Page 131 of Fall Over You

I snort and nod. “That would probably make me a grumpy bear too.”

He softens. “Thanks, actually. Sometimes I feel bad for being how I am, because it’s not like I want to be mean. But my job usually involves giving people bad news. It’s made me have to toughen up, probably more than I should.”

“Your dad’s not a grumpy bear,” I point out.

“Well, no. Part of it’s just me.”

We laugh and I squeeze his hands in mine. “I still love your grumpy ass.”

Tyler smiles, looking down at our hands. “I’m really grateful for that. I’m lucky you put up with me.”

“Well,” I raise my eyebrows, “you do need to act right most of the time. And you probably owe Carver an apology.”

His face darkens, but I level him with a look.

“I don’t need you two to be best friends, but I need you to not bark at him on Main Street. He really isn’t as bad as you think he is.”

Tyler’s quiet for a long while. “He was part of the end of things with CJ.”

My eyes widen. “Like, he slept with her?”

“No, no. I don’t think so, at least. But he was her dealer. I asked him to stop selling to her and he wouldn’t.”

“I’m sorry. He did say he gets why you hate him.”

Tyler runs his tongue over his teeth. “I just don’t want you to get hurt. And I know you’re not using drugs, but it’s all pretty complicated for me.”

“I get that. If it’s any comfort, the only thing he’s dealing me is Christmas trees. He thought he’d found some really cheap ones, but they fell through. He’s got a backup, though.” I lean closer to Tyler. “And I will be buying them from him. So before you panic and see it on the accounting . . .”

“Understood,” Tyler says. “Again, I’m so sorry. For all of this. I acted like an asshole. I’ll try and not fly off the handle like this again. It was stupid.”

My eyebrows lift. “Well, can’t say I haven’t been known to have a strong response to things without rational thinking. ADHD comes for both of us, I guess.”

“That it does. But it doesn’t excuse my behavior. I want to be better for you.”

I squeeze his hands. “I appreciate that.”

Tyler wiggles his shoulders. “Kiss and make up?”

“Yes, but you smell like a wild hog. Go hose yourself off and brush your damn teeth.”

Tyler sneaks his lips under my ear and sends his fingers crawling up and down my sides. “Maybe you can hose me off? Little shower slippin’ and slidin’?”

I sigh as he starts to kiss my neck. “I suppose. I’ll go get you a glass of water while you get started.”

FORTY-NINE

TYLER

Steam billows in the shower and the smell that comes off me when the water first hits is enough to make my nose hairs curl.

Been a long time since I’ve gotten mad, gotten drunk over it, and made a mess of my life. Like, since before Ellie was born. I honestly thought I wouldn’t ever do it again, and I don’t want to ever do it again after this. I feel like the scum of the earth, a guilty little worm flopping on the sidewalk after a storm and getting roasted in the sun.

But I’m lucky as can be. My wife still loves me somehow. My daughter loves my wife. I fucked up, and still, they take me back.

A cool breeze blasts through the shower when Becca opens and closes the bathroom door.

“Already smelling better,” she says.