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FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 37.2
“I think those circus performers could have used fewer drinks,” I mumbled.Mom looked absolutely thrilled, despite the questionable quality of the circus we’d put together for her, and as we all went back inside, she stepped between Hannah and me, putting her arms around us both.“Thank you so much, kids. That was just fantastic!” She squeezed Hannah close and added, “Now Hannah, you come sit with me. I have a million questions for you.”“Mom,” I warned.“Lincoln, go chat with your brothers. I want to get to know your girlfriend better. Come on, Hannah.”I kissed Hannah on the cheek as Mom took her to the end of the tasting counter and they sat on stools facing one another. Hannah looked happy to be chatting with my mother, so I didn’t interfere, and part of me loved seeing them together, which sent my mind whirling forward, considering questions about how well Hannah might fit into my family if we were to continue our relationship.“Mom giving Hannah the twelfth degree?” Dalton asked
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 38- Hannah
“And then the plan was to head back to Los Angeles. You know, back to the real world.” Pam’s face fell at that pronouncement and I realized how it sounded. “Well, at least that was my original plan. Now . . . well, now I’m not so sure.”I twirled the empty mimosa glass in my hand, wishing Lincoln and I had more time together before his mom interrogated me over my plans. Things were too new. I knew my old plan wasn’t going to work now that I’d found Lincoln, but I hadn’t settled on a new plan yet either. Which was super weird for me. I always had a plan for my life. That was the only way to get the things done that I cared about.“Oh honey,” Pam put her hand on my arm to still my fidgeting. “You don’t have to have it all figured out yet. I see how my son looks at you, so of course I’m going to encourage you to stay, but I also care about you, independent of Lincoln. Take the time to know what you really want before making any decisions. Listen to your gut and you can’t go wrong.”I til
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 39- Lincoln
I knew I should drive away. Hannah had told me she didn’t want me to stay, and even though every ounce of me was screaming with a protective instinct I didn’t even know I had, I needed to respect her wishes. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to leave her here with the muppet. Not until I knew she would be okay.Maybe that was ridiculous. She’d been married to the guy, after all—a thought that sent my stomach twisting uncomfortably. But she’d been quiet about the marriage and what exactly had gone on. All I knew was that he was a moron if he’d chosen anything or anyone over Hannah, if he’d been willing to let her go. I had no way of knowing, but I was willing to put money on that being the reason he was here. He’d realized his mistake, realized he’d given up the most beautiful and kind woman in the world, and he wanted her back. My stomach turned again at the idea.I watched through my windshield as the muppet stepped down from the driver’s side of the truck, dismayed to see that he was h
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 39.1
Confusion flooded me. I was sure I’d never felt this way, but starting out pretending had muddied everything up. “But once we stopped faking it, it was hard to trust what was real,” I blurted, not realizing my mistake until Mom’s face had blanched.“Faked what?” She sat up straight, her I’m-not-mad-I’m-just- disappointed face in place already.“No, nothing.”“Faked what, Lincoln?” She still had the power to freak me out. Did moms always retain that power? “You and Hannah faked what?”A noise escaped my throat that was halfway between a throat-clearing and a cry of desperation, and I was reminded of the time when Mom had learned about how I’d taken the salamander out of the tank in fifth grade and planted it in the desk of a girl who’d made fun of my little brothers at the bus stop. Only this time, I was pretty sure she wouldn’t be proud.“You and Hannah faked being together?” Mom was smart, she was working it out without me even saying anything.“Only at first,” I tried.“Why?” she as
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 40 - Hannah
Everything felt wrong. Wrong hair color, wrong height, wrong vehicle. Liam, with his expensive cologne shoved up my nose from three feet away, even smelled wrong. But I’d told Lincoln to go and now I was stuck with Liam in my Aunt Betty’s house, looking around in disgust.“You’re living here now?” He said it like I was living in a cardboard box under a bridge somewhere.I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the state of the house, but it wasn’t horrible either. Lincoln had been helping me fix it up. With an injection of cash, I could even make this place charming again. I folded my arms across my chest and leaned against the Formica counter hoping it would hold my weight.“Yes. I live here. My beloved aunt left it to me.” Okay, that was stretching it since I hadn’t even met her, but the woman had left me all her worldly possessions. What was that if not love? “Why are you really here, Liam?”He dragged his gaze from the green refrigerator that kept up a constant knocking sound with a little
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 40.1
Tall, Dark & My Boyfriend: Just checking in. Everything okay? Text me if you need help. I can be there in minutes.I wanted to cry reading Lincoln’s message. How was he so sweet? He hadn’t looked at Aunt Betty’s house with disdain. He’d just brought his tools over and helped me fix it. The contrast between him and Liam was so stark, I couldn’t seem to find the words to write back to Lincoln. I guessed Lincoln and I were more alike than I’d originally thought. How did I explain to him why I’d been so naïve? So dumb?So I did what every girl did in times of turmoil. I tuned out real life, headed to the freezer, and found a pint of rocky road ice cream to soothe the hurt. I also found a bottle of vodka in the back I hadn’t put there. If there was ever a time for a drink, it was when your ex showed up and tried to stir the pot of your new life. I poured a shot in a glass and raised it to the ceiling.“Cheers, Aunt Betty.” Then I slammed it back.Voices on the front porch woke me the next
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 41- Lincoln
I hadn’t heard from Hannah in twenty-four hours. I’d sent her four texts and had finally called her late before I’d gone to bed, but the call had gone straight to voicemail.I laid in bed that night, my mind working its way slowly through all the various reasons why Hannah had gone silent, and then throwing up evidence to support the idea that I hadn’t gotten it all wrong all over again. Even my mother thought there was something real between us.Had the muppet appeared in his nice truck with his shiny hair and swept her off her feet so easily? Was everything we’d said to one another nothing more than words, easily spoken, easily forgotten? Had I somehow misinterpreted Hannah’s words or actions?When daylight began to stretch across the sky, I was already up, sitting on the tiny balcony facing the parking lot outside my building, a cup of coffee in my hand and my mind dark. It was times like this when I really didn’t enjoy being myself. When my own mind felt alien to me, like it was w
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 41.1
“You learn,” he said simply. “Let your tongue to decide. The grapes are ready? Or no, they need more sun.” Jacques had a habit of omitting certain words when he spoke in English, though I’d heard him speak fluently when talking to other winemakers at a meeting we attended recently. When he was flustered, words dropped.“I know how to read the refractometer,” I told him, hoping we could just fall back on the science of numbers. Those, at least, were clear.“That is half,” he said, huffing out a breath. “Maybe less than half. Wine . . . it is art. It is shadows of certainty. The winemaker, he is decisive and smart. He—or she—must trust the heart, the mind, the mouth. You decide.” He poked me in the chest, hard.I stepped back and pulled a grape from another bunch, closing my eyes and letting the juice burst on my tongue. I knew I was supposed to be measuring the sugar content to determine whether these grapes were ready to harvest or not, but I didn’t have a lot of experience trusting m
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FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 72- Dalton
Me: Guys, we need your help. Rae is leasing the Chest R. Cheeses next month and I’m going to need some muscles to get it into shape for her studio. Can I count on you to help?Lincoln: Dude. I’m almost finished with Hannah’s cottage. I’m practically a general contractor by now.Dillon: Well, I would, but I don’t live here. Maybe I can squeeze in a weekend?Boston: Of course we’ll help. But first, I need to get everyone together for an announcement before Dillon flies out. Can you make it to the winery at seven tonight?Everyone agreed to meet, but I was more focused on the fact that they agreed to help Rae and me. Now that we were back together and better than ever, I wanted to get her set up in her new space as soon as possible. Her business was exploding, especially after someone posted a snippet of the flash mob on TikTok yesterday. Fans were going berserk about us being together in real life.My phone rang and I picked it up, even though I didn’t recognize the number. Quite frankl
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 71- Raeanne
For two days after the flash mob, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. Every time I closed my eyes, Dalton was there, dancing and singing with half of Solano Creek. It was the perfect gesture, and I’d heard there was stiff competition between the Cunningham boys when it came to romantic gestures. And every time I wondered if I’d imagined the whole thing, my hand found the little gold key around my neck.We’d gone to dinner after the flash mob, along with Dalton’s family and mine, and the little Italian place we’d chosen had given us all free appetizers when they learned we were the ones who’d been dancing and singing out on the promenade.And after dinner? I’d gone home with Dalton after picking a few things up at my place. And so far, I hadn’t exactly left. We agreed it was too early to make big decisions, so no one was giving up an apartment or anything. Not yet. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to spend every second I could with the man I knew I was meant to find.“You look ha
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 70- Dalton
I didn’t know how Rae did it. Stepping up on stage for dance performances every few months growing up. I thought for sure I’d puke just getting everything set up for my make-or-break moment at the Promenade. If I thought about actually having to dance in front of everyone at the end of this ill-thought-out shindig, I just might lose my breakfast.“Don’t jack it up now, brother,” Dillon clapped me on the shoulder and gave me a shake. “Dude, you look a little green.”I didn’t like the way he was peering at me, like I’d grown a second head. “You try throwing it all on the line for a girl with everyone you know—and people you don’t know—watching you. You’d be a little green around the gills too.”Dillon flinched back. “Yeah, no. No way would I do that for a girl. Nope. The trend stops with you three.”He had a valid reason for concern. Us Cunningham brothers were notorious for putting on quite the spectacle to get the girl. When I’d hatched the original plan with Lincoln, it had grown leg
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 69- Raeanne
The days felt like they were dragging by. Like the kind of dragging weighed down by heartbreak and disappointment, by uncertainty and a little bit of self-loathing thrown in for good measure. The glass on the front of the studio hadn’t been fixed. I’d spoken to three glass shops and the landlord of the building, and evidently there was some kind of glass shortage in Solano Creek.“All those wine bottles we make here,” the landlord surmised.“I doubt that’s it,” I told him, pacing my apartment again. I could see a faint track worn into the brown rug where I’d been pacing regularly for days. Soon I’d probably go right through the floor. I needed to dance. I needed my life back.And I didn’t know if I needed him, but I really wanted Dalton. But my pride was still up and every time I picked up the phone I ended up talking myself back into anger. He didn’t understand me. And if this had been bad, it would only get worse if we dragged this thing out.Or that’s what I’d been telling myself r
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 68- Dalton
Twinkle Toes: I think so.I shut the screen off and tossed the phone on my nightstand. I couldn’t look at it any longer. I’d stared at our last text exchange so many times over the last few days I had the whole conversation memorized. Staring at it didn’t make the pain go away, nor did it provide answers as to what had gone so epically wrong. I mean, that had to be some kind of relationship crash and burn record right there. From I love you’s to broken up in twenty-four hours. Maybe Rae was right. I should probably stick to the light and funny stuff. Leave the grown up, complicated adult things for everybody else who could clearly handle them better.I was late for work, but who would really care? Boston was still on his honeymoon and Leslie was probably organizing his tackle box for the inevitable fishing trip right after his retirement party. My phone vibrated and my heart decided to gallop out of my chest, thinking it was Rae. But it wasn’t. Probably would never be again.Dillon Th
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 67- Raeanne
Inside my apartment I sank heavily onto the little couch I’d inherited from my grandmother. The cheery floral pattern was completely at odds with my mood. I leaned back into the dusty embrace of the yellow roses, my spine releasing some of the indignant tension I’d been holding there.What had Dalton been thinking? Was my studio a complete joke to him? How could he expect me to just pick up the whole thing and drop it down into the center of a Chest R. Cheeses? The place had been a total circus. I could still hear the shrieks of kids screaming over the maniacal music they’d piped in to float above the roar of the arcade machines.I was a classically trained ballerina. And while I didn’t expect Dalton to understand all the various implications of that and what it meant to me—about me—I did think he had respect for what I did. For the fact that I was running an actual business, and doing it increasingly well.But maybe I’d been wrong. Both Dalton and my dad had decided I couldn’t contin
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 66- Dalton
The rollercoaster of emotions over the last twenty-four hours had me up at dawn, energy crackling in my veins when I should have been sleeping in and enjoying my weekend. After we got Rae’s studio cleaned up last night, she’d gone home to her place, stating she was incredibly tired and needed rest. She’d been so busy with teaching and hiring, and now the added stress of a break-in, I didn’t push her to stay at my place. Plus, her parents were standing right there and I didn’t think that would make the best first impression. But her parents were on my mind now.I’d had an epiphany somewhere around three in the morning as I lay in bed trying to sleep. I’d gotten Rae into this mess by choosing her videos to duet to win my bet. I needed to get her out of this mess. The guilt of being the impetus for all of this would eat me alive if I didn’t make things right. I couldn’t undo what had been done. I couldn’t make her suddenly less TikTok famous. The only thing I could do was protect her goi
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 65- Raeanne
I’d never been the sappy type, not really. Sure, I could get a little choked up listening to music or when the corner bakery got the devil’s food exactly right. But this was different. As the Cunningham brothers proceeded down the center aisle with El’s bridesmaids on their arms, a little knot of emotion formed in my throat.Lincoln and Hannah went first, then Dillon and El’s friend Ashley. Dalton appeared next at the end of that long aisle, and my heart expanded inside my chest. He walked El’s friend Gigi down the aisle, but his eyes found mine in the crowd, and held fast nearly the entire time. When he took his place at the front, near the arch of white flowers, I realized I’d been holding my breath, and I let it go just in time to turn back to see El stepping out from the back and to the head of the aisle, her mother Robin at her side. El looked gorgeous—glowing and bright, her hair curled and shiny, and her dress was a satin sheath clearly made just for her. She gazed around, but
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 64 - Dalton
I adjusted the fancy tie around my neck for maybe the hundredth time that morning, unsure if my nerves were for Boston and El, the best man’s speech I’d need to give at the reception, or because I intended to man up and tell Rae exactly how I felt about her today. So many times over the last week, it had been right there on the tip of my tongue. The three little words that seemed so inadequate for what was going on inside my chest whenever I was around her, or thought of her, or caught a sweet jasmine scent that reminded me of her body lotion I was obsessed with. I hadn’t been looking for her, but she’d danced her way into my heart nonetheless.Was it too early to tell her I loved her? I mean, we’d only been dating for just shy of a month, but it wasn’t so much the time, it was the depth of what we’d shared. We were working on a shared goal, each of us supporting the other. To her, I wasn’t just the funny guy. Everything about us together was just plain nice. Maybe the word nice wasn’
