Page 28 of To Fall or Not to Fall

Chapter Nineteen

A va

“Arabella, Aria, I have something to tell you,” I say as I walk into the kitchen. My two best friends sit at the table, eating cereal. They both look up at me with slightly sleepy expressions.

“You’re sleeping with Theo?” Aria asks with a sly smile.

“Well, yes, but that’s not what I want to tell you.”

I run my fingers through my hair and gaze at them.

“Okay. I’m thinking about moving to New York.”

“You what?” Arabella gapes at me. “You are thinking about moving to New York—as in New York City?”

“How many New Yorks do you know?”

“Are you crazy, girl?” Aria stares at me like I’ve been hit over the head.

“No, I wasn’t hit over the head with a crazy stick.”

“You know where she was hit?” Aria says. “She was hit in her vajayjay.”

They both burst out laughing.

“Guys, I’m being serious. I think Theo is probably the best guy I’ve ever met. He’s successful, he lives in the city, and I don’t know if I’m going to move there for sure, but I told him I’d be willing to give it a try.

“And I mean… from where I stand right now, my finances at the bookstore aren’t looking great. The matchmaking service isn’t bringing in much extra money, and I’m about to be broke. I don’t have much left in savings. Granny can’t afford to help me, and you guys can’t work for me for free.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“I’m thinking about having a meeting with the other store owners and seeing if we can come up with a plan to raise money.

Because I’m not the only store suffering right now.

I also know that if I give in and sell to that corporation—I don’t even know if they’re still interested, since I haven’t heard anything from them in donkeys’ years—I know everyone else will sell, too.

And I don’t want that to happen. I don’t want another corporate hotel to be built.

“But maybe Coconut Beach can’t stay the way it is.”

“Don’t say that.” Arabella’s eyes blaze. “Of course, it can. It has to. It’s Coconut Beach. This is where we grew up. This is where we’re based. You can’t leave us.” She looks like she is going to cry.

“Hey, I didn’t mean to make you upset. I was just?—”

“It’s fine. I know in life, things evolve and change. You’ve met Theo, and you like him, and I guess he’s giving you the best sex of your life.”

“Did I say that?”

“You didn’t have to say that; we can tell.” She stands abruptly. “I’m just going to go shower because I have to get to work.”

I stare at her and just nod. “You mad at me, too?” I ask Aria.

She shakes her head. “We’ve done our best. The matchmaking idea was great—we’ve had matches—but we’re not making a lot of money. I see the bills that come in.” She shrugs. “Unfortunately, neither of us has a trust fund. We’re not making enough, so we gotta do what we gotta do.

“But I do like the idea of working with the other stores. That’s something we haven’t thought about before, and maybe that could help all of us.”

“Yeah. I have an idea,” I say. “But I need to speak to Granny about it.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“The fall festival. I was thinking maybe we could have a donation box. I hate that,” I admit quickly.

“I literally hate it. But for now… I know all the businesses are struggling, and we won’t last long unless we get a huge influx of cash.

So maybe if word gets around town, those who want to keep Coconut Beach the same can donate.

Then all the stores can split it and use it toward their mortgages. It’s not the best idea, but?—”

“It’s a good idea,” Aria says. “And maybe it’ll give us time to come up with marketing plans to bring more people here outside of summer.”

“Yeah. I sure hope so.” I stare at her. “Would you be mad if I went to New York City?”

“I mean, I wouldn’t be happy about it. But if that’s what you want to do… if you like him that much…”

“I think I love him. I know that’s crazy because I don’t know him that well. But from the first moment I saw him, there was a spark.”

“It’s the fall magic,” she says, smiling.

“I knew it would hit you eventually. You’re my best friend, Ava, and you deserve to be happy.

So, if Theo makes you happy, go for it, even if it means leaving Coconut Beach.

I don’t know what you’ll do if you leave, but Arabella and I can come visit you in New York. ”

“Exactly. And I’m sure Theo wouldn’t mind getting your tickets.”

“What?”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t. He’s already offered to buy my tickets, but I told him no.”

“Wait, you told him no? But we’d say yes.”

“Yeah, because if I took free tickets to New York City, it would feel like I was his paid escort or mistress.”

“If we took them, we’d just be his girlfriend’s friends getting a free trip. That’s okay.

“Are you his girlfriend? Is this official?”

“I mean, no, it’s not official. But I feel like it’s going to be.

He’s such a stand-up guy. I’ve never met anyone like him.

He makes my heart soar, and I think I do the same for him.

I mean, sometimes he goes quiet and gets this guilty look, and I don’t know what that’s about.

And I don’t really know what he does for a living.

But I know how he makes me feel. And I know what he’s shared with me. ”

“You don’t think he’s married or anything?”

“No. Why? Did you see a ring? A tan line?”

“Girl, you didn’t see a ring, did you?”

“No!” I laughed.

“Then how would I have seen one?”

“Fine. True. And you didn’t see a tan line?”

“No.”

“So if you didn’t see one, I wouldn’t have either.”

“True.”

“But you don’t think he has a girlfriend or fiancée?”

“Oh my gosh.” I groan. “What if he does? What if that’s why he looks nervous sometimes, like he wants to tell me something but can’t?

Fuck my life. Does he have someone back in New York?

Maybe that’s why he’s not rushing back—because he doesn’t know how to tell her.

And he doesn’t know how to tell me. What am I going to do? I can’t be a mistress.”

“Calm down, Ava. Look, I didn’t want to say this because I didn’t want you to dislike him, but I think he may have a secret. And the more I think about it, the more I wonder, what would be the worst secret he could keep from you?”

“I guess… that he’s married. Or engaged. Or has kids. Oh, fuck my life. Why is this happening? Why is it that every man I like has an issue? Why do they always fool me? Why can’t I just meet one nice guy who loves me, wants to be with me, and is just good?”

“Hey, hey, Ava. Call him.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, call him. Ask if he has something to tell you. Don’t spiral. Ten minutes ago you were talking about moving to New York to be with him.”

“I know. You know I get crazy when I’m in love.”

“You love him? For real, for real?”

“Come on, girl. You knew that.”

“I know. Arabella knows it, too. We knew before you did.” Aria giggles. “You can always tell when you’re in love.”

“I’ve never been in love like this before.”

“Exactly. And I was worried it would come to this.”

“That it would come to what?”

“That you’d pick him over us.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the fact that you’re already talking about moving to New York, and he hasn’t even asked you to be his official girlfriend. You haven’t even lost the bookstore, and you’re giving up.”

She looks angry now.

“I don’t want to be mean, and I don’t want to get upset like Arabella. But I’m your best friend. I’ll always support you. Still, you cannot just give up and sell the bookstore. You can’t move to New York City and forget about us.”

She is shouting, and I just stare. “Oh my gosh. Do you really feel that way?”

“A little bit. You were so excited to decorate the store. We had plans. And now you’re preoccupied with Theo.

I don’t mind, because I want you to have an amazing love story.

But what about me? What about Arabella? We’re your best friends.

We had plans for the season. Now you’ve got some perfect guy, who you excitedly texted us that you're going to the fall festival with, and we’ve got no one.

We’re still losers, stuck in Coconut Beach.

What am I going to do if you give up the store? Where am I going to go?”

“Oh, Aria. Why didn’t you tell me you were feeling this way? I’m not giving up the store. I just told you my idea for raising money.”

“I know.” She blinks rapidly. “I’m sorry for being selfish. I’m just… nervous. Everything is changing so quickly around me, but nothing is changing for me.”

She lets out a little laugh. “I feel like I’m going crazy. I’m going to be by myself forever.”

“You have me. And you have Arabella.”

“Yeah, but—” She pauses.

“But what?”

“Guess who texted Arabella this afternoon?”

“I don’t know. Who?”

“Guess who’s coming back to town in time for the fall festival?” She rolls her eyes.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? Really?”

Arabella walks back into the kitchen, eyeing us suspiciously. “Why do I feel like you’re talking about me?”

“Well, I was just about to tell her who messaged you this afternoon,” Aria says, “saying they were going to be back in time for the fall festival.”

Arabella shrugs. “It was just Jared. But actually, he’s not coming. He’s going to wait until summer. I’ll see him then.”

“Jared?” I asked. “As in your male best friend, Jared?”

“Yeah.” She shrugs again. “He’s been my best friend since kindergarten.”

Even though the three of us are close, Jared has always been her number one.

She’ll never admit it, but Aria and I know it.

If there were ever an apocalypse and Arabella could only save one person, she’d save Jared.

They’ve always been platonic, but Aria and I are convinced that one day, they’d see what was right in front of them.

“Oh, okay,” Aria says. “So he’s not coming. I guess I’ll have Arabella to hang out with while you gallivant around with Theo.”

“You guys can come with us. It’ll be fun. We’ll be like the, what? The three musketeers?”

“We wer e the three musketeers. Until he came along.” Aria smirks.

“I’m sorry. Do you want me to disinvite him? I don’t have to go with him.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Arabella says. “The whole point was that we all wanted dates. You’ve got one. Aria and I will figure something out.”

“Yeah, I guess. We can always see if the scarecrows from the pumpkin farm want to go with us.”

Arabella bursts out laughing, and I shake my head. “You two are goofy. Anyway, let me call Granny and ask if we can do the donation box. She’s on the committee.”

“Yeah. You know she’s always on the committee. Her and Maribel.”

“Don’t talk to me about Maribel Laribel.” Arabella rolls her eyes. “She and her granddaughter are yucky.”

“What’s Eloise done now?” I ask, laughing.

“Oh, you don’t even want to know. She’s a bitch.”

We all laugh, but then my phone rings. Theo.

“You can answer it,” Aria says.

“No, we are having a moment.”

“Answer it. I know you want to.”

“Fine.” I step into the hallway and pick up. “Hello?”

“I was just checking you got home safely,” Theo says.

“Yeah, I guess so. Actually, I have a question for you.”

“Okay. What is it?”

“It’s serious. Something I’ve been thinking about. I think I’ve put all the puzzle pieces together now.”

He goes silent.

“Are you still there, Theo?”

“Yes. Is this a conversation we need to have in person?”

“I don’t know.” My heart races. A small worry is suddenly a full-blown fear. “Is there something you haven’t told me?”

“Maybe.”

“Oh, shit. Oh, shit. I didn’t think it was true.”

“How did you find out?” he asks quietly.

“I put the pieces together, and… oh, my gosh, Theo. How could you?—”

“Please. Let me explain in person. Will you at least do that for me?”

“I don’t know if I could ever?—”

“Please.”

“Fine,” I say. “Come over now. But, oh my gosh, Theo, I was going to move to New York for you.”

“I know. And it meant the world.”

“You didn’t even want me to?—”

“Of course, I want you to. I was even thinking about having you redecorate my apartment.”

“And your girlfriend wouldn’t mind?”

“My who?”

“Your girlfriend.”

“What girlfriend?”

“The one you live with.”

“Sorry, what are you talking about?”

“Aren’t you seeing someone?”

“No! What are you talking about, Ava?”

“I just said I was going to ask you a question. Something serious.”

“Wait, what? You thought the secret I had was that I had a girlfriend?”

“Yeah… I see the way you get nervous or upset sometimes. I didn’t want to question you, but?—”

“Ava.” He lets out a deep sigh. “That’s not the secret I’ve been holding.”

“What is it, then?”

“I think it’s going to be much, much worse.”

My heart sinks. “Theo. What’s going on?”

“Can I still come over?”

“You’d better. I want to know now.”

“I’ll be there within twenty minutes. And please… don’t judge me too harshly. I just don’t know if I could face losing you.”