Page 65 of The Weight Of Falling
Joel straightens. “Is this her first offense?”
Owen nods. “She has a clean record, aside from a couple of speeding tickets.”
I let out a slow exhale. “Then I don’t want to press charges. Not this time.”
Joel frowns. “Kenzie—”
“This is what I want,” I say firmly. “I don’t want to punish her. I just want this to be over.”
Owen studies me for a long moment before nodding. “All right. We’ll document your decision in the report, and she’ll be issued a formal warning. But if anything like this happens again, we’ll be revisiting the charges.”
“Okay. Thank you for everything,” I whisper, fighting unexpected tears.
“Stay safe, both of you.” Owen gives my shoulder a quick squeeze before heading back to his cruiser.
The moment Owen leaves, silence swells between us, the air thick with a new tension.
I reach out to touch Joel’s arm, but he steps back. The guilt rolling off him is so strong my heart twists with the urge to ease it.
“Joel,” I say softly. “This isn’t your fault.”
For a heartbeat, I think he’ll meet my eyes, but he doesn’t. His gaze stays fixed on the sidewalk. “I need to get to the shoot,” he informs me in a terse voice. “We’ll talk tonight. Drive home safe.”
I watch in helpless frustration as he climbs into his car and drives away, leaving me standing alone on the sidewalk.
The hollow ache in my chest tells me tonight won’t bring us closer. Instead, I have the terrible feeling it’ll be the night he shuts me out for good.
I toss my keys onto the entry-hall table and trade my ankle boots for slippers. There’s leftover pumpkin soup in the fridge, but my stomach is too knotted with tension to eat. Instead, I busy myself tidying the house, washing dishes, and updating friends and family about Owen’s visit and Farah’s confession.
The doorbell rings just before seven. My heart gives a little jolt. Joel had texted he couldn’t get here until after eight. Was he early?
I open the door, and freeze. It isn’t Joel standing on my front porch but Farah.
Alarm sweeps through me. After what she did, I can’t believe she showed up at my home. My first instinct is to slam the door before she can do anything else.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” Farah rushes to say. “I just...I wanted to say how sorry I am.”
I hesitate, taking in her red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks. My heart continues to pound too hard, but I don’t close the door. I measure her for a long moment. There’s no malice in her face, only shame. Still, I’m not ready to let her in.
“I would ask you inside but...” I let my shrug finish the thought.But I’m not sure I can turn my back on you just yet.
“I understand.” Her voice wavers. “I had to apologize in person. I don’t even know what I was thinking.”
“That was a really ugly word, Farah.”
Her cheeks turn bright red. “I know. And I didn’t mean it. It was just...” Her gaze drops to the porch floorboards. “I really like him. I thought maybe there could be something real between us. But he only has eyes for you.”
My throat tightens. “And you blamed me for that?”
“I wasn’t thinking straight. I got so jealous I did something mean and stupid. Something I’ll regret for the rest of my life.” She swallows, her hands twisting together in front of her. “I also want to thank you for not pressing charges.”
A little of the tension in my chest eases. The word scrawled on my car fades, and all I see is a lost and lonely woman filled with remorse. I can only imagine how loneliness can tip over into desperation. What she did was wrong, but showing up here and humbling herself like this...that takes courage.
“Thank you for apologizing,” I say softly.
Her shoulders slump with relief. “I get what Joel sees in you. You’re gorgeous. The town’s golden girl. But it’s not just your looks. You’re also a lovely person.”
I shift awkwardly, a blush stealing over my cheeks.
