Cyrus
Chapter thirty
Holy Rollers
With the temperature sweltering, downtown is packed with people trying to outrun the heat with sugar and air conditioning. The sidewalks are crowded, storefronts buzzing, every familiar face in town out in full force.
We pile out of the truck at once; doors slamming, voices overlapping, energy spilling everywhere. Jonah and Amos are already inside, waiting for us. I’m looking forward to spending time together. Fallon needs to know she has friends in this town. None of them embarrassed by who she’s connected to.
Billy hops down first, oblivious to her surroundings. Liam follows, stretching dramatically. Fallon steps out last, slower, cautious eyes sweeping the area. She’s already bracing.
I see it.
The subtle tightening in her shoulders.
The awareness.
The way her back locks.
She tucks a stray lock of her red curls behind an ear. Watching people watch her. Us.
I clock the stares, too. People pretending not to look while absolutely looking. A few whispers. A few phones slightly off-angled.
Yeah. They notice us.
Cold Rollers is impossible to miss. Bright, bold, and covered in fun graffiti-style art, splashed across the front windows. A cartoon kid crying over a dropped ice cream cone stretches across the glass, dramatic and funny all at once.
Billy stops short. “Mom, look at the sad cone kid!”
“That’s you when I touch your stuff without permission,” Liam deadpans.
“That is not—”
Fallon laughs. I take that win. Inside, the air-conditioning is heaven.
The shop smells of decadent hints of sugar and cream.
Joy and Colleen, my favorite couple, stand behind the counter; both light up when we enter.
“Well, if it isn’t our favorite officer and his crew,” Joy says warmly.
Colleen leans forward. “Y’all picked a good day to come in.
We’re finishing a fresh batch of waffle cones. ”
“Smells dangerous, I might not survive.” Billy beams. “We’ll carry on your legacy, Dad.”
The name lands between us, impossible to ignore, meaning everything to me.
Dad.
I pause—long enough that Fallon notices. She stills beside me, the world tilts. It’s the first time she’s called me Dad. No one forced it. She…blurted it out.
Best. Feeling. Ever.
Heat burns behind my eyes. I avert my gaze away, gulping down my emotions. I refuse to share this moment with the crowd around us. This is ours. Private. Life-altering. Something I’ll carry long after everyone else forgets.
I don’t trust my voice, so I don’t use it.
Instead, I meet her eyes again and give her a small, steady wink—the only safe thing I have to offer without cracking wide open right here.
My heart clenches. A missing piece slipping into place.
Fallon snorts. Actually snorts. Clamping a hand over her mouth.
She looks at me, mouthing, ‘I panicked.’ Our shoulders shake with effort to contain ourselves.
Her cheeks have these adorable little pink splotches deepening in color the longer she watches me, watching her.
I swear I’ve never known someone prettier. Her beauty is fucking destructive.
I glance toward the windows again, needing to bring my attraction to her down a notch and not wanting her to panic more. Her flight-or-fight mode is impressive.
Still eyes. Still attention. Still judgment.
Jordan, Jonah’s twin sister and pain in everyone’s ass, has stopped outside the shop.
Laser focused on Fallon, she notices me.
Gives me a disgusted once-over before storming away.
If the town didn’t know, it does now. That PTO phone tree will be active this evening.
I gesture toward the art. “This is new. It’s incredible.”
Joy’s chest puffs with pride. “That’s our niece, Susie.” Colleen nods eagerly. “Girl’s got her work in galleries all up and down the East Coast now.”
“Seriously?” Fallon asks, stepping closer to the glass, studying it with genuine awe. Joy smiles at her. “Dead serious.” I watch Fallon while she looks at the blending of the colors, the awe on her face stunning.
The kids race to the counter to begin their aggressive negotiation campaign for the most sugar for the least amount of money.
“I want rainbow cereal, please.”
“I want cookie dough, brownie chunks, caramel, and—”
“That’s three toppings already,” Fallon cuts in gently.
Liam grins. “Correct.”
I chuckle. “Don’t hold back, kids. Dream big.”
Fallon shoots me a look, but the warning in her eyes looks forced enough that I’m not worried.
We order an absurd amount of rolled ice cream.
The marble slabs scrape and clang as the workers mix flavors, the scent getting richer by the second.
Billy narrates the entire process to Amos, like he’s never encountered dairy before. Amos listens patiently to her.
Jonah watches us from the table, eyes sharp, expression unreadable, but I know him well enough to know he’s clocking everything. Fallon’s posture. The way she hovers. The way she flinches when someone laughs too loudly behind her.
He always notices the things people try to hide.
When the orders are ready, we carry them over six overflowing cups, dripping with syrup and color.
Fallon hesitates when we reach the table for a second. Jonah catches it. He leans back in his chair, casual as hell. “Relax,” he says lightly. “If anyone stares too long, I’ll start charging admission.”
Amos adds, deadpan, “We can use the funds for Billy’s sprinkle research.”
Billy perks up. “I am doing important work.” Fallon laughs as she sits. The melody goes straight to my dick. I can’t fucking help it, everything about this woman turns me on.
Some locals near our table notice all of us. Their eyes tracking the kids like a tennis match. A few whispers get bolder. Fallon notices. Tensing beside me.
I lean in slightly. “You’re safe.”
Her eyes flick to mine. Searching. Doubtful. Wanting to believe it anyway.
“I want this to feel normal for you,” I murmur. “Life should be enjoyed, not something you have to survive.”
Her lips pinch, eyes glassy. “I don’t know how to exist in this town without bracing for impact.” That confession lands heavier than anything she’s said yet. Jonah doesn’t miss it.
He casually pivots the conversation, voice a little louder now. “So, Billy, serious question, if a parade float had a cotton candy machine on it, would that be a good life choice or a great one?”
Billy gasps. “The best one!”
Liam slams his spoon down. “We could throw candy into the crowd!”
Amos nods solemnly. “For morale.”
Fallon blinks. “Parade float?”
I glance at her. “You and the kids busy on the Fourth?” Her spoon stills. Tension spikes. Around the table. Across the room. “Cyrus…” Her voice is careful—low. “That’s very public.”
“I know.”
“People are already talking.” She insists, and it pisses me off. Fuck those people.
Jonah cuts in smoothly, “That’s what people do. Might as well give them a better story.” She looks at him, surprised. He shrugs. “We can upgrade the narrative. Less whispering. More cheering. In small towns, people fabricate stories if you don’t give them the one you want them to have.”
I keep my eyes on Fallon. “This isn’t about them.
It’s about the kids knowing they’re not something to hide, that they’re allowed to take up space.
That you’re allowed to take up space.” Her throat works.
Emotion flickers fast, bright, and raw. “They have people who love them,” my voice betraying me.
“You built that. I’m only asking to expand that. Let them, and you live to the fullest.”
Billy leans across the table. “Mommy, can we please?”
Liam nods. “It would be legendary.”
Fallon looks overwhelmed. Exposed. Jonah’s voice is gentle. “You wouldn’t be doing it alone.” Her eyes fill.
I glance at him. “Which brings me to my next problem.”
Both men look at me.
“I’m gonna need help building this float.”
Jonah doesn’t hesitate. “The mayor did say that we had to collaborate.”
Amos nods. “Sounds entertaining. I’m in.”
Jonah adds, “But I’m designing it. Because if we’re doing this, we’re doing it big time.”
“I already designed it,” I remind him.
“Yeah, We could tell. Looked like a kindergartner designed it. We can do better, bigger.”
Fallon stares at all of us like she’s witnessing a reality TV show she never volunteered to watch. Her hand inches toward mine under the table. Not quite touching. But close enough. Something, akin to hope, eats away at the doubt.
She whispers, “Okay…” Billy explodes with excitement. Jonah fist pumps Liam. Amos actually smiles. Around us, the town watches. Let them. This time, my families not shrinking for others comfort.