Page 117 of The Problem with Falling
He smiled.
He already knew.
He started walking backward, still keeping his eyes on me. “You were right about one thing, though.” He held the piece of paper up in the air. “It was a lovely summer.”
Theo then climbed into his truck, put it into drive, and drove away, back toward Westin Lake. I stood there frozen for a moment before Avery walked out, holding Sterling as she fed him.
“Was that Theo I saw driving off?” she asked.
“Yes, it was.”
“Why did he leave so fast?”
“He came to tell me that he loved me, and that was all, so then he left.”
Avery arched an eyebrow. “He drove all the way from Westin Lake just to tell you he loved you? Then hopped in his truck to drive back home?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Oh.Hmph.” Avery finished feeding Sterling, then placed him over her shoulder to burp him. “You know what, little sister?”
“What’s that?”
“He loves you.”
I smiled a little even though my heart was breaking. “Yeah, he does.”
“And you love him?”
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I nodded and laughed. “Most ardently.”
Avery moved in closer to me and rested her head against my shoulder. “Can I give you some solid sisterly advice you didn’t ask for?”
“Go for it.”
“Take the time to heal. Heal for yourself, then heal for him. But also know that you don’t have to be perfectly healed to be loved by another. Nathan was patient enough to teach me that lesson.”
I glanced over to see tears in Avery’s eyes. I tilted my head, surprised. “Are you…crying?”
“What? No. I don’t cry.”
“But youarecrying. Those are tears.”
“Are you sure they aren’t spit-up? It’s probably spit-up,” she joked, wiping at her eyes.
“Oh my goodness, Avery is crying. The queen of not feeling is feeling everything. Welcome to my world.”
She grumbled. “Being married to a lover boy like Nathan and motherhood are making me soft.”
“Softness looks good on you, sister.”
“It looks even better on you.”
“I’m scared,” I whispered.
She nodded. “I know, but a wise woman once told me that we can still do difficult things even when we’re scared.” She winked at me and patted my shoulder. “Now go do the difficult work. Go heal, baby sister.Healand allow yourself to fall into that man who you love. Don’t worry about falling, either. I know good men like Theo. I have a great man like him. If you fall, I promise he’ll catch you.”
CHAPTER 41
