Falling With You: A Fractured Connections Novel

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  I barely resisted the urge to cover myself, knowing that I was wearing a very thin t-shirt over no bra because it was right after work and I felt like being lazy.

  “I’m going to repeat myself. What are you three doing here?”

  “We’re here to help you get ready for your date, silly,” Violet set down her bag and then put her hands on her hips. “First, you’re going to have to take a shower. Then we’re going to go through what you’re going to wear and how you should do your hair and things. This is going to be fun, isn’t it? I love first dates.” She started clapping her hands, and then Harmony just laughed.

  “No, you don’t. You like dating when it has to do with Cameron. You hated first dates. Do you remember how jittery you got with your first date with Cameron?”

  “You want to talk about dating?” Violet said, leaning towards Harmony. “We can talk about all of your first dates.”

  “We are not going to go through that list. My first dates with anyone other than Moyer or Brendon were horrendous.”

  I just looked between them, blinking. The fact that they were all staring at me, talking about their best first dates and knowing I was about to go on a date with Aiden didn’t make any sense. This couldn’t be happening.

  “Are you okay? We could leave,” Meadow said quickly.

  “We will absolutely not leave,” Violet said. “We are here because we love you. And because this is a big deal, even though it’s not a big deal. We’re not going to make it a big deal, even though it might be a big deal.”

  “I really don’t understand your logic right now,” I said, looking at all of them.

  “You don’t have to understand our logic, you just have to get all ready and look pretty and have a wonderful time tonight.”

  “This doesn’t make any sense. How are you even here? I didn’t tell you.”

  “I know you didn’t tell us,” Harmony said. “And that hurts.” She put her hand over her heart and gave me a mock glare. “It truly hurts.”

  “Oh, shut up.”

  “Don’t tell her to shut up.” Violet raised her chin. “I know why you didn’t tell us. Because you think it’s weird. Because you don’t want to make it a thing. But, of course, it’s a thing. And hiding it doesn’t help anyone.”

  I looked at my sister and then at my other two friends. “It’s a thing. Did Aiden tell you?” Would Aiden actually tell my sister that he was going on a date with me? That didn’t seem like it could happen, but considering that I was going on a date with Aiden, all other things seemed to be out of my hands and a little weird.

  “No, Aiden told Cameron when Aiden asked for the night off, and I heard it from my boyfriend.”

  “Do you have to say, ‘my boyfriend’ like you’re sing-songing it? Like you’re in a high school musical?” I asked, trying to get my thoughts in order.

  “I will say ‘my boyfriend’ as much and however I want to. Because it’s kind of fun. And you are going on a date with your boyfriend.”

  I held up my hands. “Aiden Connolly is not my boyfriend. It’s just a date. Just a dinner and a game between friends. And I’m really just going because he held a kitten hostage.”

  The three of them looked at me, blinking.

  “I’m going to need some more information about this kitten,” Meadow said softly.

  “Well, we found a kitten. His name is Diego. He’s cute. But I couldn’t bring the little guy into my house because, you know, the clowder.”

  “Yeah, four cats is already two cats too crazy.”

  I flipped my sister off. “Oh? Are you going to tell the other two cats that they have to leave? Which two would you take from my home? I thought you were their Auntie Violet.”

  “Oh, stop it. You know I love those cats like they are my actual nieces and nephews. I helped fill their stockings this Christmas. But that is beside the point. You can’t get a fifth cat. And adding a kitten to your house would just be too much.”

  I threw out my hands. “I know. Hence why I told Aiden that if he couldn’t stay at the vet’s, he had to stay with Aiden. And Aiden got all grumpy like he usually does and growled at me. But then he got like this weird light in his eyes and said that he would totally take the kitten if and only if I went on a date with him. A kitten’s life was in the balance. I couldn’t just say no. That is why I’m going on a date with Aiden Connolly. To protect Diego. Nothing else.”

  They just looked at me and then burst into laughter.

  “I can see the laughter. I can hear it. I do not appreciate it.”

  “Oh, we’re not laughing at you.”

  “I’m not laughing. Therefore, you’re laughing at me, not with me. You can’t actually finish that statement.” I threw my hands up into the air again and started pacing. Baby ran into the room, bumped my calf, and then ran back out. My cats were weird, but I was weirder. I even had a t-shirt that said that.

  “Okay, go shower, because you stink.”

  “Fuck you too, Violet.”

  “Oh, you’re going to shower, you’re going to shave your legs, you’re going to shave whatever else you need to, and you’re going to look fuckable for that man of yours. Because you are going on a date with Aiden Connolly, and you’re going to have a fucking good time.”

  I blinked at Violet and then looked at Harmony and then Meadow. “That seemed very harsh just then,” Meadow said, looking between all of us.

  “Very much so. Are you okay?” Harmony asked.

  “My sister is about to go on a date with my boyfriend’s twin. It is all very soap opera, and I’ve been waiting for this.”

  I just stood there. “Waiting?”

  “Not only is this out of one of my favorite books, I’ve also looked at the way you two tend to not look at each other or look at each other too much. I’ve noticed the way you two fight and get all growly at each other. You guys are perfect for one another.”

  I held up my hands, trying to stave off everything. They didn’t even know I actually had a crush on him or for how long. It was just getting to be too much. “Okay, you’re going to have to slow your roll, because I am going on a single date with Aiden. And, yes, the fact that you are dating his twin makes it weird.”

  “Imagine the double dates,” Violet said, clasping her hands together and getting a faraway, dreamy look on her face.

  “Excuse me, triple dates. I’m also dating a brother.” Harmony put her fists on her hips and started laughing as everyone else burst into giggles, as well.

  Everyone but me, that was.

  “Okay. I’m going to go shave my legs and my underarms. But nothing else.”

  “Well, if that’s what you need to shave, that’s what you need to shave,” Meadow said very seriously. But I saw the laughter in her eyes, and I cut her from my friend list, as well. I cut them all.

  “I’m going to open some wine.”

  “Oh, good idea, Harmony. But we don’t want to get her too drunk. I’m sure she’ll get drunk enough when she’s on her date,” Violet sing-songed, and I turned away from all of them.

  They were traitors. All of them were traitors.

  I stripped down in my bathroom and shoved myself into the shower, cursing myself as the cold water blasted me because I’d been too impatient to actually wait for the water to get hot. I scrubbed and shaved and nipped and tucked and growled the entire time.

  I didn’t know why I was so out of it. This was just a date. Just dinner. I had been out to dinner plenty of times with Aiden.

  Never really alone, but this wasn’t any different than usual. Right?

  I turned off the water and pulled the shower curtain back, only to scream like there was an actual man with a butcher knife coming at me.

  “Really?” Violet said dryly. “You’re going to scream like that movie? I’m just in here looking through your makeup. And I guess you really didn’t shave everything,” Violet said, giving me a wink before handing me a towel. “Oh, don’t look like a prude,” she said as I tried to cover myself. �
�Sienna, what is up with you?”

  I wiped the water out of my face and covered myself with my towel. “You were standing in my bathroom, and I didn’t know you were here. Of course, I’m going to scream, you pervert.”

  “Oh, shut up. I wasn’t actually expecting you to throw the curtain open like you were ready to show everything to the world.”

  At that moment, Harmony and Meadow came running in, each holding something different. Harmony held a wine bottle, while Meadow held a spatula.

  “We heard screaming,” Harmony said.

  I looked at Violet and threw my head back and laughed.

  I used the edge of my towel to wipe my tears and just shook my head. “First, the fact that it took you this long to get back here after my scream…we need to talk about that. Second, you’re not going to actually come back if you hear screaming, right? I would call 911, maybe. And a wine bottle and a spatula? Not really the best weapons.”

  Harmony just shook her head at me. “It was what we grabbed in the moment. At least we came for you. I mean, we could have run away and just left you and Violet to your own devices so you could be chopped up into little bitty bits and put into a trash bag never to be seen again.”

  I gave her a bland look and then looked at Violet. “We need to stop letting her watch so many true crime shows.”

  “She has that podcast, as well,” Meadow added. “I actually really like it.”

  “Anyway, I’m all nice and clean. I’m going to do my hair and my makeup, and then I’ll be ready to go.”

  “I’ll get the wine. Oh, and I made a little tiny charcuterie board,” Harmony said. “I couldn’t help it. You had all the fixings.”

  She shrugged and went off to the kitchen, Meadow following her.

  I just looked at Violet and wondered what the hell I was doing.

  “If you don’t want to go on this date, you can tell him. Aiden’s not that much of an asshole.”

  I smiled at her and sat on the toilet seat in my towel, letting my hair drip water down my back and my shoulders. “He’s an asshole, but then so am I, sometimes. But he’s also kind of sweet. And, yeah, I could have said no. I could have found a different way to get Diego into Aiden’s house or found him another home. But I said yes.”

  “And this is your first date with him?” Violet asked. I looked up at her, frowning.

  “Yes.”

  “So, you sleeping with him didn’t count as a date?” she asked, and I started.

  “Huh?”

  “I know you and Aiden slept together.”

  “Did he tell you that?” I asked, standing up.

  “No, you did.” She sighed and grabbed my hands. “With your face, Sienna. I can tell when you sleep with a guy. You guys have been acting so differently around each other, and then things got weirder after the attack. I kind of laid off wanting to talk to you about it because I knew we had more important things to worry about. But now, you’re going on this date, and I just want you to be happy, okay? If this isn’t what you want, then that’s fine. You don’t have to do this, pretty. You can walk away, and everything will be fine. And I’m going to tell you something very similar to what you told me when I was going on a date with Cameron.”

  I bit my lip, not really wanting to hear.

  “You’re allowed to be a part of this group and want something for yourself. You’re allowed to try this date and see if this new connection can work. If it doesn’t? We will figure out what happens after. But you can’t hold yourself back for fear of what could happen, and for fear of what we might think. Because I can see your excitement under all the nerves. So, go out tonight and have fun. And just remember that you are loved. No matter what happens, we’re always going to be here for you. Okay?”

  I hadn’t even realized I was crying until she was wiping the tears from my face.

  “Now, let’s get you all prettied up. Not that you’re ugly right now,” she added, and I punched.

  “Ow.”

  “What? I’m just getting ready for dinner and a hockey game. There’s a lot of fighting at those.”

  “Only Aiden would take you to a hockey game for your first date.”

  “I like sports. It’s a thing.”

  “It’s your thing with Aiden. And I love it. Now, I’m thinking jeans with cute rips, a very cute top, and a leather jacket with flats. But the flats that cover more of your feet than just the normal ballet flats because it’s going to be cold in there. I would go boots. If you want. Maybe the ones with the cute buckles. But you have those sparkly flats that are just perfect for dates in case you go for a drink later.”

  “Well, why don’t you just set out my clothes for me like you’re Mom.”

  “Oh, I could totally do that.”

  I laughed, took the glass of wine from Harmony, did a toast with my friends, ate some cheese, and got ready for my date with Aiden Connolly.

  Because Violet was right. Even though this was my first date with Aiden, this was really just a date. It was just a meal and a game with a friend.

  If things were going to change—and things had already been changing without my doing anything as it was—maybe I needed to take care of my own destiny.

  Or maybe I just needed to go with it for once.

  By the time the girls had left, I was all coiffed and in the boots with the buckles because my feet did get cold at hockey games.

  And four minutes before Aiden was supposed to arrive, the doorbell rang, and I sucked in a breath.

  I didn’t know why I was so nervous. I had been to sports games with the Connollys before. Just not actually with Aiden.

  And not by myself.

  So, when I opened the door and I saw him there in jeans that were tight around his thighs, a t-shirt that clung to his chest, and that leather jacket that just made him look all bad boy and sexy, I almost threw myself at him.

  Would it be wrong if I were to climb him like a tree?

  “Dear God, short stack,” Aiden growled.

  I looked down and held back my laugh since my boobs were really out in my top, thanks to Harmony and Violet’s help with picking out my bra and shirt.

  “You look nice,” I said, my voice a little too high-pitched.

  “You look fucking edible. And that’s going to be a problem. Because I’m probably going to want to hit somebody again.” He held up his hand. “And I’m not in the mood to find a third physical therapist.”

  I just leaned forward and rested my forehead against his shoulder, my own shaking with laughter.

  “We are really bad at this whole thing,” I whispered.

  He ran his hands down my hair, careful not to touch the top. “Well, I guess we should practice. Maybe it’ll make us a little better. And did you see? I didn’t touch your bangs. Last time I did that, you gut-punched me, and I’m not in the mood for that.”

  I leaned back and laughed. “Okay, then.”

  “I’m going to take that as a good sign,” Aiden said, and then he kissed me.

  Just a soft kiss, just a brush of lips, and I knew that I’d be okay. Because all of the thoughts of anything but Aiden’s lips and what we could do tonight just for fun flew from my mind.

  This was just a date. This was just Aiden. This was just me.

  And maybe it was okay to fall, just this once.

  Chapter Ten

  Aiden

  * * *

  “It’s like you know me or something,” Sienna said with a wink as we made our way to our seats in the stadium. The Avalanche were playing the Red Wings, and it was a rivalry my brothers and I loved more than most. Even though none of us knew when it had actually started.

  I put my hand on the small of her back as we found our row, and she just grinned over her shoulder at me.

  “Well, I kind of do know you. I guess that could be a good thing, right?” I asked as we took our seats, careful not to jostle our beers.

  “I guess it can be a good thing. Or it can be a horrible thing because we already know too much ab
out each other, and this is really just a terrible mistake.” She said the words so quickly that she winced after, and I just shook my head.

  “Okay, let’s not go there. Shall we?”

  “Well, I did sort of say yes because you were threatening a kitten,” she said with a wink, and the couple on the other side of her gave me a weird look.

  I pinched the bridge of my nose, glared at Sienna, and then looked past her at the big, tattooed man and his curvy date. “I wasn’t actually threatening the kitten.”

  Sienna grinned and turned towards the couple, putting her back to me even though I knew she was laughing at me at the same time.

  This woman.

  “Well, he did say that he was just going to let this poor kitten stay at the shelter instead of taking it home and caring for it if I didn’t go on a date with him. Don’t you think that’s pressure?” I looked down at her and scowled.

  “That is not how it happened.” I squeezed her shoulder, and she squirmed in her seat, though I didn’t let her go. I didn’t want to stop touching her, even if I knew it was probably not the best thing for me.

  “That is totally how it happened.” She looked at me, winked, and then turned back to the couple. “I mean, I probably eventually would’ve said yes if you would’ve just, you know, not threatened a poor wee little kitten.”

  She was laughing then, and the couple gave us an even weirder look, but then smiled.

  “Okay, I can totally tell that there’s a story there, but I’m a little freaked out,” the woman said. “By the way, I’m Olivia, this is my husband, Derek.”

  Derek lifted his chin, and I did the same. “Now, should we report you to animal services?” Derek asked, and I sighed.

  “No. Because I was going to take the kitten no matter what.”

  “You were?” Sienna asked, turning so she faced the ice but could still talk to all of us. “Oh, by the way, I’m Sienna. This is Aiden.”

  “Hi,” Olivia said, the light in her eyes dancing.

  I held out my hands, trying not to look like I was a kitten killer or something. “I was really going to take the kitten. Diego. As we named him. But I really just wanted to talk, hence the whole using the kitten to my advantage. But I wasn’t going to just let it stay out in the street crying like that.” I looked up at Derek. “I’m rarely home, but when I am, I now have a kitten on me. And if I could actually bring the little thing to work, Sienna would probably create like a knapsack for me or something.”