Fall at Once

by Nora Everly

“Why is fall so pretty when everything is literally dying?” I asked Gigi, apropos of nothing. “It’s the way of the world. Things have to die to make room for the new.

It was Madison—the cute one and the one I knew the least. I’d been hoping it wouldn’t be her. All the Winslow women were beautiful in their own right, but there was something so different, so fascinating about Madison.

He always said life was like a mirror. It will smile at you if you smile at it.

She was cute. She was beautiful. Too fucking irresistible is what she was. I didn’t know whether to love it or hate how attracted to her I had become.

“You’re different around her,” Tate accused in a whisper. “Almost like you are around your kids or Mom or Gigi. You’re nice. Did you actually smile at her? Did it hurt? Is your face going to be okay?”

Nervously, I bit my lip. Cole Sutter was totally flirting with me, and I didn’t know how to feel about it. Lie. I was thrilled that the sexy Cole Sutter had flirted with me and was already contemplating how to get him to do it some more.

How was I supposed to resist someone like her? She was like fucking sunshine, and I was nothing but a grumpy, dark cloud. But worse, she seemed into me, and I fucking loved it.

I want you, and I shouldn’t You’re gorgeous, hilarious, smart, and funny. My kids adore you, and I hate that I want you so bad.

“There is no place I’d rather be than here with you. Believe that. You deserve a man who will take care of you, respect you, and treat you like the amazing woman that you are. Not some dumb motherfucker who would try to humiliate you in a goddamn bar.”

“You kiss me this time. Do anything you want to me. Climb in my lap, shove me against the door, take what you need, go as far as you want⁠—”