Page 34 of Last Call

Riley understood that most people looked at Fallon and assumed that things came easily to her. While Fallon possessed natural athleticism and intelligence, not every adventure she took on proved to beeasy.Fallon refused to give up. When she stumbled, she doubled her efforts. Her need to make things work was one reason she struggled to let Olivia go. She continually questioned what she had missed and what more she should have done to preserve their relationship. Finance and investing were areas that came naturally to Fallon, much like skiing. She downplayed her efforts in both. She would have been an excellent skier without constant practice, just as she could have built some wealth without learning everything possible about financial investments and trading. Her expertise is what made her stand out, andthatrequired dedication andeffort.

“Why do you do that?” Riley asked.

“What did I do?”

“Why do you downplay your success?”

“I’m not.”

“Fallon,” Riley said. “You do.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“It is a big deal because you seem to feel as if you need to apologize for your talents.”

“That’s not true.”

“I know you better than you think,” Riley said. “There’s a reason it’s harder for you to let go of Murphy’s, even a little, than it was for you to leave your job in Manhattan behind.”

“New York didn’t fit me.”

“I believe that. I also know part of the reason is that you didn’t feel challenged. It came naturally for you. You always downplay your skiing ability, too.”

“No, it’s just no big deal.”

“Fallon, you have tons of trophies. Your mom and Andi told me you could have pursued competitive skiing.”

“They’re a little delusional,” Fallon said.

“Mm. Somehow, I doubt that.”

“It’s true. They like to brag.”

Riley’s lips thinned into a tight line.

“What?” Fallon asked.

“They’re proud of you.”

Fallon groaned.

“You really struggle with that, don’t you?”

“What?”

“Having people show their pride in you,” Riley said.

“Not if it’s warranted.”

“And you think unless something is a struggle for you to master, you don’t deserve to feel proud of your accomplishments?”

“I think that working for something is what warrants credit,” Fallon replied.

“Mm. Your mother also told me that you spent long hours skiing the same slope until you mastered it.”

“Sure. But it wasn’t a…”

“Chore?” Riley guessed. She shook her head. “Fallon, it’s okay to pursue somethingyoulove—something you have a talent for.”

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