Every Time I Fall (Orchid Valley 3)

“Ignore him,” Kace says. “Just keep a good grip on it and swing.”

Stella adjusts her grip and lifts the sledgehammer over her shoulder before swinging it down toward the shower wall. She cracks a single tile, and her eyes light up. “I did it!” She rushes into Kace’s arms, and he wraps her in a hug, pulling her into his chest.

My sister has carried a torch for my best friend since we were teens, but I never imagined they’d actually end up together. Now that they have, I wonder why I never saw it coming. Kace is the rock my flighty sister needs in her life, and she’s the carefree fun Kace desperately needed in his. They work, and I love seeing them both so happy.

“Here you go,” Stella says, handing the sledgehammer back to Kace.

“You’re done?” he asks, laughing.

She wrinkles her nose. “I mean, unless you need me?”

Kace kisses her forehead. “Dean and I can take it from here.”

“Well, have fun. I hope it goes smoothly. Don’t forget we have plans tonight.”

He settles the hammer on the floor and grabs her before she can get too far. “How could I forget?” When he lowers his mouth to hers, I look away. I’m stoked they’re happy, but I could do without the constant PDA.

“Dean, do you have plans tomorrow night?” Stella asks, pulling my attention back to them.

“Sort of.” I’m planning to talk Abbi out of her clothes, but I keep that information to myself.

Stella grins. “Sort of isn’t good enough. You should come with us. We’re going to that new brewery just south of here after dinner with Kace’s parents. They have firepits out back by the lake. I reserved one for us, but it’ll be more fun with company.”

“Thanks for the invite, sis, but I’d rather not spend my Sunday night as a third wheel.”

“Then we’ll bring Abbi too. Come on, it’ll be like a double date.”

I open my mouth to say Abbi’s working late, but I’m cut off by Kace’s grunt.

“No offense, Freckles, but that’s a terrible idea.”

I bristle, and my sister pulls out of Kace’s arms and glares at him. “Why would you say that? You don’t think Abbi knows how to hang out and have fun?”

“No, but she’s busy tomorrow. She already said she won’t be at Mom’s for dinner because she has something going on.”

I relax a bit.

“And anyway,” Kace says, “I don’t think Abbi should go on a date with Dean.” His gaze skips to me for a beat before going back to Stella. “No offense, dude.”

No offense? I clench my jaw, and my molars ache.

“Why not?” Stella asks, folding her arms.

Normally, this is when I’d excuse myself from the conversation. Stella and Kace are great together, but they’re both strong-willed. When they butt heads, I make myself as scarce as possible. But this time I stay. Because I want to know too.

Kace glances at me again, and at least this time he grimaces like the conversation makes him uncomfortable. “It doesn’t matter. We’re talking about your brother and my sister. That only happens in the movies.”

Stella’s gaze shifts to meet mine, and I see it. This isn’t a random idea on Stella’s part. She knows something. Or at the very least, she suspects. And more shockingly, she hasn’t told Kace. “Abbi needs a little fun in her life,” Stella says, holding my gaze.

“Abbi needs someone who’ll be gentle with her,” Kace says. He shifts his weight from one foot to another. “Come on, you’re going to be late for work. I’ll walk you out.”

Stella flashes me a final apologetic glance before following Kace out of the bathroom. Their voices grow muffled for a bit, but the moment they step outside, I can hear them again through the open window.

“I’m all for fixing her up,” Kace says, “but she doesn’t see dating the way Dean does.”

“What do you mean by that?” Stella asks.

“Listen, I know he’s your brother and you feel protective toward him, but he’s also a player. If he were even interested in dating Abbi—and that is another conversation entirely—they’d end up fooling around, and she’d get attached.”

I close my eyes. She’d get attached? Joke’s on you, bud.

“I don’t want her hurt,” Kace says.

“He wasn’t a player with Amy.”

The silence stretches so long that I’m not sure if they’re out there having an epic stare-down or if they started whispering.

“I can’t help but be protective of her,” Kace says. His voice is so low that I can barely hear him. “She’s been hurt before.”

I can hear Stella giving a sharp reply, but I can’t make out the words over the sharp sting of disappointment in my chest. This thing with Abbi is temporary, and I need to remember that.

* * *

Abbi

“Yes, girl! Yes!” Layla says, clapping her hands.

I turn side to side, trying to get a better view of myself in the short black dress. Other than the fact that it only goes down to my mid-thighs, I like it. The waistline is higher, and the skirt flares, camouflaging my tummy pouch and hips. “I’m afraid it’s the magic of dressing room lighting,” I finally say.