Jamie: Nah, I’m good. Having pizza and then crashing.
Rider: Say hi to Fallon for us.
Jamie: Will do.
I shove the phone back into my pocket and step into the kitchen. “That was Rider.”
She hands me a soda and I take a big drink. “If I’m keeping you from something.”
“No, you’re not and the guys say hi.”
She nods. “How are they doing?”
“Same,” I say with a shrug.
“Rider still the Wing Man?” she asks with a small grin.
I snort. “You remember that?”
“I spent hours listening to him build his teammates up to the girls, but it’s time he realizes his value and shows a woman who he is, not who his friends are.”
“You always liked him, didn’t you?”
Her smile is soft, like she’s remembering happier times. “He was always nice to me, and he adored Chase.”
I nod. “Too bad he’s a sworn bachelor.”
She gives me a teasing wink. “I’m pretty sure I once heard you say that, and look what…” She lets her words fall off, and her eyes go wide, like she’s said too much. But just then the doorbell rings, and cuts the quiet.
“Pizza,” I say happy for the distraction. I pull a few bills from my pocket and head to the door. I hand the money over and take the pizza. Fallon is setting out plates when I get back. She has a worried look on her face as I open the boxes and put a slice on each plate.
“Pizza,” Chase yells and rubs his sleepy eyes. I grin at him and rustle his hair. He kind of reminds me of myself as a kid. I’d fight sleep any day for food. Still would.
I take a seat, bite into my slice, and study Fallon’s body language. She’s wound so tight, her damn shoulders are practically hugging her ears. “What’s on your mind?” I ask.
She smiles at me. “You always could read me.”
“You’re the one who’s good at reading others and situations.”
“Comes with being a nurse.”
I nod. “I can only read you because we used to spend a lot of time together.”
“True, we did. You were always there in the summers when Ethan was away,” she says. “We did a lot of things together before Chase was born,” she adds, but then she swallows, and her eyes slowly lift to mine. “I don’t think I can stay here, Jamie.”
“You can stay with me for as long as it
takes,” I say quickly, and without thinking. I’m not about to abandon her, and while I can let her into my house, I can’t let her or anyone into my heart, can’t let her think she can count on me.
“No, what I mean is, I have to sell this place.” She waves her hand around. “It’s too big for just Chase and me.”
What she’s not saying is that she and Ethan had planned to fill all those spare bedrooms, and this place has too many memories.
“Yeah, I get that. My place is too big too, but I bought it to be close to you guys.” I bite into my slice, chew, and swallow it down with a drink of soda. I used to love hanging out here, and my ex Sara and Fallon had become good friends. Fallon was going to be Sara’s matron of honor, and naturally Ethan would have been my best man. But that’s all in the past now.
“Do you know any good realtors?” she asks and lets loose a big sigh.
“I can ask around. My mom probably does. They downsized after…” I don’t need to finish the sentence for Fallon to realize they were unable to stay in the house they’d raised Ethan in after he’d died.