Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
SEVEN VIRTUES, NORTH CAROLINA
“I’m sorry, I will not comment about whether or not DJ Kensington is at Seven Virtues University graduation. If she is, it’s not in a professional capacity.”
—Paula Stone
Wildcard Media Representative
With a rainbow of cords proclaiming her superior academic excellence draped around her neck, Fallon’s mother and I take photo after photo of two women hamming it up outside Seven Virtues Stadium. The crowd shifts and bulges around them as they carry on. Especially once they realize who is posing with Fallon, I think sardonically.
Austyn demands I get into a picture with Fallon. “After all, Uncle E. If it weren’t for you taking care of us, who knows if we’d have ever survived that first hangover,” she mocks, tongue in cheek.
Fallon’s mother snickers. “I’m just grateful I never knew about it, Ethan. I’d have been mortified.”
Fallon bursts into gales of laughter. The brightness of her smile lights the dark corners of my soul. My whole body stills when Helen Brookes murmurs, “Ethan? Can you promise me you won’t hurt her?”
Slowly, I lower my cell phone and face her mother’s directness, realizing Fallon has told her everything. Her mother’s knowing eyes meet mine. Still, I give her the only thing I can: honesty. “I can promise to try.”
Her chin jerks. “That will have to be good enough.” Her attention returns to Fallon, whom she taunts, “Well, at least I know who instigated your obsessive-compulsive love of Ho Hos.”
Fallon doesn’t hesitate before calling back, “Thus why I kept it from you for so long, Mama.”
“Austyn, switch places with your uncle. He needs to be in some of these photos,” Helen commands.
Austyn’s melodic voice purrs, “I couldn’t agree more.”
I roll my eyes. “Brat.”
“But you love me,” she sings—on key, as always.
I hand her my phone and approach Fallon—whose smile hasn’t wavered since she spotted me sitting beside her mother and her best friend. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, I murmur, “Good surprise?”
Her arm slides around my waist and she tilts her face upward. Her mortarboard shadows her eyes, but not the blazing emotion bursting from them. “The best, E. Better than anything.”
My fingers clutch her shoulder. My gaze spears down into hers even as her breath fluctuates slightly.
The world fades away as I’m lost in pools of indigo.
Then, in front of the people who mean the most to her and in front of a million strangers, she shows she has more courage than anyone I’ve ever met. Fallon leans up and brushes her lips against my cheek. “Thank you for being here for me tonight.”
An ache races through me as her lips touch my skin for the first time. Now, I know what that feels like, and that too, will factor into the dreams she stars in every single night of my life. In that moment, I clutch her to me, bury my face in her neck, and give her everything. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Fal. I hope you know that.”
I watch her struggle as she tries to interpret my words. For just a moment, I let the facade I’ve been wearing all these years slip. Whatever she sees on my face causes her eyes to flare. She opens her mouth, but I shake my head. “Not now.”
Her head tilts. “Then when?”
I tighten my arm so she’s notched against my side, facing forward. Finally, I give in. “I’ll come to you later.”
Together, we face the camera, each of us clutching the other, knowing the temptations that lie between us will be given into the moment we’re alone.