Page 45 of The Weight Of Falling
JOEL:You know what feels eternal? This chat.
*Joel Adams has left the group*
*Tess has added Joel Adams to the group*
18
“Okay, what do youreallythink of him?” Tess asks, tucking her legs underneath her on the couch.
“Who?” I ask, playing dumb.
Sofia pulls a bottle of wine out of the fridge. “Is there someone else you’re fake engaged to?”
I think of Joel standing on my porch, tall and brooding, those dark eyes taking me in, the austere planes of his face softened only by that sexy mouth, the one that feels like a dare every time I try to coax a smile from it.
“I don’t think of him,” I say, far too quickly.
“I don’t know why you bother,” Sofia says, topping up my glass with a shake of her head. “You’re a terrible liar.”
Tess jabs a breadstick in my direction. “All you’ve done is confirm that Joel takes up alotof space in your brain.”
Sitting next to me on the couch, Kate shrugs. “Sorry, Kenzie, but you opened yourself up to this.”
We’re gathered in Sofia’s living room, the space flickering with candles and color. Taylor Swift is on an unapologetic loop, a sprawling charcuterie board claims every inch of the coffee table, and there’s enough wine to keep us here all night. Outside, a soft spring rain taps against the windows like it wants to come in and join the gossip. With Matt away on yet another business trip, the house feels entirely ours.
Three pairs of eyes are still staring curiously at me.
Heat rises in my cheeks as I admit, “He’s...interesting.”
“Interesting?” Tess frowns at me. “Crossword puzzles are interesting. I’m going to need something a little juicier.”
I take a sip of wine and stare into the flickering candlelight, knowing full well thatinterestingdoesn't even scratch the surface. Joel is frustrating. Impossible. Guarded. But he’s also intriguing and kind. And lonelier than he lets on.
“Why the need for something juicy?” Sofia asks Tess. “Married life too boring for you?”
Tess flashes a secretive smile. “Have you seen Aaron’s bedroom blue eyes? What do you think?”
Kate pops an olive into her mouth. “Not what I want to hear from the mouth of my little sister.”
I fold my hands in my lap and smile at Tess. “I think you wouldn’t know a day of boredom with Aaron.”
Tess leans forward in her chair and clinks her glass with mine. “Let the record show that Kenzie is one hundred per cent correct.”
Sofia wads up a chocolate wrapper and tosses it at Tess. “Now you’re just rubbing it in.”
A small silence drifts over us. We sip our drinks, deliberately avoiding Matt’s name. His absence from our group chats and get-togethers is becoming harder to ignore. The few times we’ve tried to bring it up, Sofia shuts us down. So we leave it alone. At least, for now. She’ll tell us if something’s wrong when she’s ready. But it doesn’t stop the quiet ache of worry curling in my chest.
I clear my throat. “Joel did that thing where he made sure his body was between me and the road when we walked down Main.”
“That’s hot,” Tess says.
“So hot,” Kate agrees, helping herself to another olive. “Whenever Gideon does that, I melt.”
Sofia delicately stacks a semi-dried tomato and a slice of cheese onto a cracker. “Please tell me your date with Joel ended in a kiss.”
“It didn’t.” Technically, this is not a lie.
Kate gives me a sidelong look full of meaning. “I’m disappointed to hear that,” she says. “Especially after I went to all the trouble to set the two of you up at my wedding.”
