Chapter Twelve #3
“I don’t think we can both fit in there. Could you come out? I have something to tell you.”
Nora missed Fallon’s vestibule as she struggled into her clothes. The moment she stepped outside, Fallon hugged her like she’d been gone for months. “I missed you.”
It felt so good that Nora forgot she was a terrible person, letting herself relax into Fallon’s body. “I missed you too. But what’s going on? You said you had something to tell me.”
“Yeah, I do. Last night, Ranger Reva told me I’d passed the first segment of the Firecamp leadership program.” Fallon looked into her eyes, her face practically glowing with pride.
“That’s great. I’m happy for you.” She was, even though the news was clearing Fallon’s path to somewhere Nora wouldn’t be.
“And another reason why it’s great is it means I don’t have to hang around at our upcoming break and take the test again.
So, uh, if you want to go home and check on Tyler, I could go with you.
And I have my own reasons for making sure you get back here okay.
” Nora took a step away. Fallon’s face fell.
Nora tried to smile and touched her arm. “That’s very nice of you, but—” Think about it, Nora. Think instead of reacting. “Let me think about it, okay?”
“Of course. If I may offer some additional incentive?” Fallon cocked her head and raised her eyebrows, obviously waiting for permission.
Why did she have to be so charming on top of the kind and sweet stuff?
Nora gestured for her to continue. “After two short days with your family, we could spend the rest of our week at my place.” She took Nora’s hands, gently rubbing her thumbs across them. “I’d really like to show it to you.”
“You…you have a place? Like, a house or an apartment or something?” This was unexpected news. “Where?”
“Kinda like that, yeah. And I’m not going to tell you where it is. You’ll simply have to come see it.” Fallon bounced a little and grinned, obviously pleased with herself. “Although I have to warn you, there’s only one bed.”
Nora liked the sound of that. Her body heated the way it did since she’d first thought about Fallon as something more than a fellow sawyer. “Why can’t we skip the family visit and just go there?”
Fallon inhaled slowly. “We could. But I think it would be more enjoyable if we didn’t have that niggling worry in the back of our minds.”
Nora pulled her hands away and crossed her arms. “Who is ‘we’ in this narrative? You and the mouse in your pocket?”
“You know it’s you and me, Nora. You’ve been worrying about Tyler, though you’d deny it. And I don’t know him well, but he seems like a great kid, so I’d like to say hello. We don’t even have to stay at your house. Isn’t there a hotel in your town?”
“There are three, actually. A ritzy one, a decent one, and a no-tell motel that no one will admit to setting foot in, though they always seem to have cars parked there.” Nora couldn’t believe she was talking about this like it was some kind of possibility.
“I vote for the decent one,” Fallon said. “And we can go dutch. I’ll finally get to keep most of my paycheck this time. What do you think?”
Jade called from across the camp, “Stove’s ready, Fallon.”
“Saved by the bell.” Nora was both relieved at not having to make a decision and amused by the irritated glare Fallon sent in Jade’s direction. She started for the kitchen, giving a little squeak when Fallon acted like she might pinch her arm as she went by. Since when did she squeak?
“I didn’t hear any bell,” Fallon growled. “And I can’t guarantee you’ll be safe once I get you to my place.”
Nora quickened her pace, trying not to giggle. Giggle?
All through breakfast, she thought about Fallon’s offer.
It was true that her parents had always been on their best behavior on the rare occasions she’d had someone over.
And she was worried about Tyler. She would call Rudy and Art as soon as she got her phone charged.
Someone needed to tell her what had happened to Tyler’s arm and how he’d gotten a concussion, and she wanted the details before she got there.
Two days would be a short visit compared to the time they’d have afterward.
Watching Fallon as she chatted with Jade, Nora tried to imagine what her place would be like.
Appealing and genial like she was? Fallon threw back her head and laughed at something Jade said, and Nora imagined running her tongue along the column of her neck, finishing with a long, deep kiss.
No, not finishing. She wanted more than that, and Fallon’s place could be the ideal location.
Remembering what Hannah had said about designing her present, Nora decided that present happiness would be enough. For now.
* * *
Having thought better of a surprise visit, Nora had called her parents once they’d reached Brighton Valley in the early evening.
Her mother had insisted they wait to come by until the next morning, so they’d gone on the not-so-thrilling tour of her hometown.
Naturally, Fallon had acted delighted. When they’d gone to dinner at one of the nicer restaurants, they’d run into Addison, who had the nerve to flirt shamelessly with Fallon, even commenting on how much she preferred longer hair.
By the time they got to their room at the Best Western, Nora was too stressed to think clearly.
Drained by apprehension and the smothering feeling of being back home, she was desperate for her own space.
After asking Fallon to sleep in the other queen bed, she’d realized her mistake halfway through the night and had crawled in next to the most caring person she knew, who’d welcomed her the way she always did.
Not wanting Fallon to be disillusioned, exactly, Nora did want her to see the Palmer family’s true colors.
But of course, the visit went wonderfully.
Her mother was agreeable and friendly, more gracious than she’d ever seen her.
And once her father remembered who Fallon was, he was on his best behavior.
“The way he carried on, anyone would have thought you were war buddies,” Nora muttered as Fallon drove them away.
“But Tyler cried when he saw you,” Fallon reminded her.
“Tyler cries at Finding Nemo, and he’s seen it at least twenty times,” Nora answered. “But he let you sign his cast first.”
“That’s because your mom wouldn’t let me in the kitchen, so you had to help.”
“As usual.” Nora slumped against the comfortable seat.
“But she gave you those beautiful brown eyes. And your smile looks just like hers. You’re a good three inches taller, though. I guess you must’ve gotten that from your dad.”
Nora rolled her eyes. “You and your fairy-tale image of a family. For me, it’s the same, dull routine and tedious talk. I don’t know why I expect anything to be different.”
“Probably because you’ve changed, and you expect them to change along with you. Unfortunately, it doesn’t automatically happen that way.”
Nora shrugged, setting her mouth in a firm line.
Was she upset because they seemed to be doing all right without her?
Or because Fallon was apparently her father’s new favorite?
He’d almost talked her into staying another day, saying he wanted to take her fishing.
Obviously, he’d forgotten that his only daughter was the one who’d loved fishing with him.
After Fallon had cautioned her that they probably wouldn’t have cell coverage once they got to her place, Nora had tried again to reach Art before they left town but had hung up rather than leaving another message.
She’d had a brief conversation with Rudy from the home phone earlier.
He didn’t know exactly what had caused Tyler’s injury, only that he’d been out with their father when it had happened.
No surprise there. Her mother had been oblivious, and there had never been a time to talk to Tyler alone.
She’d made sure he knew to leave a message on her cell phone, promising she’d get back to him ASAP, but he’d seemed oddly disinterested.
At least Rudy had felt guilty enough that he promised to take some time off next week to come help out, the most positive outcome of her visit.
After a quick stop for groceries, they got on the road.
Nora rested her head on the plush seat, feeling her tension subside as Fallon pointed out signs and wildlife and made vague references to other travel experiences.
“You’re so solid, so steady,” Nora said, speaking aloud without really thinking about it.
“Nothing seems to affect you. How do you do that?”
“First, you affect me, so that part isn’t true.”
Nora leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being steady and solid and nice to my family.”
Fallon was quiet for a few minutes. “Seeing where you came from, what your life was like, was fascinating because it’s very different from how I grew up.
My life was constant change, continuous motion.
Everything was in flux. I learned to hold myself still because I needed a fixed point, like your North Star. ”
“It’s not mine, you know.” Nora yawned. She hadn’t slept well, even when she’d started out the second night in bed with Fallon. The hum of the highway made her eyes feel heavy, and just before she dropped off, she heard Fallon say something about being hers, but she couldn’t quite make sense of it.