Free When She Falls by Jez Strider Page A

getting old. I wore you out.” Candice grinned, stabbing her fork into a piece of strawberry and popping it into her mouth.
    “And yet, you are still seducing me with those pink lips. I have no complaints.” He stole a piece of cantaloupe from her plate. “What do you want to do today?”
    Her hand rested on her chin as she thought about it, still chewing the fruit slowly. “We should go by your store and pick out our wedding bands for when we decide to elope.”
    “I didn’t know we were eloping.”
    “I mean, I have no family and yours hates me. Seems like a good plan.”
    “They don’t hate you. They don’t know you, but I think I like this plan. It’s supposed to be our day and about us.” Logan agreed.
    Candice cleared off the table when they had finished and followed Logan to the car. “Where do you think we should get married?”
    “Doesn’t matter to me. I know some pretty secluded islands or we could travel to a foreign city like Paris. Whatever will make you happiest.” He opened the passenger side door for her and closed it before heading back around the car.
    “Man, that’s a hard decision. Both sound amazing. I’ve never been out of the country.”
    “We can go globetrotting. Need to get a passport for you.”
    She sighed softly and leaned against the head rest, watching Logan. “We will have the best time ever. I won’t even be afraid of planes or crowds. I know I’ll be okay with you there.”
    “Always.” He removed one hand from the steering wheel and held onto hers.
     
    They entered the mall, once again entwining fingers. A laugh was shared as they passed by the food court where they’d first awkwardly met. Their worlds had aligned that day, but fateful gunshots were about to shatter their dreams.
    Candice had jumped at the first sound of gunfire. Her head spun around to see if a prankster had set of f fireworks in the building. Before she could see what was happening, Logan’s strong hands had shoved her to the floor. She’d sprawled out on her stomach and started to get up when his body covered her.
    “Stay down.” His whisper came out harsh and strained against her ear.
    What other choice did she have? His body was like dead weight against her back. Her eyes drifted upward in time to see a young man, just a kid half her age, stick a gun into his mouth and pull the trigger. It had all happened so fast that she hardly knew what was transpiring until that moment. She let out a scream and buried her face against the dirty floor, but it was too late. It would be impossible to undo what she had already witnessed.
    Logan rolled off her and onto his back. His breathing was labored. Immediately, Candice was on her knees beside him. He spoke first as she stared down at him in horror. “Don’t freak… out. You will be okay.”
    Her entire body started shaking and she pressed her hands firmly where she saw the blood pooling from his chest. There was another wound in his stomach so she moved on e hand there. The red gushed around her fingers. It wasn’t stopping. Her eyes caught the sparkle of the engagement ring that had only been placed the night before. In a split second, it was coated with blood.
    “You will be the one okay. It’s not that bad. Barely a scratch.” She lied both to him and herself.
    His eyes seemed distant, as if he were far away, leaving her. Somehow he managed to lift his hand and touch her cheek briefly. “Find someone… to catch you when… you fall.” Limply, his hand brushed her skin as his arm fell to the ground.
    “Don’ t you die on me you son of a bitch. Please! I love you too much.” Her hands gripped his shirt and she tried shaking Logan back awake. His head hung lifelessly and his glasses fell from his face into the smeared blood. Candice started screaming. “Help us! Someone! Anyone!” She buried her face against his chest as the tears fell. No matter how quiet she tried to be or how closely she listened, there was no sound, no