Page 32 of The Weight Of Falling
“Are you sure?” he asks cautiously. “You don’t want to take another minute to, uh, compose yourself?”
“No, I’m okay. Really.” I mean, not really, but saying the words is believing them. I’m sure I read that somewhere.
We set off down the street again, the light breeze carrying traces of grilled meat and garlic. Joel is suspiciously silent.
“Are you laughing at me in your head?” I ask him.
“Absolutely not,” he says, a little too quickly.
I sigh. “I don’t blame you.”
Main Street is dotted with restaurants and shops on both sides. When we come to the bookstore, I stop in my tracks. The window is filled with a display ofThe Chronicles of Narnia, the C. S. Lewis series that first made me fall in love with reading.
Joel spots the display and tries to steer me away, but it’s too late. My throat swells and I burst into fresh sobs, burying my face in my hands.
He lets out a tortured groan. “Kenzie, you’re killing me here.”
I try to speak, to apologize for what feels like the hundredth time, but all that emerges is an embarrassing half-sob, half-squeak.
I hear him mutter something that sounds like, “I really shouldn’t be doing this.” And then I find myself pulled into his chest, his arms coming around me as he tries his best to shield me from curious passersby. He tucks me under his chin and simply holds me while I cry. I don’t know how long we stand like that. I only know I don’t want to leave the comfort of his arms.
Finally, though, I force myself to straighten and take a step back. My eyes widen when I glimpse the wet patch on his shoulder. “I’ve soaked your shirt.”
He waves this away. “Don’t worry about my shirt. It’ll dry.”
My gaze is caught once again by the Narnia display. My lower lip trembles, but I get it together enough to say, “That poor man. His faith was tested so much by suffering.”
And then, because small towns have impeccable timing, Nick from the hardware store materializes next to us. His worried eyes cut to me, then Joel.
“She said she’s suffering. Have a heart, man!”
“We watched a movie—” Joel starts to say.
“No one cries this much over a movie,” Nick interrupts, his tone laced with suspicion.
“I thought so too,” Joel says with a sigh. “Until now.”
I turn to Nick and, in between shuddering breaths, I try to explain. “She was the love of his life—”
That’s when Max, the grizzled owner of the tattoo parlor, appears and frowns at Joel. “Why are you going out with Kenzie if someone else is the love of your life?” he demands.
“Wait, what?” Alarm ripples through Joel’s voice. “It’s not like that.”
“Now he’s just coming up with excuses,” Nick says, his frown deepening.
Max narrows his eyes at Joel. “If there’s someone else, young man, you should have the guts to tell Kenzie the truth.”
“He is telling the truth,” I finally manage to get out, my voice coming out a little strangled. “It’s not him, it was the movie.”
Max pats my arm. “Ah, Kenzie, sweetheart, always a good word to say about everyone, even people who don’t deserve it,” he adds, throwing a contemptuous glance Joel’s way.
Joel keeps silent, any arguments he has dying on his tongue since no one is willing to hear him out.
After wringing a promise out of me that Joel isn’t taking advantage, Max and Nick finally leave us alone, though not without tossing a parting shot at Joel about modern men being allergic to commitment.
Embarrassment floods my veins. I stare in dismay at Joel. “Why am I like this? Now everyone thinks you’re awful and it’s all my fault!”
He gives an unbothered shrug. “I honestly don’t care what people think of me. What I do care about right now is that you’re okay.”
