Page 32 of Last Call (Open Tab #5)

“I did. Do you know how many times I wondered what I did wrong? Maybe you wouldn't have strayed if I’d agreed to travel with you more often. Maybe I was too na?ve or not attentive enough. Maybe we should have waited to have the boys,” she said.

“I asked all those questions. And God knows I wasn’t perfect in our marriage.

Who is perfect? I gave you what I could until I had nothing left to give.

The truth is, Jake, I should have let go years earlier.

And you’re not wrong. My love for Fallon is what washed out the bridge between us. ”

“I know.”

“No one is to blame . And no one is to blame for Dave’s situation,” Andi said. “We make our choices and do the best we can to live with them.”

“I probably should apologize to Fallon.”

Andi shook her head. “Not today.”

“I…”

“Not today, Jake. You struck at painful parts of her life. More than one.”

“Afraid she’ll deck me?”

Andi grinned. “No. Another day.”

“I should go.”

Andi nodded.

“I’m sorry,” Jake said. “I just…”

“I understand more than you think I can.”

“I’ll call Dave.”

“Jake?”

“Yes?”

“It’s not Fallon you need to forgive,” she said. “It’s yourself, and if you’re honest, it’s me .”

“I don’t blame you.”

“Yes, you do. A little,” Andi said. She kissed his cheek.

“I guess I’ll see you.”

“I’ll call you,” Andi promised. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath when Jake walked out.

“Mom?”

Andi exhaled and turned to Dave.

“What happened?” Dave asked.

“Nothing you need to worry about.”

“What did he say?”

“Dave, don’t worry about it.”

“I am worried about it,” Dave replied. “Fallon walked outside looking like someone punched her in the gut. No offense, but you look kind of the same way.”

Andi smiled genuinely. “I’m fine. I promise. You could do me a favor and ask Fallon if she’d help me with a couple of things.”

“Mom, if going to work with Fallon is going to cause problems, I won’t do it.”

“Don’t,” Andi said. “Don’t do that. Your father’s reaction isn’t about you .”

“He did say something.”

“Dave, you might not believe me—your father tried. In his mind, he was a good father and husband.”

“Yeah. I know. He was a provider .”

Andi sighed.

“I’m sorry,” Dave apologized. “It just pisses me off. Dad’s great at some things. I don’t want to be that kind of father.”

Andi nodded, reached over, and squeezed Dave’s hand. “Get Fallon for me.”

Dave sighed and followed Andi’s direction.

“Hey, Fallon?” Dave called.

“Yeah?”

“Mom asked if you could give her a hand.”

“Sure,” Fallon said. She kissed Riley’s cheek and headed for the kitchen.

“Are you okay?” Riley asked Dave.

“Did she tell you what he said to her?” Dave asked.

“Not the details,” Riley replied. “Just that he’s not happy about you leaving school.”

“Yeah.”

“Dave, Fallon is okay.”

Owen ran full tilt into Dave’s legs. “Dave!” he screamed.

Dave laughed. “Man, you’re getting fast!”

“Yep! Can we catch?” Owen asked.

“Sure,” Dave said. “Let me talk to your mommy for a minute. Find Billie and ask her to get the ball and bat from the garage.”

“Okay!” Owen turned and sprinted across the yard. “Grandma!”

Dave chuckled. “He never stops, does he?”

“Not for long,” Riley said. “You’ll understand soon enough,” she teased him. “Listen, I don’t want you to worry about Fallon.”

“I didn’t hear everything he said. I heard Mom talking to him when I went back inside.”

Riley treasured all her relationships. There were times when she needed to tread carefully.

People had a history in Whiskey Springs—a history that hadn’t included her.

She tried not to make assumptions about the past, instead allowing Fallon and their friends to share their experiences and feelings openly.

She never betrayed confidences. Riley tried to provide reassurances whenever possible.

She didn’t need Dave to tell her that he felt overwhelmed by his impending fatherhood.

Everyone she knew, even in the best of circumstances, worried about how they would handle parenthood. There were complications for Dave.

“There’s a lot of history there,” Riley commented.

“Do you mean between my parents or with Mom and Fallon?”

“With everyone here.”

Dave groaned. “Does it bug you?”

“What?”

“All the history ?”

Riley shrugged. “No. We all have a past,” she said. “It’s part of us. I accept that. It doesn’t dictate our present or future unless we let it.”

Dave’s gaze wandered to the back door.

“Stop worrying,” Riley said.

“I hope Fallon knows I don’t expect her to bail me out.”

“Do you think she asked you to help with this new business because she feels sorry for you?”

“No. Well, not just because of that.”

“You should know better than that.”

“I guess. I mean, I think it hurt Billie’s feelings a little when I told her I wanted to work with Fallon. That means living in Jeffersonville,” Dave said.

Riley looked over to where Billie was chasing Owen. “I don’t think that’s true,” she said.

“You don’t?”

“No. I think Billie wants to help.”

“She does!”

Riley giggled. Sometimes, you have to throw caution to the wind . “I know you feel that way. I told you. There’s a lot of history between everyone. You think I’m talking about your mom and Fallon.”

“Well?”

“Billie has a history with Fallon, too—a long one. Your mom has a history with Ida, and also with Pete and Dale.

“Not the same.”

“Thankfully, they haven’t all slept together,” Riley joked.

“That’s disturbing, Riley.”

Riley laughed. “Feelings run deep,” she told him. “I think it’s what made me fall in love with this town.”

“Huh?”

“I mean the closeness people share. I know not all the experiences have been happy. That’s true for everyone. But there is something unique about this town.”

“Besides all the gossip?”

“You get that anywhere,” Riley said. “Some people like to hear themselves talk, so they assume everyone else cares what they have to say.”

Dave laughed.

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Riley continued. “People stick by each other here. Even when you might not think so, they have each other’s backs, Dave. That doesn’t stop hurt feelings, jealousy, or insecurity.”

“So, you do think I hurt Billie’s feelings?”

“No. I think you and Billie mean a lot to each other. You fit. She loves you.”

“I know.”

“But you also have a close relationship with Fallon—one that has a longer history,” Riley explained. “I know you don’t love or trust Fallon more than Billie. She’s been close to you for your entire life. She has memories of you—memories of time spent with you and Andi that Billie doesn’t.”

“Kind of like Fallon with Owen,” Dave mused.

“Kind of.”

“Yeah, Fallon told me she wishes she could have seen him being born. I get it. I think I do. Fallon is—well, the truth is she was the closest thing I had to another parent until Billie came along. I love my dad. He just wasn’t around much. Fallon was there. It felt like…”

“I know,” Riley said. “Like family.”

“It’s so weird. Fallon was at our house for dinner at least three or four nights a week.

She was always at our school events with Mom.

I know this will sound—well, mean, but sometimes I hated it when my father came home because it meant Fallon wasn’t there.

He never went to my games. Maybe one or two.

That’s it. I remember how he would get up to take calls during dinner.

Mom would smile, but I could tell she was gritting her teeth.

Fallon never did that. There was this one time when her phone kept buzzing.

Mom told her to take the call. Fallon shut off her phone and tossed it on the counter.

She said she’d call after we finished eating. It was just—normal.”

Riley smiled.

“Can I tell you something without it getting weird?” Dave asked.

“You like that word.”

“Can I?”

“Go on.”

“I’ve thought about it a lot lately—why I was so pissed at Mom when she and Dad told us they were divorcing. It’s like she waited for us to be gone to be with Fallon. Then she leaves my dad and Fallon? What the hell? Sorry. I probably shouldn’t have said that.”

“Dave, I’m not threatened by or jealous of the relationship Fallon had with Andi.”

“Really?”

“Really. It took a long time for Fallon to admit to me what your mom meant to her, longer than it took for your mom to share her feelings. I know how much they loved each other. They still do—just differently. But they love each other as much as they ever did,” Riley said.

“You know, Fallon was pretty hurt when she found out your mother asked for a divorce.”

“I know. I don’t get it. She was already with you.”

“Fallon’s love for me doesn’t erase years of loving Andi. And you know how much you and Jacob mean to her. Billie knows that, too. You should talk to Billie about all of this.”

“Uh, I don’t think so, Riley.”

Riley shrugged. “Don’t underestimate Billie.”

“I don’t.”

“Then why can’t you talk to her? Just tell her you’re concerned that her feelings might be hurt. I think you’ll be surprised at the response.”

“Billie thinks my idea to have her help with the new company is to make her feel better.”

“Probably true. Tell her why you want her to help—the truth, Dave.”

“I really didn’t upset you?”

“One reason I love Fallon so much is how much she genuinely cares for the people in her life. No. You didn’t upset me. Not at all. In fact, you reminded me how lucky I am to have her as my partner.”

“You know,” Dave began. “If you guys have a kid soon, our kids would grow up together like Fallon and Billie.”

Riley’s lips curled into a smile. She winked at Dave. Yes. They would.

Andi greeted Fallon with a smile and a shake of her head when she entered the kitchen. “He had no right to attack you like that,” Andi said.

“It’s okay.”

“No. It isn’t.”

Fallon smiled. “I get it.”

“I’m glad you do. I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing for Jake?”

“I can’t believe he would say those things to you.”

“He’s dealing with regret,” Fallon said.

“I’m not sorry. That’s the thing. I spent a long time feeling guilty.

Guilty that I didn’t leave with Liv. Guilty that I loved you.

Guilty that I couldn’t tell you. And then I felt guilty for finding Riley.

I even felt guilty that it hurt so much when you left Jake because I was with Riley. ”

“Fallon.”

“Hell, I felt guilty about everything . I don’t regret anything about our time together. I certainly don’t regret the relationship I have with the kids. I understand why he’s angry. He’s furious with himself. And he’s still living in the past—at least, he is in his head. Funny, isn’t it?”

“What might that be?” Andi asked.

“I’ve been thinking how running away never ends well. That’s what he did. It’s what Dean has done. It’s how Liv handled life. Run when it’s uncomfortable. I’ve never done that. Neither have you. We stick it out—see it through. Don’t worry about what Jake said to me. I’m not.”

Andi leaned against the counter, silently regarding Fallon.

“Hey,” Riley said, opening the door. “Am I intruding?”

“Not at all,” Fallon replied, turning to her.

“I think we should head out,” Riley offered. “Maybe it will send the signal that the party is over. Becky looks exhausted. I don’t think she wants to say anything.”

“I’ll gently suggest she come inside and put her feet up,” Andi said.

Fallon grabbed Andi’s arm before she could leave. “No regrets,” she said.

Andi smiled. “No regrets.”

Fallon turned back to Riley. “So, I’m guessing my mission, should I choose to accept it, is to capture Owen?”

“Actually, no.”

“No?”

“Nope. Your mom asked if she could take him for the night,” Riley said.

“She did? When did this happen?”

“When you came inside earlier. I think a little dose of Owen’s silliness is what she needs right now. Beth just left with Pete and the kids. I don’t think Ida wants to be alone. Dora’s stroke rattled her.”

“Yeah. I know it did.”

“I think your idea to have Ida take a trip with us down to visit Sylvia is a good one.”

“I hope so.”

“Fallon?”

“What? I’d love to see Sylvia.” I’m not sure she’ll be happy to see me.

“ Fallon, she’s happy for me.”

“It’s got to be strange for her, Riley.”

“Sylvia watched you grow up. She knows a little about strange ,” Riley teased.

Fallon laughed. “Gee, thanks.”

“I know she misses Ida.”

“We’ll make a plan,” Fallon promised, holding out her hand. “Let’s go home. I see a long, hot shower in our future.”

“Do you?”

“Mm-hm.”

“I guess we’ll need to work up a sweat first,” Riley commented, opening the sliding doors.

Fallon froze in her tracks.

“Say your goodbyes, Fallon,” Riley called back. “You know how I love long showers.”

She might just be the death of me. What a way to go!