Page 88 of Sugar Coated Secrets

Not wanting to cause her stress, I agree, “I’ll be right back.”

I pat Mary’s shoulder on the way out. I open the door reluctantly and find Ford sitting on the old beat-up bench outside with his head in his hands.

He looks up when he hears the groan from the front door as I push it open.

He gets up from the bench, smoothing out his black T-shirt. “Dulce.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “What are you doing here, Ford?”

“Why aren’t you answering my calls?” he asks like he doesn’t already know.

I'm still trying to figure out how he got my number since I changed it four years ago, but he'll lie about it, and I'm sick of the lies. I’m tired of this town and the people in it.

“Because I have nothing to say to you.”

He clears his throat. “Is this about Summer?”

“You don’t owe me an explanation. For all I know, you have ten women back home waiting for you wherever you live.”

It’s then I realize that I don’t know where he lives or much about his life outside of Airy and what is posted on social media.

“Vegas. I live in Vegas, and the world knows I’m not with anyone exclusively. And I'm telling you, I'm not with anyone else.”

“Good to know.” I turn away from him. “I have to get back inside.”

I pull the door.

“Dulce, wait.” He holds the door.

“What?”

“It’s not what you think. Summer and me. It’s not what it looked like.”

I shake my head. “I don’t care.”

That’s a lie, of course. I do care. Ford has the power to rip my heart out of my chest, and I need to save it because that is all that is left.

“But I do,” he says.

“Good for you.”

I pull the door, but he grips it tighter.

“Tell me what happened that night.”

“Why?” I croak. “Why would you ask me that?”

“Because I want to know.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I can’t tell you here.”

“Your grandmother doesn’t know, does she?”

I shake my head.

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