Fall With Me: A Grumpy/Sunshine Cowboy Small Town Romance

Prologue

*Please read the author’s note on the previous page and the page before that for content warnings before reading the prologue*

“Yeehaw, motherfuckers!” Tucker shouts as he sprints off a fifty-foot cliff.

It’s his fourth time in fifteen minutes, but still, we watch as he does a double backflip in the air before plunging into the waterfall creek below.

“Has he always been this reckless?” my cousin Warren asks.

“I can’t believe his body ain’t gettin’ sore from slammin’ into the water so many times,” Warren’s girlfriend, Maisie, says.

Tucker swims toward the rocky shore. He throws a fist up into the air and shouts something inaudible.

“Since the day we met, he’s been certifiably insane.” Smirking, I think back to the dozens of memories Tucker Sánchez and I have made since we became best friends in third grade when he moved to Sugarland Creek, Tennessee.

Experiencing our first middle school dance where we both asked out the same girl and raced our dirt bikes through a rainstorm to determine who’d get to be her date.

I beat his ass.

Driving our tractors through corn fields and playing chicken until the other person swerved into the ditch.

The fucker never swerved.

Sneaking out in the middle of the night to tip cows and steal pigs just because we were bored little shitheads.

And got numerous trespassing violations.

After graduation in a couple months, he’ll go off to college in California to study medicine while I stay here in Tennessee to work on my family’s ranch and equine retreat. It’s sad to think this is our final spring break before we go our separate ways and won’t see each other for weeks at a time.

Even so, I’ll be glad to be done with high school.

But mostly, I’m ready to get away from my ex-girlfriend, Angela, who’s thankfully moving to Florida to study only God knows what. Considering she skips classes at least four times a week, she’s failing most of them. Either way, I’m happy she’ll be far away from me.

Even though she’s the one who broke my heart last year and claimed I was incapable of loving someone and then left me for an older dude, she continues to cling to me any chance she gets.

Including now.

For someone so “emotionally dead inside” as she claims I am, she’s still eager for my attention.

Moments ago, she called me baby and tried grabbing my hand to get me to jump off the cliff with her.

Even if the water were filled with gold coins, I wouldn’t go in with her.

I didn’t even want her on this trip, but Talia’s her best friend and Talia’s dating Tucker.

The other couple with us are Rhett and Addie. Rhett moved here four years ago and joined the baseball team with Tucker and me. Addie’s friends with Talia, but not Angela. She tolerates her as much as I do.

So naturally, with three other couples here, Angela wanted to play house with me this week.

Not happening.

“I’m gonna miss this place,” Rhett says as he holds Addie’s hand. We came here last year, too, but this will be our final time as a group.

My aunt and uncle let us rent out one of the luxury cabins on their ranch resort and we’ve had a blast partying, hiking, swimming, and horseback riding each day we’ve been here.

“Y’all should visit during your school breaks,” Warren tells them, wrapping his arm around Maisie as if he’s hinting the same thing to her.

My cousin’s the same age as me but lives two hours away in Willow Branch Mountain. He’s also staying and working full-time for his parents, which has caused tension between him and Maisie since she’s moving to New York City to pursue a career in publishing. He swears they’ll make it work, though, so for his sake, I hope they do.

“This place would be the perfect romantic honeymoon,” Addie says, giving Rhett a knowing look.

Considering they’ve been practically attached to the hip for the past three years, I wouldn’t be shocked if they got engaged right after graduation.

“According to the thousands of reviews online, that’s what most couples come for. Or a romantic getaway without their kids,” Warren confirms.

For as long as I can remember, my parents would bring me and my four siblings up here every summer for a week of camping. Or rather “glamping” as it’s promoted. There’s no off-grid, tent-style suffering out here. It’s all glamourous accommodations with your choice of a nature immersive dome, two-story cabin, or their infamous modern-day treehouse. They get better Wi-Fi here than I do at home.

It’s a special place to visit and there’s no wonder why they’re always fully booked. While my family’s retreat is very kid-friendly, their resort focuses more on relaxation and helping couples reconnect with each other through outdoor and indoor activities.

While we’ve been here, we’ve taken full advantage of the fancy onsite restaurant and in-room massages. Yesterday, the guys and I went fishing while the girls relaxed in the hot tub and watched a Netflix movie on the large projector screen.

It’s been the best spring break ever.

And I’m sad that tomorrow’s our last day.

“How many times have you and Maisie snuck into one of the cabins for a romantic weekend?” I tease.

He smirks while Maisie’s cheeks burn pink. I already know he booked under fake names for their prom night and her birthday weekend last year. I’m only surprised his parents never found out.

“Can’t believe Aunt Lindsey hasn’t caught on.” She’s my dad’s sister and one of my mom’s best friends.

“That’s because I’m good at being sneaky.” Warren grins. “I also add in a no disturbance note.”

Shaking my head, I laugh.

“Who’s next to jump?” Tuckers asks, wiping his face with a towel when he reappears.

“Talia!” Angela blurts. “She’s the only one who’s chickenin’ out…”

Glancing at Talia, her face heats from the unwanted attention. It’s obvious she doesn’t want to, but she’s on the shy side, which has always made me wonder how she’s even friends with Angela, who’s loud, obnoxious, and never shuts the hell up.

I used to like that about her. The way she’d party just as hard as I did and never complained about doing random wild shit on the weekends.

Now, hearing her voice is like a chainsaw cutting through metal.

I’d rather swallow a teaspoon of cinnamon and hot sauce than listen to her.

“C’mon, Talia. You don’t wanna be the only one who doesn’t jump, do you?” Angela taunts.

“You don’t have to, Talia,” I say, patting her shoulder and giving her a reassuring smile. “Don’t do anything you’re not comfortable doing.”

Angela glares at me, but I ignore her.

I took a lifeguard training program when I was sixteen and have worked at the retreat’s pool during summer breaks. Although this is much more extreme than jumping into a ten-foot-deep pool, I can tell she’s uncomfortable about the idea.

“It’s fun, Talia! The adrenaline rush will be worth whatever fear of heights you have,” Angela adds, but Talia’s face goes pale as if she’s about to throw up. Her not liking heights makes sense as to why she hasn’t come close to the edge to watch like everyone else.

I stand next to Warren and Rhett, not wanting to be near Angela because the urge to push her off the ledge gets stronger each time she opens her mouth.

“Baby, it’s not that bad, I promise. But if you don’t wanna, we can go do something else,” Tucker tells Talia.

“What a loser,” Angela mutters to Addie, but when Addie doesn’t reciprocate the same thoughts, Angela laughs it off.

The sound makes my skin crawl.

She continues whispering to Talia as we contemplate what activity to do next.

“We could go ziplining. Or go for a hike to the other waterfall that’s twice as tall,” Warren suggests.

“It’s cool to look at during the sunset. The lights reflect against the water,” Maisie adds.

“Aww, that sounds so romantic…” Addie coos as she walks over.

“Talia’s afraid of heights, so we should think of something else,” I suggest.

“We could go four-wheelin’ through the trails and play flashlight tag in the dark.” Warren grins like he’s up to something. “It can be a little dangerous, but my siblings and I play it all the time.”

“And how many end up gettin’ hurt?” I snort, knowing my cousins are just as unruly as me and my siblings.

“No one’s ever ended up in the hospital if that’s whatcha mean. Just some minor cuts and bruises from gettin’ smacked with tree branches.”

I laugh at how similar our families are even though we don’t get to spend lots of time with each other.

“Angela, wait!” Talia screams and we turn our heads at the same time to witness Angela shoving Talia closer.

“Just take a look, you big baby.” Angela stops just before Talia can fall over. “The only way you’re gonna get over your fear is by facin’ it. You don’t wanna be scared of heights forever, do ya?”

“Leave her alone,” I shout at Angela.

“Mind your business,” she sneers. “Talia wants to be included. She just needs a little encouragement to do it.”

Talia stays quiet as she leans over slightly, but her body is tense as she hangs onto Angela’s hand with a death grip.

“See, it’s not that high,” Angela says.

“I-I dunno…I’m not a great swimmer.” Talia’s voice shakes as she steps back.

“We’ll jump in together so I can make sure you get back to shore,” Angela offers.

“I’ll jump with you, baby,” Tucker eases. “But only if you want to.”

Talia chews on her lip as she contemplates her answer but then nods.

“Yay! So the three of us will go together!” Angela removes her sandals. “On my count!”

The rest of us watch as the three of them stand on the ledge holding hands.

“One, two, three…GO!” Angela shouts, except she and Talia don’t jump. Angela pretended to by bending her knees and leaning over, but her feet never left the ground.

Tucker makes a splash, but Talia’s screams grab my attention seconds later. Her limbs flail as she flies through the air. She’s not in the right position for a safe dive. Her body should be rigid like a plank so she can easily glide through the surface instead of slamming against the water.

“What the fuck did you do?” I snap at Angela at the same time Addie asks, “I thought you were going in with her?”

“She needed the motivation, but I didn’t wanna take away from her experience, so I stayed up here,” Angela says as if that’s a legitimate defense.

“You pushed her,” Addie says.

Angela shakes her head. “She jumped in after Tucker.”

Bullshit.

Talia wouldn’t scream like that if she had jumped of her own free will. The way she flew in the air meant she wasn’t expecting it, either.

“Uh, guys, where is she?” Warren looks down and when I spot Tucker, he’s treading water and frantically calling her name.

The swooshing of the waterfall crashing into the creek creates ripples through the water. My eyes scan all over, looking for any evidence of Talia swimming up to the surface, but there’s only Tucker.

“Talia!” Addie shouts from the top of the cliff as I rush down the trail and toward the shore as fast as I can without my shoes.

My heart pounds as I step over rocks and dirt. Warren and Rhett keep up behind me and when the three of us jump into the water, I dive down as far as I can swim. When I don’t see her, I come back up for air and then go back down again. The guys are all looking, too, and the fact that none of us find her after twenty minutes sends me into a panic attack.

Where the hell could she be?

I’m not sure how deep the water is or where the stream goes underneath the waterfall, but as I dive farther down, I see large rocks and boulders. When I return to the surface, Addie’s still on the phone with 911 and Warren tells me he’s texted his parents.

“What the fuck did you do?”

My gaze snaps to Tucker, who’s screaming in Angela’s face.

“Nothing!” She waves her hand in the air dismissively. “Why’re you blamin’ me?”

“She didn’t wanna jump in the first place.” He hovers above her, shoving a finger in her face. “You were supposed to go in with her, but I saw you shove her over!”

“I did too,” Maisie confirms with her hands on her hips.

“Fuck you, guys! She wanted me to! She didn’t wanna look like a coward in front of y’all and asked me to help her get the courage, so I did what she asked!” Angela defends, standing taller but nowhere near Tucker’s six-foot frame.

“That’s bullshit.” I walk closer. “You gave her no warnin’ and that’s why she was screamin’ for her life.”

“What’re y’all even talkin’ about? She asked me to do it!” Angela stands her ground, but no one’s buying it.

Tucker goes back in to help Rhett and even though my body’s sore and tired, I follow. We frantically search as best as we can, calling out her name and swimming around the entire length of the area until a rescue team arrives. We’re told to stand back and wait as they dive into the water. Uncle Grady explains that the water goes down deep enough and can be hard to get to without proper gear. Aunt Lindsey paces while we wait for a miracle.

I call my mom and dad to tell them what’s going on. They grab my siblings and start the two-hour drive up here.

“We should call her parents,” Addie says in a daze as if she doesn’t want to take her eyes off the water.

“I already gave their number to the sheriff,” Tucker says. He’s been shaking nonstop even though he’s covered in a large, heated blanket. I don’t blame him, though. My nerves are on fire.

The sound of a helicopter grabs our attention and we look up. The sun’s no longer beaming on us, and soon, we’re going to be surrounded by darkness. The divers have flashlight attachments on their wetsuits, but still, I don’t know how far it allows them to see.

After an hour of searching, one of the divers pops up and waves to a team member who’s waiting on shore.

“What’s goin’ on?” Addie asks.

“I dunno…they’re whisperin’ about something, though,” I say, keeping my voice low.

The one guy who stood ashore returns and speaks to another guy, who looks in charge. After a moment, he speaks into a radio, confirming they found a drowning victim.

My heart drops to the bottom of my stomach as I let his words sink in.

Deep down, I knew this wouldn’t be a good outcome, but hearing the words makes it more real than I was ready for.

She’s been down there too long.

But maybe just maybe they could somehow get her heart beating and she’d be okay.

“Wh-what did he just say?” Tucker’s jaw trembles.

Goose bumps cover my skin as the commotion in the water grabs my attention.

Two of the divers are holding Talia’s lifeless body.

The other guy on shore brings out a flat gurney and once they get her on it, they carry her out.

One of the EMTs who arrived with them checks her airway and then begins CPR.

“How long has she been under?” the EMT asks in between.

“Took us thirty minutes just to get out here and an hour to find her,” one of the divers responds.

Not to mention the twenty minutes we looked before the 911 operator could confirm they’d send help out here.

Tucker drops to his knees as the realization hits him.

Talia’s dead.

They can’t bring her back.

Rhett and I sit next to him as his whole body trembles.

“Deep breaths,” I try to comfort him.

Knowing there’s nothing I can do to take away his pain has my mind spiraling. Or maybe it’s a panic attack. My heart’s racing so hard, I swear it’s going to jump right out of my chest at this rate.

Either way, our lives are never going to be the same.

Talia was confirmed dead nearly two hours after Angela pushed her off the cliff.

Her funeral was nine days later where hundreds of people showed up to pay the family their respects and to say goodbye to one of the nicest girls I knew.

Talia would’ve turned eighteen two days after her parents said goodbye to her for the last time.

The following day, Angela was arrested.

After we gave our statements and it was confirmed that Talia’s cause of death was drowning, the sheriff got the judge to put out a warrant for Angela and to make her stand trial for homicide.

When she finally got her day in court, the six of us testified on what we observed that day and acted as character witnesses for both Angela and Talia. I made sure it was known how Angela was as a girlfriend and how she treated her “friends.” My testimony proved that her pushing Talia wasn’t out of character, especially considering we told her to leave Talia alone and she didn’t.

Her attorney tried to paint us as irresponsible young kids and unreliable witnesses, but the jury believed us and the evidence over Angela’s story that Talia asked her to do it. Hearing how she feared heights and wasn’t a good swimmer, they didn’t believe she’d ask to be pushed off.

I was willing to do whatever it took to get justice not only for Talia and her family but for my best friend. Tucker lost everything that day, too.

He’d hoped to get married and build a future with her after med school. Then they’d have some kids and grow roots wherever his career took him. He wanted nothing more than to have Talia by his side and together they’d be happy forever.

But Tucker didn’t get any of that. He was so grief-stricken and filled with guilt for not standing up to Angela and getting Talia out of that situation. He couldn’t focus in his college classes and flunked out before the end of his freshmen year.

One year after Angela was charged with voluntary manslaughter and fifteen years in prison, our lives were rocked once again when Tucker took his own life and a part of mine when he did.

I should’ve seen the signs. Looking back, I knew he was struggling and had hoped with time he’d get better. I encouraged him to see a grief counselor and he promised he would.

The week leading up to his death, he was the happiest I’d ever heard him. We talked every day and made plans to make a trip up to Willow Branch Mountain again. He had some of Talia’s ashes and wanted to spread them there. I was relieved and couldn’t wait to see my best friend again.

Except the next time I did was when he was in a casket.

Two people died because of Angela’s reckless actions, and although Talia’s family also won punitive damages in a wrongful death civil suit, Angela didn’t get nearly as long as she deserved. She should rot for the rest of her sad, lonely life.

When she’s eligible for parole in eleven years, I’ll do everything in my power to keep her behind bars for as long as possible.