Page 95 of Never Fall Again

Eliza ran inside, but Cal waited at the door. Landry walked over to him. “Thank you for going with her to Mo’s.”

He cut his eyes toward Mo’s house. “I wouldn’t count on him coming over. Thank you for giving him the warning about...”

“No problem. Full disclosure. I don’t know the whole story there.”

“I don’t think anyone but the two of them do.” Cal sighed. “But I haven’t given up hope.”

Landry held on to those words when Mo tapped on the door at 6:02 p.m. Bronwyn was pouring tea for everyone, and to her credit, only sloshed a tiny bit onto the counter when she saw Mo at the door. Landry waved him in, and so began the strangest dinner party of her entire life. And that included the fiascos she’d endured at Dylan’s parents’ home.

Eliza scarfed down her food and then went up to her loft to enjoy a few minutes of screen time. Everyone else was extremely polite. There was a lot of laughter and even some teasing. Initially, Landry thought it was going quite well. And then it dawned on her that while everyone participated in the conversation, Mo and Bronwyn avoided making eye contact or speaking to each other. Landry wasn’t quite sure how they managed it.

The crazy thing was that the distance between them, while painfully obvious to everyone except Eliza, wasn’t like the simmering hostility of a demilitarized zone. It was more like the tentative waysomeone sipped their coffee after burning their tongue on the first try. There was a hint of desperation and longing but also the fear of experiencing that pain again.

In a house the size of Meredith’s, there was nowhere she could go to talk to Cal privately, but when Mo stepped outside to take a call and Bronwyn excused herself to use the restroom, Landry nearly collapsed in relief when Cal stood beside her in the kitchen, hip to hip, and said, “Are you as stressed as I am with those two?”

“I’m dying.”

“Want me to wrap things up?” Cal’s deep voice settled around her like a cozy blanket on a cool night, and for a few seconds, she considered telling him no.

“I don’t wantyouto leave, but I’m so tired I can barely think.” Had she just said that out loud? She turned her head oh-so-slowly and...yep...Cal’s smug expression confirmed it. “Oh, don’t look so full of yourself. You know it’s true.”

His arm slid around her waist, and his lips brushed her ear. “What I know is that we’re way overdue for a long conversation.”

She had no resistance left in her. Couldn’t even remember why she’d ever tried to resist him. He was big and strong and warm, and without thinking about it, she leaned into him and rested her cheek on his chest. He rolled her so she was facing him. His expression started out filled with flirtatiousness, but his brows furrowed, and his free hand came to rest on her forehead. “Landry, honey, you’re burning up.”

“Am I?”

“Yes. You are.”

“I think it’s the fatigue from being up all night. I’ll be fine after I sleep.”

He gave her a dubious look, and when the door opened a few seconds later, he spoke to Mo. “Landry’s not feeling well. We’re going to need to cut this short.”

Bronwyn came down the short hall. “You’re sick?”

Landry tried to stop a yawn. Especially when yawning made her throat hurt. “I’m just tired.”

Bronwyn picked up the plates from the table and called up to Eliza. “Sweetie, can you start getting ready for bed? Your mom’s not feeling great. We need to get things cleaned up and get you settled.”

Mo, Bronwyn, and Cal made short work of the kitchen, and almost before she knew what was happening, Bronwyn and Mo had said good night and were on the porch not talking to each other. Cal hesitated. “I’m right there”—he pointed to his house—“if you need anything.”

“Thanks.”

She and Eliza, already in her pajamas, told him good night. She tucked Eliza in and dragged herself to the bathroom for a quick shower. She took some ibuprofen and climbed the stairs to her bed. Every step sent a spear of pain through her body. She remembered Meredith’s bed being comfortable and cozy. But tonight, she huddled under the blankets, cold and shivering and more tired than she could ever remember being. Fatigue dragged her under.

Twenty-Six

Cal woke to the sound of Maisy yipping at the door. He threw back the covers, grabbed his phone, and jogged down the stairs. “What is it, girl?” She wasn’t barking like there was an intruder, but she was definitely trying to get his attention. Pregnancy had made her a bit more protective than normal, but this wasn’t typical behavior. He rubbed her head and flipped on his porch light.

Nothing he could have imagined would have prepared him for the sight that greeted him. Eliza stood there in pajamas and bare feet, her small hand knocking tentatively on the door. He unlocked the door, opened it, and pulled the sobbing girl inside. “Eliza? What’s wrong? Where’s your mom?”

She looked at him with so much sorrow that he could feel his heart splintering.Please, please, God. Let Landry be okay.

Eliza grabbed his hand and tugged. “Mommy’s sick.”

He thought she’d had a fever earlier, but she’d said she was just tired. No surprise after being up all night. But clearly it had been more than that.

He scooped Eliza into his arms and ran to Meredith’s house, Maisy hot on his heels. The door was open, and he didn’t hesitate to enter. “Where is she?”