The Fall Risk Quotes

“Sometimes the start of something good begins during something bad,” he said. “We don’t get to pick when these things happen.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“Women solve entire murders on their podcasts, you think I can’t find out all I need to know about some rando I met on the lawn?”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“Wow,” I said, impressed. “How’d you learn how to do that?” “It’s easy. You join betta fish Reddit, ask an innocent question, and wait to get bullied.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“You’re nervous? Why?” “You’re heavily armed.” He gestured to the bear spray, which I still had. “Sorry, it’s my emotional support bear spray,”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“I was done being chased out of my own life. I was done locking my jail cell from the inside.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“So the sock,” she said. “If you swing a baseball bat at someone, they sometimes try to take it from you. So if you have a sock on there, the sock slides off when they grab the bat, it puts them off balance, and you get a second swing to break their skull.” She sipped innocently on her drink.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“They were worried about you. We all are. Bro, you don’t have stairs. We started a GoFundMe.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“A blink of an eye for a redwood, but timeless for me.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“So you have a fish?” I asked. “Yeah. A betta fish.” “Oh. Does he have a name?” “He does. Swim Shady.” I barked out a laugh. “Is he the real Swim Shady or . . .” “All the other Swim Shadys are just imitating,”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“But will she like my tree puns?” “I’d be stumped if she didn’t.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“My forest. All three of them, really. Our roots intertwined to give each other strength.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“Female trees produce fruit. Fruit falls, it makes messes, it attracts vermin. So most trees planted in urban areas are male. They put out pollen with no female trees to absorb it, so it ends up in the air instead.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“She cheated on me with her cousin.” Her mouth fell open. “Noooooo.” “Yeah. She met him on 23andMe.” “She didn’t . . .” “I swear to God. Second cousin, once removed. When I caught them, they were both wearing the purple T-shirts from the family reunion,” I said, talking around my straw.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“I snorted. “I just think I have a very specific type,” he said. “Which is what?” “Heavily armed, slightly weird accountants?” I laughed.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“He turned to Izzy. “Hey, you wanna go get boba?” “I need two hundred dollars,” she said. He pulled his face back. “For boba?” “No. For me. For stuff.” “Two hundred bucks?” “Yes.” He pulled out his phone. “Is Venmo okay—” “What are you doing?” she said, incredulous. He looked up at her, confused. “I’m sending you money—” “Put that away.” “Why? I thought—” “Put it away, Gabe!” She stomped off. He blinked after her. “Is Zelle better?” “No!” She spun on him. “You’re supposed to be turned off by that!” “By what? You needing two hundred dollars?” She threw up her hands. “By me needing anything! By me asking for help or wanting to rely on you. That’s what men do, they run when you need them.” He shook his head. “I’m not gonna run. Why would I run? I like that you need something, it gives me something to do for you.” He looked at her earnestly. “I like doing things for you.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“dId YoU kNoW mOsT tReEs aRe mALe.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“How about the meatballs at IKEA,” Seth said. “We need to go.” Izzy nodded. “I love IKEA. And I need to get some stuff.” “Perfect,” I said. “We’ll all go to IKEA.” Time to imagine a life together.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“Who are you?” he rasped, clearly hurting. Good. “I’m Seth,” I said. “I live here across from Charlotte. Have you ever heard of the western sycamore tree?” He grimaced in pain. “Huh?” “They’re a protected species in California, so once one’s in the ground, it’s staying put. They can live up to six hundred years, so if you were to bury something under one of them, chances are that thing would never be discovered. At least not for a few centuries.” I leaned in. “If you ever come back here,” I whispered, “you won’t find her, you’ll find me. And then no one will ever find you.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“It had been so long since I'd felt like a woman. Since I'd flirted and blushed and felt safe having a man in my space.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“I crossed my arms. “You know, you shouldn’t just pull those out without letting people know they’re coming,” I said. “I need to announce them? Like the abs are entering the building—” “Stop.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“Then I remembered that’s how Ted Bundy had lured his victims, and I changed my mind.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“Who are they?” “I teach a bonsai class at their retirement home,” he said, getting up. “They are obsessed with me, and they have no filter. I won’t be offended if you go inside—actually, you should definitely go inside. Now. Right now.” I shook my head. “No way.” He stared at me. “What do you mean no?” “Old ladies with no filter? No, I’m not going inside.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“I like that you need something, it gives me something to do for you.” He looked at her earnestly. “I like doing things for you.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“Yeah, you can’t just drop some random piece of tree trivia on me and then bail.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“Gabe brought tamales from his mom, enough for both of us. Izzy brought pupusas.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“Okay, Dorothy? I don’t like that language, remember? We said we weren’t calling her that anymore.” “Well, she is a whore.” “She’s a cousin fucker is what she is,”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“Sometimes the start of something good begins during something bad," he said. "We don't get to pick when these things happen.”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“Red flag guys aren’t your type. They’re your pattern.” There was a long pause. “Why’d you have to come for me like that?” “Because I love you. I want to see you happy. I think you pick toxic men because it’s what you think you deserve. And then you chase them off”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk

“If you swing a baseball bat at someone”
― Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk