Ready to Fall

**A year ago, the boy next door asked me to marry him. Then he walked away.**

Travis is the guy my dad warned me about.

Six-foot-one, ripped, and tattooed.

Drives too fast, spends too much time working on old cars...getting dirty, working with his hands.

Definitely not the kind of guy the police chief’s shy daughter is supposed to be with.

At the end of every day, we’d say goodnight through our windows. Then he tempted me with something more.

He claimed me - all of me - and I fell for him.

The night of his mom’s funeral, he gave me the ring he’d saved up for.

We were each other’s firsts, and we swore to be each other’s lasts.

The next thing I knew, I was being questioned by my dad’s cop buddy. Being asked if I knew Travis’ whereabouts the night a crime was committed in our sleepy town.

He confessed to committing the crime. He went to prison for a year. But I can’t believe he’s guilty. I won’t.

But that means he chose to leave me, and that’s even worse.

He broke my heart, but I can’t get over him.

The way he made me smile, the way he teased me and tugged my hair...the way he showed me things this little town would never be able to. Those memories never really left me the way he left me.

Now he’s back, and he says he’s ready to claim what’s his.

But I don’t know if I can let him back in. I don’t know if I can forgive him.

He’s demanding another chance - but I don’t know if I’m ready to fall.