Page 87 of Falling Into Forever
For a woman who doesn’t like people and supposedly hates leaving her house, she charged the mob like an angry mama bear.
“Whoa, slow down there, killer.” I grab Saylor’s hand and pull her back with a gentle tug because Ainsley seems like she needs a minute to gather her thoughts.
“Ah, geez,” Ainsley says breathlessly. “What the heck was that?” These two are polar opposites. Saylor curses like a villain, and Ainsley sounds like Snow White.
I stare at them both. Ainsley folds in on herself while Saylor winds herself up into a tiny ball of fury.
“They got here faster than I thought they would,” I admit.
“If they’re here…” Saylor spins on me, and my heart stutter steps. She’s worried about Poppy and Lena too.
“Yeah,” I say, twisting my neck to relieve the unbearable tension settling in.
“I’m going to get a gun,” she says matter-of-factly.
Ainsley and I spin on her and say, “No,” at the same time.
Saylor rolls her eyes—she really should teach a master class on annoyed behaviors.
“Not a real one. Geez. But I do have a BB gun upstairs.”
I can read her thoughts as clear as day, and while it’s funny, I also don’t put anything past her. “No weapons, Oscar.”
She huffs and plops down on one of the many armchairs she has throughout the store.
“You have to keep the store closed today,” I say gently.
She gives me a death glare but nods.
“Wow. That’s…intense,” Ainsley says. She’s still shell-shocked.
“Sorry about that. I thought we had a few more hours.”
She shrugs but joins Saylor in the armchair. Seeing them huddled together is a time jump that instantly brings me back to high school. Ainsley leans into Saylor, and Saylor leans away from Ainsley, but they both take comfort from each other in that strange embrace.
This is what a family is supposed to look like—weird, unique, amazing, accepting.
I want to rip Trent’s head off for ruining that for us.
“Let’s go to Grady’s and get the girls,” I say, patting my pants, already knowing I don’t have my keys.
“Ah, that’s a negative.” Saylor snorts like I said something funny.
“What?” I snap. I’ve only been short-tempered with her a few times, so it shows how on edge I am.
“I’m not walking into that.” She points to the sidewalk. “You go get them. Ainsley and I will stay here. Well, wait. Ains, don’t you have to get to the clinic?”
I finally take in Ainsley’s appearance, and sure enough, she’s wearing scrubs and slip-on shoes.
“I do,” she says. “I was stopping in to make sure you’d seen the news.”
“We saw it,” Saylor grumbles. “Fine, I’m fine, Ains. Dante, you can drop Ainsley off in Chance Lake on your way to Grady’s. I’ll be here when you get back.”
I open my mouth to argue that there’s no chance in hell I’m leaving her here, but there’s no mistaking the determination in her steely expression and squared shoulders. It’s a battle I won’t win.
“I’ll be gone for less than an hour. Do not let anyone inside. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, Dad,” she says with enough sarcasm to choke a teenager.
