Don't Fall

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Copyright © 2023 by Meg Becker All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. For more information, address: [email protected]. First paperback edition June 2023. Book cover by Books and Moods Edited by Alexa Thomas, The Fiction Fix ISBN 979-8-3985-1412-4 www.authormegbecker.com Contents Blurb Dedication Playlist Forward 1. Mackenzie 2. Bryson 3. Mackenzie 4. Bryson 5. Mackenzie 6. Bryson 7. Mackenzie 8. Mackenzie 9. Bryson 10. Mackenzie 11. Bryson 12. Mackenzie 13. Bryson 14. Mackenzie 15. Mackenzie 16. Bryson 17. Mackenzie 18. Bryson 19. Mackenzie 20. Bryson 21. Mackenzie 22. Bryson 23. Bryson 24. Mackenzie 25. Bryson 26. Mackenzie 27. Bryson 28. Mackenzie 29. Mackenzie 30. Bryson 31. Mackenzie 32. Bryson 33. Mackenzie 34. Bryson 35. Mackenzie 36. Bryson 37. Mackenzie 38. Bryson 39. Bryson 40. Mackenzie 41. Bryson 42. Mackenzie 43. Bryson 44. Mackenzie 45. Bryson 46. Bryson 47. Mackenzie Epilogue Want more? More by Meg Acknowledgements About the Author I made him promise to follow the rules. MACKENZIE I didn’t want his help. The last thing I needed was to spend my time thinking about my best friend’s older brother. Falling for him was off limits. When it became harder to stay away from him, I kept it a secret. I knew we’d stumble eventually. Would we be able to catch ourselves when we did? BRYSON Making a deal with my sister’s best friend was a mistake waiting to happen. She didn’t want to admit she needed me, but I couldn’t walk away when I could help her succeed. I was determined to make her see herself through my eyes. She told me to promise that I wouldn’t fall. I wouldn’t make promises I couldn’t keep. For myself because sometimes you just have to believe you can make your dreams come true. …and to any of the girls that have ever cringed when they looked in the mirror. You’re fucking beautiful. Playlist Hypotheticals by Lake Street Dive Baby Let’s Go by Fruition Can I Be Him by James Arthur Like You Mean It by Seven Rodriguez Simply the Best by Tina Turner The Reminder by Chris James Mine by Bazzi Heartworks by Wingtip For the Rest of Your Life by Teddy Swims Before You by Benson Boone Some Girl by Andy Grammar Mark on My Heart by Olly Murs Flowers Need Rain by Preston Pablo and Banx & Ranx Wildflower by Blake Yung feat. MOD SUN Don’t Blink by Fancy Hagood You by Dan + Shay “To love is risky. Not to love is foolish.” -Maxime Lagacé Chapter one Mackenzie“I have nothing to wear!” I threw a fourth pair of jeans into the pile of clothes growing in front of the closet door. I was already late for my best friend’s birthday, and I knew she would have plenty of questions about why. That’s how Amanda was. What was I going to tell her? That it took me forever to figure out what to wear, even though I ended up wearing the same skinny jeans and plain V-neck I always wore? “Ugh!” “What was that?” I hadn’t heard Jeremy walk in behind me. He was probably here to hurry me along, just like he always did when I took what he thought was too long to get ready.“I’m struggling to find something to wear.” The excuse rolled off my tongue much too quickly. He eyed the pile of dresses and tops pulled from the back of my closet that now covered the once-clean bedroom floor. As he rolled his eyes, I made a mental note to make sure it got put away after the party.“What’s wrong with what you’re wearing?” The look he gave me was frustrated and impatient. Jeremy never was much for compliments or admiring what I wore, but I had been hoping to change that—hoping to reignite the spark from when we first started dating.I stared at how the boring white shirt hid most of my figure, how I looked shorter in the skinny jeans than I was. I wanted to wear something different, something fun. “I just wanted to wear something cute. I wanted to look nice tonight.” He sighed. “Why? We’re just going to a stupid party. It doesn’t matter, does it?” The lack of excitement was clear in his tone. He had been trying to convince me to go to the bar with him and his friends instead, but I wasn’t going to miss my best friend’s twenty-fifth birthday. He knew that, but he was going to make sure I knew he wasn’t happy about it.“I know you’re upset about not going to the bar with the guys. I wanted to make it up to you by looking good.” I grabbed the faux black leather jacket that was my go-to—the one with the cracks on the elbows after years of regular wear.A thud echoed in the room when his palm met my ass cheek, and he squeezed. “You can make it up to me later, if you know what I mean.” I should’ve known he’d be expecting me to do more than wear a new dress to make him happy. My mouth dried out, anticipating what I knew he’d ask for.I should love going down on my boyfriend, or at least want to please him. He wouldn’t ever ask me, though; he’d just put his hands in my hair and push my head down to his waistline. Then, after he came, we were done, and I was left unsatisfied. He didn’t ever return the favor.“Let’s go,” he said, nodding his head towards the door. Jeremy was quiet in the car, and the silence was deafening. I was relieved when I put my