can hardly blame him for not wanting to handle the company on his own. But it’s only a week…
“Avery!” Dani snaps, opening the door to reveal Mason still standing there, patiently waiting for her. She smiles like it hasn’t been mere minutes since she saw him. “You need to stop working or you’re going to miss your flight. All of this can wait until you get back, or yourcolleaguecan handle it.”
Eric coughs from his office. Dani has refused to speak his name since the breakup, and it drives him nuts. Now I know he’s been listening to all of this, which makes his messages feel deliberate.
He’s trying to stop me from going.
As I glance at the clock again, sudden panic hits me, fueled by my independent streak that I’ve gotten used to burying since partnering up with Eric. He’s not my boyfriend anymore, so he can’t decide what I do or don’t do.
“I’m going to miss my flight!” I growl the words almost angrily as my mind kicks into gear. I don’t bother shutting down my computer. I just grab my purse and usher Mason and Dani out the door. “I’ll be back next week!” I shout at Eric, ignoring whatever he says in response because I’m too busy listing out loud the things I still need to do as I hurry down the stairwell to the parking garage. “I have to go pick up my suitcases. Water the plants. Check the fridge for leftov—”
“Whoa!” Dani grabs my arm before I can start running toward my car. “Relax! We have your suitcases.”
I frown and search for Dani’s CRV. “Why?”
“And we both know you’ve already watered the plants and emptied your fridge,” she continues. “I even grabbed the dinner you made for the plane even though they give you food on the flight.”
As she leads me to her car, I can’t help but wonder how she knows me this well. Yeah, she’s my little sister, but lately I’ve hardly recognized myself when my life is nothing but work and convincing people I’m perfectly fine. “Have you ever eaten airline food?” I mumble.
Mason opens the back door for me, and I’m halfway into the seat before I see the giant schnauzer taking up most of the space. “Sorry,” he says as I squish myself into the little available room left. “I was against taking Herc to Oregon, but I was outvoted.”
“Oregon?”
“Yep!” Once she’s in the passenger seat, Dani twists around to grin at me and scratch the dog’s ears. “That’s why we have yoursuitcases. We’re heading to Cascade Harbor for a bit, and since I couldn’t leave Hercules with you, he’s coming with us!”
I scowl at her, only sort of annoyed. “You’re heading to the airport,” I guess. “And you planned your flight to be close to mine so you could make sure I go.”
With a triumphant smirk, she faces forward again and slips her hand into Mason’s. I watch Mason play with the bold-colored bracelet on Dani’s wrist in between holding her hand for the next twenty-five minutes as we drive to the Salt Lake airport, hating the jealousy that bubbles up.
I’m happy for her. I really am. But three of our cousins also started dating guys this summer—heck, Chloe went and gotmarried—and when they’re all younger than me, it’s hard not to feel bitter. I was so close to my happily ever after, only for it to just…fizzle out. It wasn’t some epic tragedy or heartbreak, and there are moments when I’m relieved that Eric and I didn’t go through with the wedding. But that doesn’t make the envy hurt any less.
When we hit the airport, Mason drops me off at the terminal. Their flight is an hour after mine, so they have some time to park and check Hercules onto the plane. I, on the other hand, do not have time, so my goodbye to Dani is rushed.
We hug each other tight, like we always do, but there’s more to Dani’s embrace this time. “Please try to have some fun,” she tells me with a squeeze. “Don’t think about work or my book or Sir Lost Cause. Just enjoy Italy, okay?”
Enjoy Italy.Those words are on repeat all through security, where I forget to take a hair tie out of my pocket and am rewarded with a pat down. The words repeat when I stop at the first bathroom I find, and then the next because I have a nervous bladder.
And they’re still on repeat when I pass the shop called The Wandering Reader and barely register my name being calledbefore I’m practically tackled. Thank goodness for my neck pillow protecting me from being strangled. “Avery!”
Struggling to stay upright, I force a smile. “Poppy.”
