Page 61 of Once Upon a Fall

Weird.

“The moon is so bright tonight,” I say to Dean as we stroll, my hands going into the pockets of my jacket. It’s chilly out, but not unbearably so. “It would be a great night to go up to the Ridge.”

“Where’s the Ridge?”

I stop in my tracks. “It’s the highest point of the town. You can practically see to Burlington from there. Have you never been?”

He shakes his head. “My grandparents didn’t take me, that I can remember anyway.”

“I’ve kept you from enjoying the town,” I say, still feeling remnants of guilt about Hal’s truck—and now about how much time Dean has spent working on the inn instead of seeing anything Autumn Ridge has to offer.

Which, to be fair, is not a ton. But still, he’s been cooped up in princess-themed rooms, finishing floors and painting walls. Not taking in the town at all, except for his runs.

“You haven’t kept me from anything,” he says. “I wanted to help.”

“Why?” I ask him.

He’s silent for a few seconds, our footsteps scuffing quietly against the sidewalk. I wait patiently because I really want his answer.

“I don’t know,” he finally says. “I don’t like sitting around, and you have a lot on your plate.”

I snort out a laugh. “That’s very true.”

I want to say thank you. It’s on the tip of my tongue. But I’ve said it so many times, it almost feels hollow. Even if I really and truly mean it.

As we approach the inn, I have a different idea.

“Want to see the Ridge?” I ask Dean.

“Right now?”

“Yeah. The view will be fantastic.” I pull my car keys from my coat pocket. “Come on.”

My old Honda Accord is parked next to Dean’s much prettier car. I unlock the doors and point toward the passenger side.

“Get in.”

That was very forward of me. I’m not sure what’s gotten into me tonight. Maybe there still is some adrenaline pumping through me.

Dean doesn’t seem to mind. “Okay,” he says.

We climb inside, and I carefully back out of the spot, making sure to leave plenty of room between my car and his.

It doesn’t take long to get there, and with no one else around, I back into the best spot.

“Let’s go,” I say, pulling the keys from the ignition.

I get out, walk around to the back of the car, and hop onto the trunk, my legs dangling over the edge. Then I pat the spot beside me.

Dean climbs up next to me.

“What do you think?” I ask, a hand gesturing toward the view.

From up here, Autumn Ridge looks like a tiny Christmas village someone forgot to put snow on. The moon is high and bright, turning the hills silver, while Main Street glows below us in little pools of yellow light. I can make out the shape of the inn, the church steeple, and a few storefronts, but everything else fades into trees and darkness. It’s quiet enough that the whole town looks asleep.

“It’s beautiful,” he says.

“Right? I used to come up here a lot when I was younger. Just to think.”