Page 114 of Forbidden to Fall

That was definitely what it felt like in some ways. “No. This does change things, even if it doesn’t solve them.”

He looked a question at me.

“For years, I tried to make sense of the James I knew and the one who’d betrayed my brother. Eventually, I just accepted that I’d been wrong about you—wrong to admire you so much. But then you came back, and again, I had to confront this piece that didn’t fit into the puzzle no matter which way I turned it.” I pushed my way forward so I was standing between his knees, then put my hands on his face and looked down at him. “Now, it all makes sense.”

He swallowed. “I’m not perfect, Sadie. I really regret how I handled things.”

“I don’t need perfect. I don’t even want it. I just want you.”

His eyes softened, and his hands gripped my wrists. “You’ve got me.”

I leaned down until our lips met, our agreement to pull back dissolving.

I had no idea how we would handle things with Ryan; I just knew we had to figure out something, because not being with James simply wasn’t an option.

Saturday was the culmination of the Harvest Festival: the barn raising. It was an ambitious project: building a barn in a single day. But if any town was equipped for it, Autumn Ridge was. We had an abundance of strong, capable—and single—men.

Because the barn was a community effort, both of the bakery and farm booths would only be open for half the day, which, combined with the fact that it was Saturday, meant even longer lines.

James and I had spent the evening baking, but I wasn’t entirely sure we’d have enough to go around despite the shorter day, especially because we’d agreed to supply some treats for those working on the barn.

I got a text from James after a mid-morning rush.

James

Mrs. Albany just came through the line

We hadn’t been giving each other play-by-plays of who had come through our lines, so I furrowed my brow over this, trying to decide how to respond. The high school secretary coming through wasn’t particularly thrilling news.

James

Guess who I saw her pass off her purchase to?

Mrs. Keller

I let out a disbelieving laugh. Mrs. Albany and Mrs. Keller were good friends, but he made it sound like Mrs. Keller had sent an envoy to avoid purchasing the products herself.

She must have too much pride to be seen buying anyone else’s baked goods—even mine. Or perhaps especially mine.

Sadie

Did you get to see her eat them?

James

No. She’s probably eating them in a dark corner behind the bakery right now

I smiled, but my curiosity over her reaction was genuine. Part of me wanted the validation of knowing she’d enjoyed them.

Or maybe the marshmallows were just a bridge too far for her, and she’d hated them.

I closed up shop just after noon and headed down the street to help with the barn raising.

They’d already made significant progress. Wade and Dad were there, but I didn’t see Ryan anywhere. Bennett was leading the entire effort, while Archer, Dom, and Tate took direction from him. Carson—winner of Kiss the Pig and the new town dentist—was using a different kind of drill than he was used to while a guy I faintly recognized as Dean Alden held the wood in place.

My gaze snagged on James, carrying a load of two-by-fours, his sleeves rolled up past his forearms.

My heart swooped. It had never stood a chance against him.