Page 84 of You Fall First

“What’s your point?” Annie scoffs off camera. “Matching sweats are cool.”

“If you’re old like Noah,” Paige quips.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I smirk. “So the doctors gave you your get out of jail free card, huh?”

“They sure did.” She pumps a fist. “We’re just waiting for a wheelchair.”

“Nice.”

“No more hospital food either.” She pulls a face. “First stop once we’re out of here? Cheeseburgers.”

“Be careful what you eat, P. Your insides are still healing.”

She rolls her eyes. “Whatever, buzzkill.”

“Don’t worry, Noah,” Annie chimes in from the background. “I stocked my fridge with easily digestible food, and my guest room is all set up.”

“Isn’t Annie the best?” Paige chirps.

“She really is.”

“So where are you?” Her eyes roam the phone screen. “In your truck?”

“Parked out front. I just got home, and I had the sudden urge to call you.”

“Dutton’s inside?”

“With Jo, yeah,” I say. “Hopefully napping. We’ve got that rehearsal dinner tonight.”

“That’s right,” she says. “A well-rested Dutton makes for a much better party guest.”

“He’ll do great,” I say. “And I promise to send pics.”

“Thanks.” A shadow flickers behind her eyes. “I just miss him so much.”

I glance at the house and climb from my truck. “You know what? He might be awake. Let me see.”

“Oh, no. I don’t want to disturb him,” Paige says, but I’m already heading for the porch.

“Me either.” I shrug. “But there’s no harm in checking.”

“Just … be quiet, okay?” She bites her lip. “If he’s asleep …”

“I’m not stupid.”

“Shhhh,” she warns.

“I am shushing. You shush.”

Not waking a sleeping kid is key right now. For my sake, for Dutton’s sake, and especially for Jo’s. I can’t come barreling into the house and poke the four-year-old bear if he’s hibernating. And this is exactly why I’m being as silent and stealthy as possible when I open the front door and find Jo standing in my hallway.

Wearing nothing but a towel.

Chapter Twenty-One

Jo

“Sorry, sorry, sorry!”