Page 65 of Accidentally Falling

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Not just because he’s the only family I have left, but because he’s my best friend and he always will be.

I don’t want to do this next chapter without him.

I can’t.

I just hope Arden is good with it too.

35

ARDEN

Staring at your computer screen when you’re on deadline is not for the faint of heart. I need to have this article into the paper in the next four hours, and unless I find some motivation real soon, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.

Frustrated, I flip my phone face up on the table, the screen lighting up with two missed messages.

JUDE: Will our daughter have godparents?

JUDE: That’s still a thing right?

ARDEN: I haven’t really thought about it but I guess she could

ARDEN: Do you have people in mind?

JUDE: I’d really like Deacon to be the godfather

JUDE: It would mean a lot

I stare at the message,reading it a second time before I can respond. It feels a little desperate and I wonder what brought this on.

ARDEN: I think your brother would be a great choice

JUDE: Thank you

ARDEN: Why do I get the feeling you were bracing for a fight?

JUDE: It surprised me today. I got overwhelmed with the way things are changing.

ARDEN: To be clear—you’re the one that had to move in with me

JUDE: I stand by that

JUDE: And you’re not getting rid of me

ARDEN: Worth a try

ARDEN: (gif of a woman shrugging her shoulders)

ARDEN: Also it’s more likely that we’d fight over the way you fold the towels from the dryer than assigning godparents

JUDE: The towels are fine

ARDEN: They are now because I refolded them

JUDE: Keep it up—I’ll refold them my way—I got nothing but time

ARDEN: You will NOT touch those towels if you ever want to see me naked again

JUDE: Now why did you have to be mean like that?

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