Page 125 of You Fall First

My gaze is a magnet, and Noah Stadler’s profile is iron.

For a moment, I’m free to study his features. The straight nose. That stony jaw. Those broad shoulders like granite. Still, as rock solid as the rest of him is, I’ve seen the curve of his lashes. And his eyes are endlessly warm.

“Hey, look!” Dex honks. “There’s Noah.”

Noah’s head swivels, and his mouth slides into an O.

I suck in a breath. I’ve kissed that mouth.

There he is.

My fake boyfriend.

And I’m about to pretend with him for real.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Noah

Ignoring my true feelings for Jo tonight, even for a minute, will be hard. That much is clear the moment we arrive in the Havenwood parking lot at the same time. Our two groups say our hellos, and of course I introduce Paige, at which point Dex and Sayla gush all over my sister. They tell her how happy they are that she’s living here now, what a great friend I am, and how much they already adore Dutton.

I’ll be honest.

Watching my found family blending with my blood relatives feels nothing short of amazing. The people I care most about in the world are finally in the same town together, which is everything I dreamed of when I first talked Paige into moving to Harvest Hollow. The only difference is that my dreams now include something I never knew I was missing.

Someone.

First, Dutton races to Jo in the parking lot. Then Paige wraps her in a grateful hug. When it’s my turn to greet Jo after a single day apart, my whole body reacts. One brush of our hands is like an avalanche through my insides. And all I want to do is take her hand and race inside to find Oliver so I can start pretending to be her boyfriend.

But that would be weird.

Extremely.

So instead, I calmly suggest we all head inside.

Loren and Bridger are in the lobby greeting people, so I introduce them to Paige and kick all my found-family feelings up a couple of notches. I’m just telling Paige that I used to be Loren’s father’s private PT when Kendal and Tim arrive.

Rowan, Wally, and TJ are with them, and the big kids tumble all over each other like they’ve been friends forever. I catch Paige’s small smile watching her boy fit in here. Hopefully she’ll feel that herself soon, too.

Tonight the catering tables are set up in the breezeway between the main pavilion and the gardens. For now, they’re serving an array of appetizers, mostly small plates and tapas-style foods. Oliver’s behind the front table. And seeing the guy automatically gets my hackles up, although his being here gives me the perfect excuse to move closer to Jo.

So I really should thank him.

As if he’s been waiting for us to arrive, Oliver lifts his gaze and makes eye contact. Then his focus darts to Jo. She’s standing several feet away from me, talking to Loren. In the moment, our respective families and mutual friends are all distracted by individual conversations. They’re busy getting to know Paige, and Paige is busy wrangling Dutton. No one’s paying attention to me. So I take the risk of stepping toward Jo, moving my body closer in an instinctive mode of protection.

After all, as far as Oliver knows, I am her boyfriend.

I’m allowed.

I press a hand to her lower back, palm flat against her silky dress, and Jo startles at first. Then she exhales, making the smallest move to settle into my touch.

“Excuse me,” I say out loud, hoping Loren will assume I’m just trying to slip by Jo.

Meanwhile, Oliver can’t hear me.

All he sees are my hands on his ex.

Easiest role I’ve ever played.