Page 89 of Fall With Me
This request is super last minute. Even if people live close, they won’t make it before our guests start arriving. But events always have to be flexible. Including this one. Everyone will have to eat first and hopefully, by the time they’re done, Dawson’s family can get here.
“Hang tight.”
Dawson walks a few feet away, holding his cell up to his ear. I really hope I won’t need to tell Carter about our current fire. We’ve had enough of those already with the extra guests and bakery issue on top of me doing way too much for this festival on my own. Resting my head on my knees, I close my eyes.
Worst case scenario, people help themselves to each station. The prizes will get tricky for the games, but maybe people don’t win anything except bragging rights. If I return the prizes, it’ll make up for the bakery mishap. It’s an option if Dawson can’t pull through for us.
“I have good news and bad news,” Dawson says.
I look up into his handsome face. My heart thumps in my chest. Ignoring my organ, I stand. “What’s the bad news?”
“My parents are the only ones who will be here by the time we start.”
A couple is better than nothing, but won’t solve our problem completely. “And the good news?”
“Twelve more people will be here in an hour.”
My brain takes a minute to comprehend what he said. “Wait. You’re telling me with a few phone calls, you can get fourteen people here in sixty minutes?” I try not to dwell on how vastly different my life is compared to Dawson’s,but loneliness pricks at my chest. I had no one to contact. Dawson has oodles.
“My nearest sister and her husband are on their way. And it just so happens my oldest sister is with her husband’s family right now. Her in-laws agreed to watch all the grandkids so the adults can come help. I told them we’d feed them dinner. I hope we have enough food. If not, I’ll run grab them something now.”
I put my hands up. “Uh, no. No, we have plenty of food. Carter added an extra fifty people to the guest list yesterday. We ordered tons of pizza and the food trucks are aware of the additional guests.”
Dawson cocks his head to the side. “Where is the pizza food truck, and what do you mean Carter added fifty more people?”
Dawson is way out of the loop. “The pizza truck bailed because they double-booked themselves and somehow we got the short end of the stick. And yeah, Carter said he signed a new client and invited them to come tonight.”
“But we didn’t buy enough supplies for two hundred people.”
“Correct.Wedid not. But I did. Last night.”
Dawson rubs his palms up and down his face. “Chloe, I’m sorry I bailed. I should have insisted I keep helping you after Finn got hurt. Did you get any sleep last night?”
I waffle my hand in the air. “Two hours or so.”
“007, I—”
He says my nickname with worry and regret. I can’t do this right now. I’m too stressed, tired, wound up, and confused. Ihold up a hand. “There’s no point feeling bad about everything right now. We have a festival to host.”
“Yes, we do. But at some point, can we talk?”
I nod. “Yeah. After I’ve slept and my head is in a good space.” If my emotions are as wound up as they are right now, when we talk I won’t be able to convey the depth of my apology. “I’m going to get changed and freshen up before everyone gets here.”
“Is there anything else I can do?”
“Whenever your family shows up, will you assign them activities to man?” And keep them away from me? I’m not sure how much his family knows about us besides Finn telling them I slept over that one night, but since we’re no longer a couple, or even friends, I can’t pretend I’m happy or excited to meet them.
“I can do that.”
“Thanks.” I walk away, heading inside to change into my jeans and flannel shirt and do my makeup. Once Dawson showed up, we worked fast and pulled everything together just in time. He saved our bacon with his family. We’re a good team. Not just at planning events, either. The almost two months we spent together were the happiest I’ve been. I can’t believe I screwed it up. I know Dawson and I need to talk. To get closure for our short-lived relationship, but just the thought of having the discussion clogs my throat with emotion. I don’t want us to be over. But I’m too scared to hurt Finn again to risk asking Dawson for another chance.
“Hey, babe,” Kate says, walking into the bathroom I’m using to get ready for the festival. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you. And thanks again for picking up the baked goods and pitching in to get the decorations up.”
“No problem.”
I turn to look at her. Though I’ve yet to see Kate in anything unflattering, tonight she’s wearing boyfriend jeans, a crimson shirt tucked into her pants, a blazer, and the cutest skinny belt. She’s a fashionista through and through.
