Don't Fall (18 page)
Authors: Rachel Schieffelbein
Tags: #social issues, #mother daughter relationship, #teen romance, #fairy tale, #love and romance, #Rapunzel, #retelling, #family relationships, #young adult romance, #adolescence
“It’s okay, Mom. It’s okay,” I said, and I realized it was. Despite everything, I always knew she loved me. We stepped into my room, sat on the edge of my bed, and let the tears wash away our anger.
“I want you to stay, Anya,” she said, holding my hand. “I know you’re eighteen now, but that’s still young.”
I wanted to stay. I loved Zander, but I wasn’t ready to live with him. But I couldn’t go back to the way things were, either. “It can’t be the same.”
“I know.”
We spent the afternoon talking. I told her about Zander, and she actually listened. We agreed that I would move back home and complete my last year of school with my tutor. But I would keep my job at Baby Cakes, and I would keep dating Zander. She agreed to give me more freedom, although I could tell by her face it pained her to do so.
“How did you grow up so fast?” she asked, running her hand down one of my braids. It was a question that didn’t need answering, so I just leaned into her side. She kissed the top of my head.
“Well, I guess I better meet this boy of yours, huh?”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Zander
If Anya was nervous to meet my mom, I was terrified to meet hers. That is, to meet her again. Our first couple of meetings, in the dark of their backyard in the middle of the night, had not gone so well. And Anya was not helping.
“She hates me.”
“Well, not really,” she said, dragging me down the sidewalk. She’d met me at my place so we could go over to her house together. “I mean, she won’t once she really gets to know you.”
“Thank you. That’s very reassuring.” I glared at her, and she reached up and kissed my cheek.
“She’s going to love you.”
“All I care is that
you
love me. I just want her to like me enough to feel comfortable with us being together. And not to call the cops on me.” I also wanted her to stop scaring the crap out of me, but I wasn’t about to say that to Anya.
Anya laughed, linking her arm through mine and pulling me forward again.
Her mom met us at the door, took a deep breath, and put on a very fake smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Zander.” She put out her hand, and I shook it. She squeezed the hell out of it, but I managed not to flinch. She stared me down with the same icy look she’d given me when we met before.
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” I said, meeting her gaze even though my stomach threatened to throw up. “Thank you for having me over.”
She led us into the dining room. Three portraits hung on the wall. Anya, her mother, and a girl who must have been Lauren. Her flaming red hair matched her mom’s. Anya’s photo was pale and soft in comparison, but, in my opinion, even more beautiful. I stared at Lauren’s face, thinking about how this girl I’d never met, whom Anya had never met, affected all of our lives.
Most of dinner was pretty quiet, but her mom did seem to be trying. She asked me about my family and the classes I’d be taking at college. Slowly the frost left her face, and she was able to smile at me without it looking like it hurt.
Afterward she walked me to the door with Anya. “Thank you for coming.” She actually sounded like she meant it. We weren’t going to be buddies any time soon, but I felt like I’d accomplished what I’d come for.
“Of course,” I said. “I’d do anything for your daughter.” Anya beamed at me. Her mother looked back and forth between us and finally just shook her head.
It was clear she wasn’t leaving the entryway to let Anya and I say goodbye, so we gave each other a quick kiss. “See, she didn’t call the cops or anything,” Anya whispered in my ear.
“Thank God. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I kissed her cheek, and her hand lingered on mine as I went out the door.
Classes would be starting the next day. I had two in the morning, but planned to meet Anya afterward. She started with her tutor in a week, and we knew we’d be busy. Even so, we’d be able to see each other more than twice a week. It was going to be a wonderful fall.
Anya
The bakery was warm and smelled like bananas and cinnamon, the flavor of the day. My hair, wrapped around my head, was weighing me down, and a few hairs had come loose and stuck to the back of my neck. I wondered if it might be time to cut it.
Blake and Shannon sat at one of the iron tables, drinking coffee and licking frosting from their fingers. They often came to visit me while I worked.
“Do you work tomorrow?” Shannon asked, folding her empty cupcake liner.
“Yep, in the afternoon.”
“What’s the flavor of the day going to be?”
“I don’t know. Denise decides. It usually depends on what kind of mood she’s in. Why?”
“Just curious. The banana cinnamon was pretty good, but I’m in the mood for something chocolaty.”
I laughed. “We always have chocolate cupcakes.”
“But I want something
unique
and chocolaty.” She twirled her blue tips around her finger. “Like chocolate marshmallow, or—oooh! Chocolate chili!”
“Yes!” Blake agreed, pointing at Shannon. “Spicy chocolate. I like it.”
“Okay, I’ll let Denise know.” The bell above the door jingled, and my head spun toward the sound. Zander walked in, his dark hair messy and a messenger bag over his shoulder. He looked sexy in study mode.
He leaned over the counter and kissed me.
“Okay, you guys,” Blake said, waving the swizzle stick from her coffee at us. “Not where we eat.” Zander gave her a dirty look and kissed me again. Blake and Shannon booed, but we just laughed.
I got him a cupcake and a glass of water. As he took a seat with the others and pulled out a textbook, I was hit with a wave of happiness. I went into the back and grabbed my camera. Without them noticing, I snapped a few pictures of them, sitting all together. My friends.
I zoomed in on Zander as he leaned over his book. The light from the window shone behind him, bringing out the red highlights in his near-black hair. I set the camera down, and a happy sigh slipped out between my lips.
Zander looked up at me and grinned. His dark eyes shone, and my heart swelled in my chest. The girls didn’t seem to notice us staring at each other as they chatted. He winked at me. Somehow, even outside the library and our clearing in the woods, we were still in our own world. Everything else could fade away, and he and I would remain, tied together by something I couldn’t quite explain. In its simplest term, love.
I’d fallen madly, wildly, completely in love with Zander. And he had fallen with me.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I have so many people to thank, I don’t even know where to start.
My Beta Buddies, an amazing group of writing friends who help improve my writing and my spirit. Theresa Paolo, Cassie Mae, Kelley Gerschke, Leigh Covington, Suzi Retzlaff, Jessica Salyer, Jennie Bennett, Jenny Morris, Lizzy Charles, Hope Roberson, and Jade Hart, you ladies are made of awesome. Thank you so much for all your support and encouragement, for pointing out all my over-used words, and everything in between. I love you girls!
Thank you to everyone at Swoon Romance who made this book possible. Thank you to my editor, Mandy Schoen, who actually thought I could write a whole novel, and who didn’t think it stunk once I did! Thank you for believing in me and my work. Thank you to Georgia McBride for the huge amount of work you put into Swoon, and making dreams come true for all your authors.
Thank you to Emily Taylor for creating a gorgeous cover. I love the free fall feeling of it, and I know Anya would approve.
I want to thank my readers, but fear I don’t have enough words to do it sufficiently. Without you I’d just be talking to myself. I hope you fall in love with Anya and Zander like I did.
And finally, thank you to my family. Big thanks to my mom, who showed me how a mother should be. To my sisters for listening to me talk about fictional people. And to my husband and my kids, without their patience while I sat at a computer screen, I would never have been able to finish anything. Thank you for believing in my dream, and giving me the time and encouragement to see it through. I love you guys!
RACHEL SCHIEFFELBEIN
Rachel Schieffelbein grew up in a tiny town in Southeast Minnesota reading books, riding horses, and participating in speech and theater. She is now married with four kids and enjoys reading books, riding horses, and coaching speech and theater. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! She enjoys writing characters she can relate to, ones she would want to hangout with, or fall in love with. She hopes her readers will love them, too.
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