Page 125 of Forbidden to Fall

Ari, who was sitting next to me, took the last bite of her blondie and leaned over. “Do you have, like, a subscription option or something?”

I laughed uncertainly. “What do you mean?”

“Like, an app where I could subscribe to have a blondie—or maybe three—delivered to me every day.”

“You’d have to keep Wade away.”

Her eyes widened. “Yeah, what is it with your brother and pastries? It’s insane how many he can eat and not get fat. Maybe you’d better send a dozen. Or hide them in my flower beds.”

I laughed. “Maybe he’d leave them alone for you. I’ve never seen Wade so sprung on someone.”

Ari’s cheeks went pink, and she broke her gaze away. “Tell that to the brownies I made the other night. So, you’ll let me know when I can subscribe, then?”

“Actually, starting in a few weeks, we’ll be selling them at the Keller’s.”

“Oh, wow. Really?”

A hand went up on the other side of Ari, making continued conversation feel impolite.

I was glad for it because my stomach felt tight.

Maybe this was just my new normal—a constant state of anxiety that only let up when I was with James.

Wednesday was just as busy as festival week had been. Between my bakery shift, making the wedding cake, helping Archer prepare for Landrie and Jaxon’s rehearsal dinner Wednesday night, the wedding on Thursday, and the Sleepy Holler event on Saturday, there was barely any time to think.

I snuck a moment to send Ryan a text Wednesday evening.

Sadie

Love you

Ryan had never been a great texter, and he didn’t respond this time either.

No doubt, my words felt hollow to him. Lip service as I stabbed him in the back.

James and I went to the wedding—along with the entirety of Autumn Ridge. It was, quite frankly, magical. Chairs had been set up on either side of a trail in the woods, and colorful leaves fell sporadically like natural confetti.

I spotted Bennett as James and I were taking our seats. He was with Maven, and I raised my brows at him. He did the same thing right back at James and me, and we both smiled.

Just before the ceremony, Ryan and Lily walked in. I tried to catch Ryan’s eye, but his eye would not be caught.

When I found Lily looking at us at one point during the ceremony, she immediately course-corrected. She looked more pale than usual, like she hadn’t slept well. That had certainly been true for most of her pregnancy with Mia, but maybe it was more than that.

Mia wasn’t with them, but my whole family was in attendance, so they must’ve called a babysitter.

I tried not to let that bother me too much. Mia had never been babysat by anyone outside the family before. Apparently, she wasn’t sick anymore either.

I closed my eyes and thought of May’s words. Give him love.

Ryan wasn’t doing this to hurt me. He was doing it to protect himself and his family—his growing family. So was Lily.

I could understand that, at least.

After the ceremony, I spotted my parents gathering their things, and a knot formed in my stomach.

Hadn’t May said that love could untwist the nastiest of knots?

“Hey,” I said to James, “are you okay to say hi to my parents?”