Page 106 of Ford

His gaze met hers, and she drew in her breath at the storm in his eyes. “It’s always about the cave,” he said quietly.

Yeah, maybe it was. Or it started there… She touched his arm. “We were twelve years old. And we were scared. And—”

“And Dad never forgave me for getting you trapped in there.”

He said it so softly, it was more of a moan than words. He wouldn’t look at her.

“Is that what you think?”

“It’s what I know.” He stepped away from her, out of range of her touch. “I was sitting in the hospital, waiting to hear if you’d lived or died, and he came up and told me that I should have known better. That I got you in over your head.”

“What—? I got myself in over my head. I was the one who wanted to go swimming that day—”

“I should have stopped you.”

She blinked, frowning. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

He rounded on her. “I should havestoppedyou.”

“Just like I should have stopped you from going out for BUD/S?”

“It’s not the same thing.”

“It is—Ford, you seem to think it’s your job to protect everyone. When did God step off the throne and put you in charge?”

Ford’s lips thinned.

“Last time I looked, you weren’t the Savior of the world.”

“Tell that to Dad.”

“It’s a little late, isn’t it?” She didn’t mean it like that and instantly wanted to take back her words.

Ford just nodded.

“Ford—”

“No, you’re right. I’ll never be able to prove to Dad that…that…”

“That you’re just as capable as Reuben and Knox and Tate and Wyatt?”

“No. Just as capable ashim.”

His words silenced her. She wasn’t unaware of the gaping cutout her father had left behind for his sons—and daughter—to fill.

Ford walked away from her, to the edge of the metro line, staring down at the tracks. “He went to Tate’s graduation from Ranger school.”

She came up to stand beside him. “We all did. First time I flew on a commercial plane.

“I saw the way Dad looked at Tate, and I knew right then that I wanted to be a SEAL.”

Oh, Ford.

“I couldn’t think of anything tougher than a Ranger except a SEAL, so…yeah. That day I told myself I’d be a SEAL, and I dreamed of the day when Dad would show up at my graduation, see me get my Budweiser.”

She didn’t have to be a CIA analyst to get it. To understand how Ford, the youngest brother, the forgotten brother, might want the family to show up forhim. To be impressed withhim.

Her throat tightened.

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