Page 92 of Feels Like Falling
ELLISON
The knock on my door has my back straightening and my requisite kindergarten teacher smile in place before I even look up. I love my kids, but they usually go for a much less subtle entrance.
Cal’s eyebrows are somewhere in his hairline as he leans against the doorjamb. “Wow, that was some transformation from resting bitch face to reigning queen ofone, two, three, eyes on me.”
“Why are we friends?” I say as I chuck a marker from my rainbow pencil cup at his head and miss.
Laughing, he retrieves it from the hall and holds it out for me. “Because we had no choice and now it’s too late to go back.”
I shrug and accept the marker as he leans against my desk and crosses his arms.
“Don’t you have some finger painting to get to?” I tease because Cal has become one of my favorite people, and my life is exceptionally more exciting with him in it.
“It is honestly shocking people think we’re so nice.”
“Right?” I say dramatically even as we share a smile. We’re a couple of months into the school year now, having survived harvest season and all that goes along with it. My engagement ring—Nan’s ring—sparkles, and my heart squeezes in my chest just like it does every time I look at it. Montana said he would’ve gone and gotten me something different if I wanted, but I couldn’t dream of wearing anything else. A love like theirs had been timeless, just like ours would be.
“No shotgun wedding this weekend?”
“No,” I sigh. My father and I had been working slowly on rebuilding our relationship, but it was taking time. My mother was still dragging her feet with the divorce proceedings, ensuring that he remain miserably attached to her for as long as possible. I didn’t want that hanging over him when he gave me away—I didn’t want her to have any part of this new chapter in our lives.
And even though I was upset with the delay, I knew Montana was right when he said I’d regret not having my father walk me down the aisle.
As long as he continued to put in the work.
We’d had a couple of family counseling sessions both with and without Montana, and it felt good—affirming—to know that he was willing to fight for me even as the rest of his world crumbled around him.
“Are you headed out?” Cal asks, and I glance at the clock and nod before powering down my computer.
“Yup, I have plans for my stud of a fiancé.”
“I don’t want to know.”
“You really don’t,” I confirm as I gather my bag and hoist it onto my shoulder, my expression wolfish as Cal rolls his eyes.
“I really need to get laid,” he grumbles, following me out into the hall.
“That would require you to make an effort.”
Aghast, he motions down his body. “Effort.”
“Yes, but you also have to go out and meet people or use one of the apps collecting dust on your phone.”
“That’s not a thing.” He sniffs as he pushes open the front door, the weather still hot for the fall.
“Well, you’re not gonna meet anyone only hanging out on game night.”
He scowls and I give him a quick hug when we stop in front of my car. “You’re gonna find someone who’s right for you.” Throwing my stuff onto the passenger seat, I add, “Even if it’s just right now.”
Chuckling, he shoos me with his hand. “Go and engage in enough debauchery for the both of us.”
“Oh, I plan on it.” I wink and slide into the car, blasting the air conditioning as I navigate my way out of the parking lot and onto the road.
* * *
MONTANA
“You didn’t sayanything about leavin’ the house,” Ellison whines immediately upon getting in the truck.
