Page 108 of Last Call

Fallon wiped a tear from the corner of Riley’s cheek. “I love you.”

“I know you do.”

“Can I ask? What changed your mind?” Fallon wondered.

“I didn’t change my mind.”

“I mean, I thought you wanted to wait until we moved to think about adding to our family.”

Riley sighed. “I wanted to give you time,” she said. “Time to let go of your ghosts. And, maybe, if I’m honest with us both, I needed to let mine go, too. We have. I felt it today at Andi’s. This isourlife—ourfamily. The past is part of us. It isn’t haunting us anymore. It’s a memory. And memories matter. The past will always matter, but it isn’t in our path, not anymore.”

“Are you sure?” Fallon asked. “The house won’t be ready until close to the holidays. No matter how much help we have, moving will be stressful.”

Riley nodded. “It takes time, Fallon. Sometimes, it takes a long time to get pregnant. Maybe we’ll be one of those lucky couples who succeed on the first or even third try. Maybe not. I don’t want to wait to start trying. It would be easier if all we had to do was make love. At least, it wouldfeeleasier. Time slips by so fast. I don’t want to waste a moment of ours together.”

Fallon caressed Riley’s cheek. “Neither do I,” she said, pulling Riley into her embrace.

Riley exhaled and closed her eyes. “How are you?” she asked.

“Me?”

“Mm. After that stumble…”

Fallon’s animated guffaw startled Riley. She propped herself up to look at Fallon.

“I’m sorry,” Fallon said. “I didn’t succeed at being Casanova, did I?”

Riley shrugged. “Maybe more like Clark Griswold than Casanova.”

Fallon stared at Riley for a second, then burst into laughter again. “Clark Griswold?”

Riley shrugged. “I always thought Chevy Chase was kind of sexy—in a quirky way.”

“Chevy Chase? Riley, he was like sixty when you were born.”

“More like in his forties, I think. And I like reruns,” Riley said, climbing on top of Fallon. “And marathons.”

Fallon smirked. “Are we still talking about movies?”

“Why? Do you want to make one?” Riley asked.

Fallon flipped Riley beneath her. “Action,” she said, kissing the hollow of Riley’s throat.

Riley giggled. “Make it alongone.”

A WEEK LATER

“I thought you’d be off shopping for Owen’s party,” Carol said when Fallon walked into Murphy’s Law.

“Mom went with Riley. I think it’s a distraction for her.”

“Yeah. Dick stopped in last night for a drink. He looked beaten. Have you talked to Dan?”

“No. I think Billie has. It’s so strange. All of it. Do you know that Andi said Mary Branigan hasn’t even check on Dick—at all?”

“That’s the thing about Sunday Christians, Fallon. They only care on Sunday,” Carol said.

Fallon chuckled. “Sad. True. But Sad.”

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