Page 79 of Quietly Falling
I can do this.
Heart pounding in my chest, I swallow hard as I pull open the door, the coffee shop just like any other with its white counter and overpriced menu. My stomach sours but it has nothing to do with the smell as my eyes lock on a pair of bright blue eyes and a hesitant smile.
Swallowing hard, I push back every emotion threatening to drag me under, push back my fears and the anguish I’ve carried all these years.
Because today isn’t about me.
“Bodhi. Wow, you look just like I thought you would. I don’t know if you remember me-”
“I remember you, Lauren. I’m sorry we’re meeting again like this,” I say, swallowing hard, “and I’m sorry I didn’t do more for you.”
“You were a kid,” she says, shaking her head, “and grieving. No one gets the blame but him,” Lauren says vehemently, holding out her hand for me, and I take it, ignoring the fact that hers is shaking and offering her a reassuring smile.
“You’re right and I’m glad to see you’re doing well,” I say, shaking hands with her husband before taking a seat across from them.
“I appreciate you coming to meet us. Last night was the first time my husband’s heard this story and today will be the second time I’ve recounted it.”
I hear what she’s saying, see the set of her shoulders and the brave expression she’s fighting like hell to keep in place. She doing it for all of us.
And I’ll be here all night if I have to.
“I’m not goin’ anywhere, Lauren,” I say, my gaze locking on hers. “Take as long as you need.”
37
ELLA
“Do you think we should bake something?” I ask Birdie as she stares up at me from her spot on the floor. The clock seems to be moving backwards and I’m crawling out of my skin with worry. I’m about to launch into a one-sided debate about the pros and cons of cookies verses cupcakes when there’s a knock at the door.
Moose is the first one up, his low growl turning into a whimper and a tail wag as he looks from me to our visitor.
Visitors.
Tears blur my vision as I turn the handle and shoo the dogs away as Ellison, Bea, and Lana all wrap me in a hug and wait as I pull myself together.
“What are y’all doing here?” I rasp, looking at each of them as I wipe the tears from my face.
Ellison rolls her eyes and blinks rapidly. “Don’t do that! I can’t control the hormones yet and I hate crying.”
“God help Montana if that man takes the leftovers you were thinking about all day,” Lana says with a snicker while Bea chuckles and Ellison looks aghast.
“We brought snacks,” Bea says. “And nonalcoholic cocktails because today is a marathon not a sprint.”
“Mason rounded up the guys and headed to Montana’s after Bodhi made it to the coffee shop,” Lana says, taking my hand and giving it a squeeze. “He wants to be ready.”
“Ready for what?”
“Everything.”
“Which iswhy,” Ellison says with a flourish, “you get us.”
“Oh! And good news,” Bea says, pulling a book from her bag and handing it to me, “you get to be in book club now.”
“You guys have a book club?” I ask skeptically, flipping the book over in my hand to read the back.
“Technically, it’s my fault,” Lana says, not sounding sorry at all. “I met Nessa working at the college and she invited me to come with her. I found out later that it didn’t exist until that day. They started it because Nessa panicked and here we are.”
“A happy mistake,” Ellison teases. “It’s the three of us and you, Nessa, Arden, and Cal. Have you met him? He works at the elementary school with me.”
