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by J. A. Armstrong

  “Fallon?”

  “Sorry. I don’t think I’ll be sleeping any time soon.”

  “How about we trade?”

  “You want the chair?”

  Riley laughed. “No. I was going to suggest that I go make us a drink and you relax here.”

  “Seriously?”

  “It will probably entail me popping open the bottle of wine I bought earlier and pouring it into two glasses.”

  Fallon grinned. “Easy is always best.”

  “So? Wine?”

  “Sure.”

  Riley set off for the kitchen. What is going on with her? It would’ve been impossible to deny the connection between Fallon and Andi. Riley had surmised earlier that week that the two were close friends. She suspected their friendship extended into deeper emotions. And, Ida? Everything she’d heard about Ida Foster failed to capture the woman she had met. What was larger than life? Riley had been pondering how to describe Fallon’s mother all evening. Larger than life seemed an inadequate characterization, and Ida was a character. Ida had gently teased Fallon, Carol, and Andi for over an hour. When Pete and Dale had wandered up to the bar she had instructed Fallon to turn the jukebox on and coaxed them into singing Sweet Caroline with her. But Riley had also noticed that some of the banter did not sit well with Fallon.

  “Here you go.” Riley handed Fallon a glass.

  “Thanks. Listen, I’m sorry if things got a little weird earlier.”

  “Weird?”

  “You know, with my mom. Her brain and her mouth don’t always consult each other.”

  Riley chuckled. “I noticed that.”

  “Why she constantly presses me to visit Dean and Liv is beyond me.”

  “Liv?”

  Fallon nodded. “Olivia. She’s my ex.”

  “Ah. She’s still close to your mom, I take it?”

  “She’s close to all of us.” Fallon pointed to the photo of her goddaughters. “Emily and Summer are Liv’s kids.”

  Riley was surprised.

  “Yeah, I know. Kind of strange, isn’t it?”

  “Not unless it’s strange to you.”

  “Not really,” Fallon said. “Liv was one of Dean’s best friends. That’s how we met. She’s three years older than me—three years younger than him.”

  “How long were you together?”

  “Almost four years. Lived together for two. She left right after the house was finished.”

  “Ugh.”

  “Yeah, no kidding.”

  “Fallon, you don’t have to tell me any of this.”

  Fallon sighed heavily. She wanted to tell Riley. It had been a long time since she had traversed this topic with anyone. Olivia would always be part of Fallon’s life. Most of the time she was grateful for that. Occasionally, it caused her stress. Forgiveness had been easier to give than most people might have imagined. Forgetting the life they had shared was impossible. Worse, Fallon found herself confronting the life she and Olivia had planned over and over, except it was someone else’s life. Olivia’s decision to leave Whiskey Springs broke Fallon’s heart. She accepted it. Part of her would always love Olivia Nolan. It seemed that every time Fallon thought she’d crossed the bridge that would keep her from drowning in the past, something or someone found a way to throw her back in the river that was Olivia, or more accurately the life she had planned with Olivia.

  “She decided to take a job at The State Department in DC,” Fallon explained.

  “You didn’t want to go?”

  “No.” Fallon sipped her wine. “It was out of the blue. At least, it was out of the blue for me. One day we were building this house, talking about having a family and the next she was telling me she wanted to move.”

  “I’m sorry, Fallon.”

  “Yeah, I was too. She had a great offer to teach here—political science,” Fallon explained. “I thought… Well, it doesn’t matter what I thought.”

  “But you stayed friends.”

  “Yeah. We did. It took some time. She insisted I could work anywhere. I built this place for us. And, the pub? I didn’t want a pub. I created Murphy’s Law. I wasn’t going to leave my life here, not even for her. Once she left… Well, we took some time. It took six months for us to see each other again. Two months later she was with Barb.” Fallon took a sip from her wine to steady herself. “Our friendship almost derailed when she and Barb decided to have Emily.”

  “Barb?”

  “Yeah, Liv’s wife. She’s a professor at Georgetown.”

  “What happened?”

  Fallon took a deep breath. “We’d talked a lot about having kids. It was… It was something we both wanted. That’s why this house is so big,” Fallon explained. “It seemed logical.” She took a deep breath. “Well, we approached Dean—you know, to be our donor?”

  Riley’s heart lodged in her chest. “Fallon, are you telling me that your goddaughters are your brother’s kids?”

  “Biologically—yes.”

  “Whoa.”

  “Mm. Like I said, they were friends before I met Liv. I guess she didn’t see any need to change that plan after I was out of the picture. It took me a little time to process that.”

  “I can imagine.”

  Fallon smiled. “Don’t get me wrong, it was between them. I get that. She’s with Barb. It was their decision. It was Dean’s. It didn’t have anything to do with me. I just couldn’t help but feel betrayed, I guess. It hurt.” There, I said it. It did.

  I would imagine so. “And, now?”

  “Now? The kids are great. Barb is great. I love it when they visit. They come up twice a year. Emily’s quite the little skier.” Fallon laughed. “She should probably be named Winter. Summer? Well, she got her name for a reason. She’s only four. Who knows? Maybe in a couple of years she’ll grow to love it like Em.”

  “Sounds like you’re close.”

  “As close as you can be when five-hundred miles is between you.”

  “And, Dean?”

  “Dean?” Fallon laughed. “He’s Dean. You’ll like him.”

  “Oh? You think so?”

  “Yeah, you’ll like Liv too. Everyone does,” Fallon said. “He and his wife, Beth won’t be coming up with my nephew, Evan this trip. Liv is bringing them all up here during their February vacation.”

  “When is that?”

  “Three weeks,” Fallon said. “Liv will stay Friday night until Sunday morning. Then she flies home until Friday night. She’ll drive the kids back on the following Sunday.”

  “Three kids all to yourself?”

  Fallon shrugged.

  “No wonder you’re a pro with Owen. What about the pub?”

  “I take three weeks off every year. Two for when the kids visit and one just for me.”

  Riley wondered how that worked. Fallon had a difficult time staying away from the pub for one day; an entire week? She giggled.

  “What?” Fallon asked.

  “Oh, nothing.”

  “Oh, come on, I just told you all about my ex.”

  “I’m just wondering how you plan to stay away from the pub for a week.”

  Fallon frowned.

  I knew it. “Have you ever?”

  “Have I ever what?”

  “Made it one whole week without going into Murphy’s Law?”

  Fallon took a deep breath and huffed.

  “I knew it!”

  “I can do it,” Fallon said. “I just choose not to do it.”

  “Right.”

  “I can.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really.”

  “Care to make a wager?” Riley asked.

  “You want to bet me that I can’t stay away from work?”

  “Yep. I like my odds.”

  “Okay. What are we betting? I want to know if this is worth my while,” Fallon said.

  Riley thought for a minute. “I will do your laundry for a month. Consider me your laundry service.”

  “You’ll come here and do my laundry?�
�

  “Yes. If you stay out of the pub for the entire week the kids are here.”

  “Uh huh, and what do you get if I fail?”

  Riley grinned. “You teach me to tend bar.”

  “You want to learn how to tend the bar?”

  Riley shrugged. “Hey, you never know when I might need something to fall back on.”

  “You’re serious? That’s your bet?”

  “Totally serious. Why? You think it’s unfair?” Riley asked.

  Fallon shook her head. It was more than fair from Fallon’s point of view. She’d be happy to teach Riley to tend bar without any bet. “I don’t think it’s an even exchange.”

  “What do you mean?” Riley wondered.

  “You’ve seen my laundry.”

  Riley sniggered. True. You do manage to make a mess. She had begun to wonder if Fallon’s job was pouring drinks or wearing them. Fallon wasn’t joking about confusing her laundry. It made no sense to Riley. Fallon’s home was clean and organized. It was lived-in, not antiseptic, but it was hardly messy. Fallon was not the type of person who needed all the spoons facing the same direction or all the towels to be folded a certain way. She did take pride in her home as she did in herself. Riley had also learned that Fallon was adept at all kinds of tasks and trades. She might not have been an expert, but Fallon possessed a cursory knowledge of everything from car engines to potty-training. How was it that someone like Fallon failed to comprehend a simple task like laundry? You are a bit of a mystery.

  “I think we need to sweeten the deal,” Fallon surmised.

  “For whom?”

  “For you. I mean, either way I win; right? I get help at the bar or I get my laundry done. You don’t gamble much, do you?”

  Oh, you might be surprised. “What do you suggest, Ms. Foster?”

  “I’ll think of something.”

  “You want me to bet without knowing…”

  “What you win?” Fallon interjected. “Don’t you trust me?”

  Riley smiled. Fallon was issuing her a challenge. “Okay. It’s a bet.”

  “I wouldn’t start learning your tequilas just yet.”

  “We’ll see,” Riley said. “We’ll see.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Three Weeks Later

  Fallon stretched and pulled Andi close. “I can’t believe we have another week to be together and the kids will be here.”

  Andi held Fallon’s arm around her. “We’ll see each other at some point.”

  “It’s not the same.”

  “No, it isn’t,” Andi agreed. She turned to look at Fallon and smiled. “I know that you’re excited for the kids to get here.”

  “Mmm.”

  Andi sighed. “What is it? Is it Liv?”

  “No. I don’t know,” Fallon admitted. “It’s just strange having her there sometimes.”

  “I can imagine that’s true.”

  “Sometimes, Andi…”

  “What?”

  “It still hurts. Seeing her in that house. The kids being there with her. It’s been eight years. It still hurts.”

  Andi leaned in and kissed Fallon softly. “I know it does.”

  “I don’t think I’ll ever get it.”

  “Why she left?” Andi guessed.

  “That. Why she wanted to stay friends.”

  “Why do you?”

  Fallon’s head fell back onto her pillow. “I didn’t at first.”

  “Then why?”

  “I don’t know how to answer that. It’s not like I had much choice.”

  “Because of your mother?” Andi asked.

  “And Dean.”

  Andi placed her head onto Fallon’s breast. “What about now?”

  “I’m not in love with her, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  I know that. “I’m not thinking anything. That’s why I asked.”

  “I’m sorry. I wish Riley was still there.”

  Riley had moved into her home the previous week. Fallon had helped. Pete and Dale had pitched in. Even Andi had stopped by with dinner. Fallon had talked to Riley every day. She hadn’t seen Riley for more than a few minutes in passing in almost a week. It felt strange. She’d found herself spending more hours at the pub than usual. Home felt empty—again.

  Ah ha. “At your house?”

  “Yeah.”

  Missing Riley a little, huh? “Why don’t you ask Riley over on Saturday when Liv is there?”

  “And what would I give as the reason?”

  “How about the truth?”

  “Which is?”

  “You miss her and you want to see her,” Andi said.

  Fallon groaned.

  “Why is that so hard for you?” Andi asked. “She’s your friend, isn’t she?”

  “Yeah, she is. She just got settled. I doubt she wants to come hang out with my ex and her kids.”

  “I think you should call her. Owen would probably love to be around some kids.”

  “Maybe.”

  Andi moved to straddle Fallon. You are so beautiful, Fallon. Her lips brushed across Fallon’s. I wish you would give yourself a chance, love. “Kiss me,” she said.

  ***

  “Hey, Riley!”

  Riley turned to the sound of a familiar voice. “Hi, Jerry.”

  “How’s the house?”

  “Pretty good, actually. We’re settling in. Thanks for everything. Your guys did a great job on the roof.”

  “Good. That’s good.” Jerry shoved his hands into his pockets. “So? How are you liking Whiskey Springs?”

  “It’s been an interesting few weeks.”

  “Yeah. Fallon mentioned your car shit the bed too.”

  Riley chuckled.

  Jerry looked down at Owen. “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay. It was good to see you, Jerry.”

  “Yeah, you too.”

  Riley smiled, waved and headed for her car.

  “Mommy, Fawon?”

  Owen had been asking to see Fallon for days. “You’re missing your playmate, aren’t you?” I kind of miss her too. “Do you want to go see if Fallon’s at work?”

  “Fawon!”

  Riley laughed. “Guess that answers that question. Okay, little man, let’s go see if we can find Fallon.”

  ***

  “When does Liv get in?” Carol asked.

  “Tomorrow night. Sometime after dinner.”

  “Did you clean the house?”

  Fallon glared at Carol. “What makes you think it was dirty?”

  “You don’t have live in help anymore.”

  “Very funny. I’ll have you know…”

  Carol’s eyes tracked to the door. “Speaking of.”

  “Speaking of what? My dirty house?”

  “Can’t blame Owen this time,” Riley said.

  Fallon turned. “Riley?”

  “Last I checked.”

  “Fawon!” Owen ran for Fallon.

  Fallon swept him off his feet. “Hey, buddy. I missed you.”

  Owen’s wide grin nearly stopped Riley’s heart. He adored Fallon. Fallon hadn’t just become Riley’s friend, she’d captured Owen’s imagination.

  “Juice, Fawon.”

  “I don’t know, buddy. We have to ask Mommy.”

  “Mommy, juice?”

  “Yes, you can have juice.” Riley reached in her bag and handed Fallon a sippy-cup.

  “I’m glad you stopped in,” Fallon said.

  “I wasn’t sure you’d be here,” Riley replied lightly.

  “Ha-ha. I’m going to win that bet,” Fallon said.

  “What bet?” Carol asked.

  “Riley bet me that I can’t stay away from the pub for the whole week.”

  Carol smiled. “Good bet, Riley. What did you ask for?”

  “Hey!” Fallon shot. “I’m right here.”

  “So?” Carol rolled her eyes. “In the eight years I have been here, the longest you have ever stayed away was four days and that was when Ida was in the hospital. So, what
do you get if you manage to leave us alone for an entire week?”

  Fallon handed Owen his juice.

  “Well?” Carol urged.

  “Riley will do my laundry for a month.”

  Carol shuddered. “You are a brave woman, Riley. Good thing you’re going to win.”

  “She’s not going to win.”

  Owen giggled. “Fawon, sing!”

  “Sing?” Carol asked.

  Riley pursed her lips. She’d caught Fallon singing with and to Owen a few times.

  “Fallon, are you going to sing for us?” Carol teased.

  “Fallon’s singing?” Dale asked as he approached the bar. “Oh, hey, Riley.”

  “Hi, Dale.”

  “What are you singing?” Dale asked.

  “I’m not singing,” Fallon said.

  “Sing, Fawon!” Owen said and then laughed.

  Fallon sighed. I’m not getting out of this. “How about we go play a song on the jukebox?”

  Owen smiled and reached out for her.

  Riley whispered in her ear. “Dodged a bullet, huh?”

  “Owen, my boy, I thought we were friends,” Fallon said. He laughed harder. “Is everything I say funny?”

  “Funny, Fawon.”

  “Glad you think so.”

  Riley shook her head affectionately.

  “Did you really bet her?” Carol asked.

  “Yep.”

  “What do you get if she loses?” Pete asked.

  “Well, other than the fact that she has to teach me how to tend the bar, I don’t know.”

  “What? She managed to get you to agree to that?” Carol asked.

  “That was my idea.”

  “Why?” Carol asked.

  “Call it research,” Riley said. Her brief time in Whiskey Springs had prompted an idea for a story; one about a small-town tavern and the slightly mischievous, tender-hearted woman behind the bar.

  Riley’s ears perked to the sound of Brown Eyed Girl. Fallon was dancing with a giggling Owen and singing to him. Pushover.

  Andi strolled into the bar. Her eyes immediately fell on Fallon in the distance. Fallon seemed oblivious to the world, completely engaged in Owen’s attention. She meandered to the bar and took a seat beside Riley. Riley’s gaze was fixed to the scene a few feet away. Andi watched Riley’s expression thoughtfully. And, there it was—affection. She felt her heart lurch slightly. Oh, Fallon, do you even see it?