Page 55 of Follow Me Down

“An old friend? What old friend?”

“An old friend.” Link smiles at Titus, the two of them exchanging a look that tells me Titus knows exactly who Link is talking about.

“Please tell me you’re not back on that boat again,” Titus groans.

“Forgive me, but not all of us can be lucky enough to have a pretty little thing like Fallon fall into our laps. Besides, after listening to you two go at it like rabbits this past week, what do you expect? There’s only so much my hand can do.” He laughs when he catches the expression on my face.

“Um, on that note, I’m going to go fold my laundry.” As I excuse myself from the room, the two friends continue to take jabs at each other after I’ve walked away.

I stop in the hallway and slide open the door that blocks off the washer and dryer. Grabbing my things from the dryer, I drop them into a laundry basket I borrowed from Titus’ room before heading into the bedroom.

I’ve just set the basket next to the bed when a knock at the front door halts me in my tracks. My heart thumps rapidly against my ribs, drowning out the sounds of my short, shallow breaths.

“You expecting someone?” Link asks Titus moments before I hear the tale tell sign of the front door opening. The familiar squeal filtering into the cabin. “Uh, can I help you?” He sounds confused, unsure, which tells me my worst fear has become my reality. Not that I should be surprised. I spent the whole day knowing this moment was coming.

“I’m looking for Fallon.” I swear my legs nearly give out from underneath me at the sound of my father’s voice.

“Hey, aren’t you...” I hear Link start to say before he’s curtly interrupted.

“Her father.”

I can’t see what’s going on, but I can envision the looks of confusion between the men in the other room. I haven’t talked about my father to either Link or Titus. Let alone told them that he’s the well-known and very well-respected governor of North Carolina. Not that they would know that by looking at him, unless they follow politics...which I doubt.

“Uh, Fallon,” Link calls out seconds before Titus appears in the bedroom doorway, a look I can’t even begin to describe on his face. Maybe a mixture between confusion and concern.

I can only imagine how I look to him. Probably how I feel. Like I’ve seen a ghost.

I’m frozen, torn with indecision.

He knows I’m here.

I have to face him.

And yet I can’t seem to make a single muscle in my body move.

“Hey.” Titus’ soft voice pulls my gaze to him. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” My voice trembles.

“Why is your dad here?”

“I don’t know,” I repeat, though that’s not entirely true. He’s here for me.

“Fallon, what the hell is going on?” Titus’ brows knit together. “You’ve been acting off all day and then your father shows up? Is there something you’re not telling me?”

I pull in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“I’ll explain everything later,” I tell him, stepping past him in the doorway.

Through the screen door, I catch sight of my father on the front porch and my stomach lurches. I swear I don’t think my heart has ever beaten so fast in its entire life and that’s saying something.

I avoid Link’s gaze as I push my way outside, forcing my father to take a full step back to allow me room to join him on the porch.

He’s dressed in his typical suit, the tie loosened around his neck, and his jacket missing, likely tossed over the passenger seat like he normally does after he leaves the office. His hair is neatly combed to the side and he’s freshly shaved, like always. Constantly the picture of perfection, at least on the outside.

We look nothing alike, my father and me. I’m short and petite. He’s tall and stocky. I have blonde hair and light eyes. He has dark hair and dark eyes. But that’s not where the differences end. If I didn’t know any better, I’d wonder if he was my father at all.

“Dad.” I swallow past the knot in my throat. “What are you doing here?”

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