The Fall We Fell: A Small Town Friends-to-Lovers Romance (Ocean Pines Series Book 1)

by Victoria Denault

  “Is something wrong?” I ask, worried he isn’t on board with this.

  “No. It’s just… I need you to be made aware of something now. I was holding off until you felt more settled in but…” he pauses and sighs. “Simpson, the Battalion chief for Southern Maine, is retiring early next year. They haven’t announced it yet but, I’ve accepted his position. And the reason I was so keen on getting you back here is because when I get promoted to chief, I want you to be the captain here.”

  I am floored. There is no other way to put it. Not by the news because thanks to Cassidy Green, I’d heard the rumor, but by the fact he has me in mind to take his place. This is my ultimate career goal but I thought it was still out of reach. “I’m honored, sir. It would be my dream come true, but I thought I would be considered too green.”

  He shakes his head. “You’d be the youngest captain in the history of the Ocean Pines station but you’d also be more qualified than I was at your age. You’ve written the tests. You’ve done every single extra training the State has offered. And you’ve already earned a Medal of Valor for crying out loud.” He grins at me, like he still can’t believe my accomplishments.

  I never actually think about them until someone points them out. Then I have a moment of pride like right now. I smile and sit up, my shoulders pushing back a bit. “I love my job.”

  “Which is another reason why I want you to succeed me. But if you take a leave for this and then need desk duty when you get back, which you inevitably will for a couple weeks…” He pauses and his smile slips into a look of sympathy again. “I don’t think that will help you with the powers that be. The screening process will be taking place during your recovery time. There’ll be interviews and tests and they’ll send people to watch you work, lead a team. Something you won’t be doing if you’re on desk duty.”

  “Oh,” I have more to worry about now than the actual operation.

  Captain D’Amato suddenly leans forward and smiles again, waving a hand for a minute in the space between us. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You said this friend of yours has other options?”

  “Maybe. Yes.”

  “Okay well let’s wait to worry about the logistics and impacts until we know for sure,” Captain says and I stand up.

  “Sounds good. Thanks for your time.”

  “Always Jake. And I can’t tell you how proud I am of you,” he replies as I reach the door and pull it open. “I’ve been working this firehouse and living in Ocean Pines for fifteen years. I know what you’ve had to… overcome to get where you are now. And this act of kindness you’re thinking of doing is above and beyond for anyone.”

  “It’s not. Honestly. The person is like family. It’s a no-brainer,” I say and leave his office.

  I really want that captain’s job. It would suck if I get screwed out of it because of this but… what would suck more would be letting Terra suffer. I could never do that.

  We get a call. House fire. And I let all these concerns slip away as I rush to the rig to get dressed. The wind is blowing fiercely because a storm is coming in which doesn’t help us contain the flames, but then it starts to pour rain and that does help. Luckily, no one is injured.

  When I get back to the station, I undress and head to my private bunk room. I had left my phone on my bed and it’s flashing with a new message alert. It’s Logan.

  Nova & Javi = B Neg. No match. Let me know when you hear back.

  I don’t respond to Logan. Instead, without a second thought, I walk down to the lobby and talk to the probie working the front desk. “Personal issue. Back in ten minutes. I have my cell if we get a call.”

  I jump in my jeep and start the engine.

  9

  Terra

  “Throw me a rag. I’m gonna wipe down the tables.”

  “I can do that. You’ve worked a double today,” Finn says to Nova. He is such a sweetheart sometimes. “Go home, make sure Thelma and Louise’s chicken coop hasn’t flown away like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.”

  “Really? Finn you’re the best, as always,” she spontaneously reaches over and kisses his cheek, and he looks instantly uncomfortable like he always does. I will never truly understand my brother Finn. He is so easy-going, fun-loving and the first to get sappy and touchy-feely but crawls out of his skin when someone like Nova hits him with the same attention. Weirdo. Nova heads into the kitchen to go get her coat in the break room, I’m sure.

  “You ever going to tell me why Nova freaks you out so much?” I ask with a calm smile on my lips. Finn looks up and quirks an eyebrow.

  “You’ve said that before and I’ll give you the same answer,” he replies. “You’re delusional.”

  I’m not, but I let it go and Finn and I set about cleaning the restaurant and readying it for tomorrow without a word to each other. It’s a comfortable silence. We’ve both done this more times than either of us can count. He wipes down the bar and counter areas and collects and refills the salt and pepper shakers as I wipe down the tables and stack the chairs on top so I can mop the floors next.

  Nova breezes back in, all bundled up in her raincoat and tall rubber boots. She waves to me and Finn but hesitates before leaving. “Terra, you can go home if you want and I can stay with Finn. If you’re tired. I know you had treatment today.”

  She’s right. I’m exhausted, but I’m not going to admit it. I smile. “I’m good. If I go home I’ll just be alone with my fears, so I don’t mind the work.”

  It’s an honest confession. We found out about an hour ago that Nova and Javi don’t match. Leave it to me to have a huge family that can’t help me. Nova looks at me with love and ferocity. “We will figure this out Terra.”

  I nod. Finn glares at me and points. “Do not do that fake agreement thing you do. Nova is right. We will find you a donor. Aren’t you the one who always tells us about the power of positive thinking? Do it!”

  “Yeah. Yeah. I know, I’m just… having a moment,” I sigh. “Go, Nova. It’s fine. I promise. If something happens to your chickens in this crazy storm, I will never forgive myself.”

  “Okay. Love you all,” she blows an air kiss and heads out the door.

  Finn watches her go and I disappear into the back. When I return with the mop and bucket, I’m out of breath. Finn grabs it from me without a word and I let him. But only until I catch my breath again, which is when he’s halfway through the room, and then I insist on taking over. He wants to argue but he doesn’t and I continue mopping under his watchful eye.

  “Was that just a joke or are you really scared?” Finn asks quietly as I’m wringing out the mop.

  “I’ve been trying not to think about it.” I pause and look up at him. “I have the worst luck ever.”

  “I mean there’s still a chance Dad can donate. He’s going to his doctor again next week and he’s going to push them on it. Declan also found a bunch of medical studies that say that other people with his pre-existing conditions have successfully donated.”

  “He showed me those studies. I’m not okay with it. The margins are too small,” I reply flatly. “I’m going to have to let Mom tell Mrs. Green so she can blab about it to the whole town and pray someone takes pity on me and gets tested. And if that nightmare experience doesn’t work out, then I wait. I’m young. Doc says I can go a decade on dialysis, probably.”

  Finn looks worried. “I’m sorry this sucks so much Terra.”

  “Me too.”

  Javi calls out from the back that he’s leaving. Finn disappears into the kitchen to lock the back door behind him, and I move behind the counter to mop there. Two seconds later there’s a knock on the front door and I jump out of my skin. My eyes fly up and I see Jake standing there, soaking wet, wind blowing his hair across his forehead in wet clumps. I abandon my mop and bucket and rush over to unlock the door.

  “Hey,” he says casually as he walks in and drips all over everything. The idiot is in nothing but his work t-shirt and pants. No jacket.

  “You�
�re soaked!” I say and walk back over to grab my mop. “And you’re ruining my freshly mopped floors.”

  He runs a hand through his drenched, black hair and gives his head a shake at the same time, spraying water everywhere like a wet dog. I yelp and jump back to avoid getting wet. I open my scrunched up eyes and find him grinning sheepishly. “Sorry.”

  Jake takes the mop from me. I don’t let go. It’s a small but fierce tug-of-war that he ends up winning. “You shouldn’t be doing manual labor.”

  “I need a new kidney not new arms and legs,” I gripe. “I can still mop.”

  “Listen, Tink, you’re doing this all wrong,” Jake says sternly. “This is the part where you milk it. If I had a severe illness, I would have the whole damn family waiting on me hand and foot.”

  “I’m sure there’ll be time for that later. When I’m like dying and shit,” I mutter and I wish I was joking but I might not be. Only time will tell.

  He stops mopping and looks me dead in the eye. “I hate to burst your bubble but that ain’t gonna happen, so start milking it now while you can. Because while I’m recuperating from giving you a kidney, I am going to make everyone wait on me hand and foot so they won’t have time to baby you too.”

  My body feels heavy. Like the weight of his words just had turned my blood into cement. I’m unable to move anything but my head and only enough to look up into his dark, endless eyes. “What did you just say?”

  He takes one hand off the mop, reaches in his back pocket, and hands me a piece of paper. I don’t feel my arms move but suddenly I’m taking it from him and unfolding it as he speaks. “I did the test thing at the hospital. I’m a match, Tink. I’m giving you a kidney.”

  I read the paper from the hospital. He is a match. A really good one. Oh my God.

  “Well... that’s unbelievable,” I whisper.

  “You always act like we have absolutely nothing in common, but it turns out our organs have a shit ton in common,” he grins. It’s his usual, carefree grin and I don’t know whether to cry or punch him. This is a serious, incredibly intense, moment and he’s acting like he just told me the Red Sox scored or something.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” I ask suddenly and he blinks like I slapped him. “And also, I can’t take your kidney. You need it to save people and crap. I can’t.”

  “You have a really weird way of treating people who have the ability to save your life,” Jake says and walks past me toward the counter. He walks behind the bar and puts the mop in the bucket. “And also, I can still be a firefighter with one kidney. I Googled it and double checked with my captain. I will have to take some vacation days. Likely all of them. But it’s not like I use them anyway. It’s fine.”

  “No. It’s not,” I am shaking my head so hard my neck actually starts to hurt. “I can’t let you do this.”

  “You can’t not let me Terra,” Jake says and that grin is slipping. Finally. He leans on the counter on his elbows, looking right at me. “The transplant list could take years. Why suffer that long when you don’t have to?”

  “I can’t ask you to do this,” I say in a voice so strangled it sounds like someone else. I run a hand through my hair which I’m sure messes it up. I mean, not that it matters. He walks back out from behind the bar and comes to stand directly in front of me.

  “You didn’t ask, but I wish you had,” Jake replies and I see a flash of pain in his smoldering eyes. “Look, I spend all my time saving people who aren’t my family, so you bet your ass I’m going to save the people who are.”

  Tears suddenly start pouring out of my eyeballs so fast that it actually scares me. And Jake now looks terrified too. “Jesus Terra, don’t. It kills me when you cry.”

  I take a step away from him and frantically wipe at my eyes. “Sorry. I can’t help it. I don’t mean to. I just… I can’t believe this is happening.”

  “Yeah. Me either,” he says and the smile slowly creeps back onto his face. And this time, his smile makes me smile too. “We’ll tell your parents tomorrow?”

  I nod and he swings open the door and leaves calling “Lock this behind me!” as he goes. But I don’t lock it. I stare at it for almost a minute and then run out into the parking lot after him. He’s already in his car, motor running but he jumps out as soon as he sees me.

  “Tink! You can’t afford to catch a cold. Get back inside!” He hollers as the rain pounds down around us and I throw myself into him. Wrapping him in a hug. He holds me against him, dipping his head down and I swear I feel his lips on my neck, warm and soft, for a heartbeat before I lean back to look in his eyes.

  “I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like I don’t like you or appreciate you,” I blurt out, just about screaming it because the rain is so loud. “I do. I just…”

  And then … I kiss him. I press my mouth against his and kiss him with every single ounce of energy and passion and hope and relief in my body. I don’t think, I just kiss. My lips parting, my tongue barging its way into his mouth and my hands holding the sides of his head because I’m terrified he’ll reject me like he did in high school. But he doesn’t. In fact … I think he’s kissing me back until…

  “What the hell are you two doing?” Finn’s voice bellows from behind me and I turn and see him running towards me, holding an open umbrella.

  We jump apart and Jake gets into his Jeep and drives away without a word.

  “Jake! What the fuck? Terra did he just kiss you? Were you two kissing?” Finn says it like it’s the grossest thing he can think of.

  “No he didn’t kiss me. I kissed him,” I reply as Finn holds the umbrella over me with one hand and uses his other to tug me back to the restaurant. I stumble along, my feet not acting like they remember how to walk.

  “Why the hell are you trying to make-out with my best friend?” Finn asks inside the restaurant as I watch Jake’s car turn and head out of the parking lot. “Is rash, spontaneous and completely stupid decisions some kind of dialysis side effect? You’re going to catch a death cold out there too.”

  “You can’t catch a cold virus from rain water,” I inform him and press a palm to the glass as the last of Jake’s tail lights disappear from view.

  “Yeah okay, but you know what I mean,” Finn barks. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “He’s giving me his kidney.”

  “What?”

  I turn slowly from the window and look at my brother, who is behind the counter looking for a tea towel or something to give me to dry off with. “Jake did the test. He’s a match. He wants to give me his kidney.”

  Finn’s blue eyes widen and his mouth drops. “Are you serious?”

  I nod and feel the tears pressing at the back of my eyes again. I blink and then give in and cover my face with my hands as I cry. Suddenly Finn has me in a hug, pressing my face into his wide chest as his arms hold me close. “That crazy son of a bitch. I can’t believe it.”

  “I can,” I whisper into Finn’s flannel shirt.

  I always knew Jake Maverick was something special … I just never thought he thought I was someone special. Someone worth saving. But he does. He may not have kissed me when I was locked in a closet with him at fourteen, but I’ll take a kidney over a first kiss any day.

  10

  Jake

  I hop off the truck and scan the crowd that has already started to form. Logan is parking his ambulance a few feet away. Captain climbs down from the front of the rig and claps me on the back. “Big night.”

  “Illumination Night is a town favorite,” I agree.

  “Keribo, Murphy, Cartwright stick around the trucks, in case someone comes here for medical attention or an emergency,” Captain commands. “The rest of you walk around and mingle. We’re here to bond with the community as much as protect it. But keep your radios on.”

  Logan walks over and joins us. “Hopefully we don’t have to respond to anything big tonight.”

  The Cap holds up his hand and crosses his fingers before he wanders dow
n the parking lot toward the pier, which has a series of booths set up for the night. Illumination Night is an annual event, held the first official day of autumn since the town’s inception in eighteen eighty-one. Back then Ocean Pines was a summer town with nothing but uninsulated cottages owned mostly by wealthy Bostonians. This was the weekend they would all come back to close up their places for the winter, and so it was the last time the houses had lights in the windows and lanterns on the porches. Now people purposely decorate their homes as a nod to the past and a symbol of the end of the tourist season since Ocean Pines still gets its fair share of holiday-makers in the summer. People decorate their lawns and porches and put candles in windows or do crazy lights across their roof almost like Christmas and at ten o’clock, people gather on the beach and release sky lanterns in memory of loved ones or in honor of wishes they dream of fulfilling.

  “You wanna walk down to the Hawkins booth with me?” Logan asks. “Before things really get going and I end up treating forty kids with scraped knees or a drunken teenager who face-plants?”

  I give him side eye. “Is your ma back to normal yet?”

  Logan laughs and gives me a shove toward the pier. “Dude, you’re saving her baby’s life. She will never treat you like a normal person again. Sorry.”

  I bite back a groan. Lucy Hawkins burst into tears the first time she saw me after she heard the news. And then she grabbed her rosary and held it tightly as she hugged me with more force than any women barely five feet should have and proclaimed me a gift from God. Charlie stood there and watched, his eyes watery but his face stoic and then he clapped me on the back and disappeared down to the dock.

  I understand their gratitude, but it still makes me uncomfortable. I don’t want to be idolized by this family, just accepted. We walk along the ancient wood pier, past Stan’s Seafood booth, past Patti’s Parlor booth, past Kurt the Cotton Candy Man’s stand. Hawkins' Lobster Shack has the biggest booth, decorated with a string of lobster lights across the top, just under the wooden sign with the business name that Nova created herself. Nova and Declan are the ones manning the booth, and I’m relieved.