CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Kye
THE SUN HOVERED FOR A MOMENT BEFORE IT SANK BEHIND THE mountains as if it couldn’t quite decide if it wanted to stay or go. I understood the feeling—that push and pull.
But I’d already tipped the way I was going. So, I kept right on walking toward the woman on the dock. Unfolding the fuzzy blanket, I wrapped it around her shoulders.
Fallon pulled it tight, the ring on her finger glinting in the twilight. Fuck. I loved the sight of it on her hand, the way it felt like a physical manifestation of my tether to her. The invisible tie that had always bound us.
“No furniture, but you have blankets,” Fallon said, staring into the twilight.
I lowered myself to the dock next to her. “I come here sometimes. When I need to get away. Think. And you know the nights around here are cold.”
She glanced over at me, her blond hair catching the fading light like her ring had. “I always wondered where you disappeared to.”
One corner of my mouth kicked up. “Now you know.”
“Now, I know,” she echoed, turning back to the mountains. “We need to talk logistics.”
I gripped the side of the dock so I wouldn’t reach for Fallon. It would be hard enough having her in my space day in and day out. Too much temptation. I’d have to create distance where I could. “Probably not a bad idea.”
Fal’s fingers twisted in the blanket. “I’ll talk to Rose tomorrow and let her know I’ll be part of the custody filing. She or Mila will have to be the girls’ caseworker.”
“What? Why?” Anxiety flooded my system at the thought of anyone but Fal having my sisters’ backs.
She glanced over at me, her expression gentle. “If I’m applying for custody alongside you, it’s a conflict of interest. I can’t be a part of the home inspections, the interviews, or anything else.”
I pressed my palms harder against the edge of the dock, almost wishing it would tear my skin open. It would be an easier source of pain to handle. “Makes sense. I just … I need to know they’re in good hands.”
“Both Rose and Mila are excellent caseworkers,” Fallon assured me. “But I’ll ask Rose to take the case personally. She has a softer touch. For Mila, there are no shades of gray.”
My jaw worked back and forth. “All right. How long will it take? The approval process, I mean.”
“The house needs to be ready and approved. All your paperwork has been submitted. I just need to work on mine tonight. Could be a matter of days, or a couple of weeks. It just depends on whether it all goes according to plan.”
My gut soured at that. I hated being dependent on anyone. The only thing I despised more was the feeling that someone could control me. That my fate was in their hands. I wanted to be the only determiner of where I was headed. But I didn’t have a choice here.
“We should probably get married, too, right?” I asked.
Fal’s knuckles bleached white as she gripped the blanket tighter. “Yeah. We should.”
I couldn’t tell what was beneath those words. But it wasn’t wholehearted joy. How could it be? I was asking Fallon to lie to everyone she cared about. “We could tell the family. That it isn’t real, I mean. They’d understand—”
“No.” Fallon cut me off with that single word. “It would make them accessories to fraud.”
Just like I was making Fallon.
She turned to me. “I want to do this. For you. For Hayden, Clem, and Gracie. But I think the fewer people who know the truth, the better. We can’t risk it. And it isn’t fair to ask them to lie.”
I nodded slowly. “Okay.” My throat worked as I struggled to swallow. “And when we end things? What do we tell them then?”
Fallon’s gaze lifted to my face. “That we realized we were better as friends. And we stay in each other’s lives. I stay in the girls’ lives.”
She made it sound so easy, but I knew it would rip me to shreds. Still, I forced myself to nod. “So when should we tell them? About the engagement, I mean.”
Fallon’s tongue darted out, wetting her bottom lip in that nervous habit she had. “No time like the present.”
I shifted, pulling out my phone and unlocking it. I navigated to our sibling chat Rho had named Nacho Average Siblings yesterday.
Me:
Need a favor. Family meeting tonight at 389 Cascadia Lane. Can someone bring Nora and Lolli? And someone grab pizza? Cope, we’ll video call you.
Cope:
No, you won’t.
I glanced at Fallon in confusion, but her fingers were already flying across her phone.
Sparrow:
Why are you being a douche canoe?
Cope sent a photo of the Monarch Mountains in answer.
Cope:
Just landed at Sparrow Falls Airport. Linc lent us his plane.
Me:
You have practice. A game this weekend.
Cope:
And I’ve got a coach and a team owner who understand the importance of family. And Linc had better understand the value of this particular family since he’s going to be a part of it. They’re going to let us make trips back here as much as we can. I’m not playing yet anyway.
Cope was still recovering from being shot several months ago.
While he’d mostly healed, he wasn’t quite up to professional hockey strength yet.
But I knew how much getting back on the ice meant to him.
So, the fact that he was here, taking time away from training because he knew I’d had a rough few days, meant something.
Me:
You didn’t have to.
Cope:
I wanted to. Plus, someone’s gotta get photographic evidence of you whenever Gracie or Clementine decide they need a makeover victim.
Rhodes:
I personally think lavender is his color. And Anson and I can pick up Mom and Lolli.
Trace:
Ellie and I have pizza. And his color isn’t lavender. It’s obviously periwinkle.
Arden:
I’m so proud of you for knowing the difference, T-money.
Trace:
Stop talking to me like I’m a rapper.
Shep:
Ellie might’ve loosened him up a little, but he’s still not cool enough for hip-hop. Thea and I will bring dessert. She’s got extras from The Mix Up.
Me:
Appreciate you. All of you.
Arden:
Stop being gushy. It’s freaking me out.
A chuckle slid out of me as I typed out a new message.
Me:
Gonna give those twins of yours motorcycles when they turn sixteen. That better?
Arden:
Kyler Blackwood, I will help Fallon rig glitter bombs in your car, Blackheart Ink, Haven, and your damn apartment.
Sparrow:
I do have some pink unicorn glitter bombs I’ve been waiting to use.
My gaze flicked up to her. “You wouldn’t.”
A devilish smile played over Fallon’s lips. “That’s just a risk you’ll have to take.”
“Your vengeful streak is slightly terrifying,” I muttered.
Her smile widened. “Thank you.”
“I didn’t mean it as a compliment.”
Fallon pushed to her feet. “I’m taking it as one anyway.”
Pure chaos ensued as the Colson crew descended on my house. Keely leapt from Trace’s SUV and came running for me. I caught her easily. “How’s my Keely girl?”
She slapped both her hands on my cheeks. “Uncle Kye, is this your house? It’s like a castle.”
“It is my house. Do you like it?” I asked, trying to discern if her friend, Gracie, would like it, too.
“Kye Kye, I said it looks like a castle. I looooooove it.”
I laughed and set her down on the front steps. “I’m so glad you approve.”
Ellie and Trace walked onto the porch, Trace carrying at least six pizza boxes. “You have a house you never told us about?”
“You’re one to talk. You were building one without telling us,” I shot back.
Ellie patted him on the chest. “He’s got a point, Chief.”
Trace scowled. “Because you all have big mouths, and you would’ve spoiled the surprise for Keely.”
Shep headed up the path, both his and Thea’s arms laden with bakery boxes. But he only had eyes for the house itself. “It’s newish construction. Sometime in the past several years. You just buy this?”
I shook my head, knowing it would both give me away and be proof of the side of the story I was weaving with Fallon. “I had it built about seven years ago.”
Shep’s footsteps faltered. “You built a house and didn’t have me do the work.”
Rhodes let out a low whistle as she walked up with Anson at her side. Nora and Lolli followed behind. “You’re in trouble now, Kye Kye.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want anyone to know.” The answer felt pathetic, given the hurt I could be inflicting on Shep, who’d built an incredible construction and design business.
Shep looked up at the house again. “Incredible craftsmanship.” His whole body jerked. “The house. It’s …”
“The one Fal always used to draw,” Nora said softly, seeking me out through the dwindling light.
All eyes shifted to me, and I fought the urge to squirm.
I could feel Fallon on the step behind me, her heat bleeding into me as she stayed carefully silent.
Thankfully, we were saved by a honking horn.
Two sets of headlights rounded the bend, and within seconds, more of the Colson crew was descending.
Luca was out first, bounding across the driveway. “What is this place?” he called with seven-year-old wonder. “It’s sick!”
“It’s Uncle Kye’s castle,” Keely filled in helpfully.
“Bruh,” Luca muttered as if that said it all.
His mom, Sutton, made her way up the path behind him and rolled her eyes. “Let me tell you that bruh is apparently the ultimate compliment. You have arrived.”
“Good to know.” I waved at our crowd as Cope, Linc, and Arden made their way toward the house. “Come on in.”
I suddenly felt nervous as I stepped inside. Fallon read me like a book and reached out, hooking her pinky with mine for the briefest moment. “It’s all going to be okay.”
“I hope so,” I whispered.
“Hot damn,” Lolli called, making her way through the foyer and into the open living space. “This is a pad.”
Fallon laughed. “Think about the parties you could throw here, Lolli.”
“I’m thinking about the naked yoga sessions I could have on that patio,” she said, moving to the windows and looking out at the softly lit backyard.
“Lolls,” Trace warned.
Lolli turned on him. “Oh, don’t you start. Because I happen to know your office got a little recreational use last week.”
“Mom!” Nora chastised.