Page 115 of Forbidden to Fall

We’d agreed it would be best not to spend the entire day side-by-side. Town gossip could be brutal, and we needed to figure out how to talk to Ryan before setting every tongue in Autumn Ridge wagging.

I spent the day with Emma and Rosie Harper, for the most part, helping out wherever it was needed and trying to keep my eyes and focus off of James. Most of the town was here and a good number of tourists too, living their best New England lives—at a barn raising in Vermont’s peak leaf season with the promise of live music when it was done.

Slowly but surely, the barn took shape in front of our eyes. The united effort was honestly inspiring, headed up by Bennett. The last bits were nailed and screwed into place as the sun dipped below the horizon. It was amazing what a group of dedicated people could accomplish together—all in a day’s work.

Electrical would be put in later, but for now, a generator would supply light for the celebration dance.

Dad left to help Mom with Mia, and when Ryan and Lily showed up, hand in hand, James and I shared a glance across the room.

I observed as they chatted with a few people.

My brain was still trying to process what I’d learned last night. Especially about Lily. I’d always admired her kindness, so it was a struggle to process that she’d let James take the heat for her choice.

Even more so that she was still letting him. No wonder she seemed so uncomfortable whenever James was brought up—and so worried about how he was doing.

As I watched my brother and his wife, though, mostly, I felt sad. I understood why both of them had made the choices they had. Fear was a powerful motivator, and they’d both been afraid of losing each other.

But I really wished they’d made different choices—ones that hadn’t affected James so poorly and for so long.

It wasn’t as though Ryan and Lily were living a lie, precisely; they really did love each other. I didn’t doubt that. But I’d told untruths before, and I knew how they ate away at you slowly. When you had a lie to protect, you could never truly relax. Dishonesty was its own form of self-torture.

How often did Lily think about what had happened with James?

A lot more now that he was back, I imagined. It had probably been a lot easier to forget about the whole thing before that. Out of sight, out of mind.

As the music started up, my gaze shifted to James. I wanted to go out on the floor with him and dance—to enjoy these moments together. Maybe it would ease Ryan into the idea…or maybe he’d start throwing punches in front of the entire town.

The tourists would have great stories to take home.

“So…”

I turned to find Wade at my side.

“You and James, huh?”

“What?” I said quickly.

Wade gave me a look that said don’t be dense. “You only look at him every five seconds. And when he’s not looking at Ryan, he’s looking at you. If everyone here was as distracted as the two of you, it would’ve taken a month to get this thing up.” He looked up into the rafters.

My cheeks flamed. “You’re seeing things. And you haven’t been exactly a model of work ethic with the flirting you’ve been doing with Ari.” My stomach was unsettled, though, as I forced my gaze away from James. “Have I really been looking at him that much?”

Wade smiled knowingly. “Maybe not every five seconds, but it’s been plenty. Also, I may have gotten a little tip about the two of you from one of my students.”

I groaned. “Ethan?”

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you. But, yeah, it was him. I’ve gotta say…falling for the enemy? That’s something I’d expect from me, not you.”

“Stop,” I hissed. “Does he know?”

“I’m pretty sure James is aware you were all over him on the river trail.”

I hit him in the arm. “Not James. Ryan.”

His gaze flicked to our brother. “I don’t think so. But it sort of looks like he’s about to.”

My head whipped around in time to see James walking toward Ryan with a look of determination in his eyes.

I sprang to action, but Wade grabbed my arm.