Page 137 of You Fall First

“Yeah.”

“If I do dream, it’ll be about you and a ceiling full of stars.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Noah

Dex’s actual jump scare comes for me four days later, and I’m completely unprepared when it happens.

I’ve been too busy to remember he might have an opinion about me starting up a relationship with Jo. All my hours since the fundraiser have been clogged with balancing my own work and coordinating the rest of Paige’s move. We rented her a storage unit, rearranged my furniture, and unpacked boxes of toys and clothes.

So many clothes.

Too many toys.

Then there’s the late-night texting and phone calls between Jo and me. No such thing as too many of those.

Meanwhile, my sister’s been drifting around getting acclimated. Looking at preschools for Dutton, learning where the milk is at the grocery store, figuring out her coffee order at Catty’s.

I’ve gently reminded her several times that the adjustment’s gonna take a minute. Moving away from the only home she and Dutton have ever known isn’t going to feel right overnight. The routines Dutton established with Jo here are different from the ones she and Dutton had back in Mayville.

Not better or worse.

Just different.

Fortunately, the night-shift coordinator at Havenwood is an absolute angel. She gave Paige the rest of the week to settle in, and they agreed on next Monday as her official start date. Not-so-coincidentally, Jo and I agreed on this weekend for our official start date.

Since Paige won’t be working yet, I’ll be off Dutton overnight duty.

I’m literally on the phone making a reservation for dinner at Chop when the knock comes.

Dex on my doorstep.

“Hey, man.” I let out a quick chuckle and squint, confused about why he’s here in person. Our group’s definitely the text-first type. “What’s up?” I reach for a fist bump, but he keeps his arms at his sides.

“You and my sister. Apparently.”

“Oh.” All the oxygen disappears from my chest, and my insides fracture. A rift straight down the middle. The woman I’m falling for and her protective brother both mean a lot to me, but I’m past the point of no return with my feelings for Jo. The choice has been made. So if Dex is here to tell me he’s not a fan …

I glance over my shoulder. Paige has Dutton in the bath before his bedtime, but I’ve got no idea how this conversation will go. I also have no idea how Dex found out about Jo and me. We agreed we weren’t discussing this with anyone else in our circle yet. Not until we’ve fully defined how this is going to look between us first.

Still, Dex is clearly aware something’s going on, and I won’t do him the disservice of trying to deny it.

If he’s mad, though, we’re better off confronting the issue outside. So I move onto the porch, shutting the door behind me. I point at the Adirondack chairs. Dex sits, which is a good sign that he’s not gonna haul off and brawl with me here in front of my house.

“Did Jo say something to you?” I take the chair next to him, spine rigid, palms flat on my knees.

“Nope.”

“Oliver?”

“Dude.” A muscle in his jaw flexes. “Why would I talk to that guy?”

“No idea. I’m scrambling here.” I meet his gaze head-on, like a man. “Who told you?”

“No one.” He shakes his head, his concern rumbling through me. “I saw for myself. You’re all over social media.”

I startle. “Who’s all over social media?”