Page 16 of Quietly Falling
I need to get thisconversationunder control.
Pointing at each of them with my beer, I say, “Leave it alone. We’re not playing the dating game. I was voluntold to go on this little adventure and that’s it.”
They all exchange glances and I grunt, handing my beer to Mason and grabbing Remi’s carrier from the ground.
“You can get your kid tomorrow,” I hiss over my shoulder at Jensen only to find them all smirking at me.
I don’t need this.
And I definitely don’t need them sticking their noses where they don’t belong.
“Diaper bag is in the truck,” Jensen calls. “Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with my insanely hot fiancée.”
“She’s gonna be pissed you’re pickin’ her up early from book club,” Montana tells him.
“I’ll take my chances.” Jensen pauses and I can practically hear the giddiness in his tone. “Couple orgasms and she’ll bejustfine.”
“Can you believe them, Remi?” I murmur, buckling her into her seat and securing it in the base. “Me either, but it’s fine. We’ll go hang out with the dogs, and in the morning, I’ll make breakfast. How’s that sound?”
She doesn’t answer, still fast asleep, but I know she’ll be excited in the morning. Dog kisses and pancakes—what could be better?
8
ELLA
You havegotto be kidding me.
With less than a week until Bodhi and I head out on our little road trip, I’ve done nothing but get more anxious with each passing second. This weekend alone, I’ve gone for a run, taken a yoga class, and even ventured out to the Kettle & Kiln, the coffee shop in Blackstone Falls that has both amazing coffee and lets you make your own pottery.
The tagline—you make’em we bake’em—is genius, and while it had definitely been fun, it was a temporary solution.
I’d also read theBlackstone Gazette, the county’s paper, from cover to cover including but not limited to an ad for Murder and Margaritas—the library’s book club—crop predictions for the upcoming year, and an article by Arden James highlighting the history of Boots on Bar and Grill as well as the current owner, Jude Rhodes.
I’d been there more than a few times growing up when Jude’s dad still ran the place, but it’s been a while since I’ve been back, nostalgia grabbing ahold of me in an instant. The pictures showed Jude standing in front of the dark wood bar with his arms crossed and T-shirts pinned to the ceiling in neat rows.
My smile had only grown the more I read, Arden’s account making me want to run out the door just to be a part of the ambiance of the place again.
It’d been a damn good distraction to say the least.
But all good things must come to an end.
Pacing my kitchen, I snatch my phone from the counter and do the one thing I’d been working up to all weekend.
ELLA: Hey, it’s Ella. I got your number from Sorren. I just thought we could talk a little before the trip
Three dots appearand then disappear.
And then again.
BODHI: Okay
I blink at the message,and steel myself for the teeth-pulling experience this is about to be.
ELLA: I’m gonna grab snacks before we leave—what can I pick up for you?
BODHI: I’ll grab a coffee before we go
ELLA: What about gummy bears?
