Page 40 of Forbidden to Fall

“Was?”

“He feels like he needs to be here with his mom a little longer.”

Ryan gave a little scoff. “Right. After eight years, he’s having sudden onset I-give-a-crapitis. Don’t be dumb, Sadie.”

“What?”

“I saw how he was looking at you—how he was touching you.”

I let out a scoff, hoping it was louder than my heart’s reaction. “What are you talking about?” It was meant to be rhetorical, but my every nerve was on edge. What was he talking about? How had James looked at me?

“He didn’t get what he wanted”—Lily shifted beside him—“so he’s trying to get back at me through another woman I care about.”

I blinked. “Whoa. Are you serious? You think he’s…” I stumbled over how to verbalize the next part.

He looked at Lily. “Am I wrong?”

She looked even more uncomfortable than I felt. “I…” The fact that she didn’t swoop in to agree seemed to mean she didn’t view things quite like Ryan did.

“Look, Ry,” I said, trying to save her from an impossible question, “it’s been years. I think he’s probably moved past all that.”

“Clearly that’s what you think.”

“What does that mean?”

He shrugged. “Come on, Sade. You always had a thing for him.”

“Had,” I said, willing myself not to blush. “I was a kid, Ryan.”

He lifted a shoulder. “Look, I’m not trying to be a jerk. I just…I don’t trust him.” His arm tightened around Lily. “He was my best friend, and he snuck behind my back and tried to take the person that means the most to me in life. My best friend did that.” He scrubbed his jaw with a hand and looked at me. His frown wasn’t angry now, just troubled. “Why do you have to work at the farm at all?”

I threw up my hands. “Mrs. Keller cut my hours. I need the money. May Carver needs to sell maple to keep the farm going. I didn’t know James would be here when I agreed to work with her. But what am I supposed to do?”

“Work with anyone but them?”

I shot him a flat look. “This town isn’t exactly brimming with career opportunities.”

“I know. But still...”

“It’s business, Ryan. Haven’t you ever had to work with someone you didn’t like?”

He raised a brow. “Are you saying you don’t like James? ‘Cause that’s not what it looked like tonight.”

I flushed. “He did me a favor. Did you want me to yell and scream at him?”

“No, I want you to stay away from him. For your own sake.”

I pressed my lips together to keep from saying the words on my tongue: Or is it for your sake? “What if he’s changed?”

Ryan stared at me in disbelief. “He’s already getting to you—fooling you like he fooled me.”

A shock of anger shot through my veins. I hated that my own brother thought me so gullible. “I’m an adult, Ryan. I know how to have a professional relationship with someone. I can look out for myself.”

Our gazes held, and Lily looked down at her hand holding Ryan’s.

“Aunt Sadie!” Mia came barreling around the corner, wearing a princess nightgown that had seen better days.

I barely reached out in time to scoop her up and twirl her around. “Well, hello!”