Page 78 of They Will Fall

“It was my great-grandmother’s recipe—one of Maddox’s favorite holiday dishes. The secret is to double up on the celery.”

I lick my lips and swallow down the bite. “Are you sure I can’t help with anything?” I glance around at all the dishes that are complete and those still cooking. The least I can do is help her clean or cook.

“You can get those boys to quit wrestling in my living room.” She cracks a smile, just before a crashing sound hits our ears.

We look at each other with wide eyes before rushing to the doorway of the living room. Maddox and Lev are standing innocently in the middle of the large space with their hands at their sides and a look of worry on their faces.

“It fell,” Maddox quips, and when I look at their feet, I see what he’s talking about. Lying in three pieces is a blue-and-white vase.

Mrs. Crane scowls with her hands on her hips. “Maddox Crane! How many times do I have to tell you boys not to wrestle in this house.” She tsks as she looks at me. “I swear they’re like toddlers, no matter how old they get.”

Maddox crouches down and picks up the remnants of their roughhousing, careful not to cut his finger as he handles the larger pieces. “Sorry, Mom.”

Lev helps by grabbing the base of the vase that broke. “Yeah. Sorry, Mrs. Crane.”

“You boys are lucky I hated that vase.” She taps my shoulder. “Come on, Riley. Let’s get back in the kitchen while these Neanderthals clean up their mess. My potatoes are boiling.”

As we’re walking away, I shoot the guys a smile over my shoulder, and Maddox waggles his brows at me. It’s nice seeing Maddox and Lev in this environment. I’ve only ever seen them at school and the many places we hid out. This feels nice—it feels normal. My only wish is that Ridge was here.

He said he’s going to try and make it, but he’s in Cedarville having dinner with his sister. That’s right. A few days ago, Ridge went back to BCA and talked to Temper. They hit it off immediately, and by that night, they were in Cedarville, where Temper’s mom lives, and she told them all about their father.

Ridge and Temper have a plan to track him down and hear his excuse for leaving, but Temper’s mom doesn’t want them to get their hopes up. There hasn’t been a single trace of him for years. From what she heard, he assumed a new identity and is living down south. But those were just rumors and no one knows for sure. I hope one day they find him, if only for some peace of mind.

Ridge also got the names of the three guys I met in the woods that day. I now call them the Three Bad Wolves. And Temper, well, she was a modern-day Little Red Riding Hood that night. So helpful and sweet, until she wasn’t. Only, Temper hates the color red and she’s certainly no damsel in distress.

An hour later, we’re all being summoned to the dining room table, where we find Mrs. Crane standing at the head of it. “I want to thank you all for coming here. I know how dear you are to Maddox’s heart and it means the world to me that you can be here for him during this trying time.” Her eyes are downcast and she runs her fingers down the dew of her wineglass as she continues. “I’d also like to apologize for the actions of my late ex-husband.” She lifts her glass in the air and smiles. “May he rot in hell.”

I’m a bit shocked by her words, but then again, I shouldn’t be. Stanley Crane was a horrible man who did horrible things. According to Maddox, his mom isn’t hurt as much as she is angry. In time, I have no doubt that she will be just fine. Maddox will, too. The past is in the past and we’re all moving forward, one day at a time.

A familiar voice comes from behind me. “I think we can all cheers to that.” My eyes shoot over my shoulder and I see Ridge and Temper entering the dining room.

His gaze sets on mine and I smile back at him. Contentedness washes over me, having all three of my guys here at the same time is an indescribable feeling.

“Hope you all don’t mind that I brought…my sister,” Ridge says as he looks at Temper.

Mrs. Crane pulls out a chair to the left of her, then the one beside it. “Not at all. The more the merrier. Have a seat, you two.”

Ridge takes the seat across from me, his feet brushing softly against mine. Temper sits beside him, wearing a black lace dress and black knee-high boots. Her sleek black hair is down, flowing around her face. She looks beautiful…and happy. She and Ridge both do.

“So, what’d we miss?” Ridge asks.

I take a sip of my water and say, “Lev and Maddox got in a little bit of trouble.”

Ridge’s eyebrows rise. “Who are we fighting now?”

I give him a teasing kick while everyone laughs. “Not that kind of trouble. They just broke a vase. No one needs to fight.”

“It was a horrid vase,” Mrs. Crane cuts in. “It was a gift from Stanley’s wretched mother.” We all keep our mouths shut and our eyes on our empty plates while trying not to laugh. She quickly changes the subject for us, freeing us from having to decide how to react to that statement. I swear, I like her more and more each minute. “Dig in, everyone. Eat before it gets cold.”

“Actually,” Maddox pushes his chair back and stands, “there’s something I’d like to say first.” He looks from Lev, to Ridge, to me. “Thank you all for being the best friends a guy could ask for. No matter where life takes us all, I know we’ll all be together.” He raises his glass. “Happy Thanksgiving.”

“Happy Thanksgiving,” we all say in unison.

We fill our plates with food and eat while talking about the present and the future, leaving the past where it belongs.

Once we finish eating, Temper and I help Mrs. Crane clear the table. “Ugh,” I grumble as I walk into the kitchen with a half-empty platter of mashed potatoes. “I am so stuffed.”

“Me too,” Temper says. “Everything was delicious, Mrs. Crane. Thank you so much.”

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