Page 148 of Falling Back to You

On our third trip around the Rainbow Road track, I finally found the words I needed. Myles was good about not pushing, and I appreciated that.

“I’m sorry. For everything.” I sounded like a broken record, doling out apologies left and right, but I meant it.

“I know.” He didn’t take his eyes off the screen. “Honestly? In a way, I almost envied you.”

The confession startled me, and I drove my Yoshi into a wall. Sorry, lil dude. “You what?”

Myles huffed mirthlessly. “You got out, Elle. No responsibility breathing down your neck, no more being the family glue, no more familial disappointment.” His Toad tossed a banana peel at me. “I wasn’t glad you were gone—that hurt—and I was tired of people leaving.”

Like his mom, even if she couldn’t help it. Like his dad checking out of parenting and faithfulness in his marriage.

Myles shot me a half smile. “I knew you weren’t okay, and if running was the only way to save you . . . I’m glad you did it.”

I swallowed hard. “I should have handled it differently. And you . . . you stayed. I should have too.”

“Not by choice,” he said, then amended. “Not at first anyway. I wanted out, but when I couldn’t run, I left in other ways. I let my fear lock me in place. Stagnating, never moving forward. And then . . . Well, this place has a way of keeping you.” His gaze trailed back to where Juliet had been standing earlier.

I nudged his shoulder. “Will you forgive me?”

“Did a long time ago. And I’m glad you’re back. You round us out.”

“Glad to be of service.” And then I had to ask because it was killing me. “And the fake-marriage thing. Tell me that was a joke?”

Myles smirked. “Oh, I’m very much in love with my wife, but yes, it did start off as a marriage of convenience.”

“Unbelievable.”

“I still have the list of our marriage rules.”

“I knew it!” Juliet shuffled in, scowling, but there was no heat to it. “Where is it? I scoured the house before we moved here.”

“You know the magic words, Peach.” Myles winked at her.

She growled, cheeks pink, then she snapped her fingers. “You put it in my blackmail box, didn’t you?”

Myles visibly started.

“Ha!” she cried, and hurried away. “It’s under the bed.”

Myles sagged against the couch back. “That woman,” he murmured affectionately.

I wasn’t sure what fire to tackle first—the marriage of convenience, the marriage rules, the blackmail box, or the fact that Juliet was very much not on bedrest like she was supposed to be.

I settled on: “I’m glad you two worked out.”

“Yeah.” Myles’s grin was lovestruck. “She’s my favourite surprise.”

“Found it!” Juliet came back waving a torn sheet of notebook paper. She kissed her husband and tucked the paper in his button-up shirt pocket, patting his chest. “We’re talking about this later.”

He chuckled, hands settling on her hips, and he gave her a slightly longer kiss. “Can’t wait.”

Dinner was incredible. Myles had made chicken parmesan under Juliet’s supervision. Like her mother, Juliet was notoriously resistant to being told to slow down. But they were managing.

It didn’t take much convincing to get them to spill their love story, and all I could do was stare. Talk about a rom-com dream. It wasn’t what I expected from them, but honestly? They might be the only two people I knew who could have made it work.

It was nearly nine before I took my leave after coffee and dessert. I still had the last finishing touches to put on the Harvest Potluck for this weekend.

“Call me if you need anything, got it?” I told Juliet, giving her a squeeze.