Page 48 of Aisle Come Back to You

This is Evergreen Grove after all, where secrets never stay hidden for long. The last thing I need is for this to get around before any of it is truly worked out.

“You’ll figure it out. There’s no way that after all these years, when you finally catch the man of your dreams, you’d let something so silly and trivial stop you from taking what you fully deserve.”

“I know you’re right, and I don’t want anything stupid or petty to get in the way, but it’s also all so new. I don’t want to jinx it,” I explain, my smile dropping a little as she finally leads me into her classroom..

I’ve been in this room before since she’s been a teacher at Evergreen Grove High for six years now, but it never ceases to blow me away how beautiful and colorful it is in here. Her artistic talent is not only evident in her own artwork that decorates the walls, but also in the impressive pieces created by the students that she’s taught. Despite feeling like many of Ronnie’s amazing qualities have been overshadowed by Pete, it’s evident here that not everything has been changed or taken away.

“Well, I have faith that you’ll figure it out,” she says, walking toward her desk, where she does her best to straighten up a bit. “But I have to know…how was it?” she asks, wiggling her brows suggestively.

My mouth drops open in shock. Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that she would ask this, since we tend to tell each other everything and I’ve always been open about all my other sexual exploits, but now that it’s Ford, it somehow feels different. It’s abit odd, but there’s a part of me that feels a desire to safeguard it and keep so much of last night and that moment just for us.

“What?” she innocently asks as she looks up. “It may be Ford that we’re talking about, but a girl needs to know these things.”

“It was good.” I smile, looking down at my shoes. “Really good, actually.”

She rubs her hands together. “I knew it,” she squeals before reaching for a sealed envelope on her desk. “And, it makes this make a little more sense,” she says, bringing it over to me. “After lunch, he gave it to me and asked that I give it to you.”

I’m sure I look pathetic with my lovesick grin as I look down at the letter, but I can’t help it. Maybe it’s sort of ridiculous since it almost feels like the bare minimum for him to bring me breakfast in bed and write a little note, but I’m honestly not used to this kind of treatment. I suppose what they say is true: if a guy wants to, he will.

“Well,” she encourages, spinning her hand as if to beckon me to continue, “open it.”

Doing as I’m told, I run my finger across the seal to break it before pulling out a small yellow sticky note.

Hey Blair bear,

I was hoping you’d do me the honor of going out on an official date with me tomorrow night.

Forever yours,

Ford

P.S. You look great in my shirt, but even better without it

“Holy shit,” Ronnie squeals next to me, making it completely obvious that she was reading over my shoulder. “He’s got it bad.”

I don’t even know how to respond as my eyes trace over the words once more, that same silly grin lighting up my entire face.

“Well? You going to say yes?” she asks in a teasing sing-song voice.

“What do you think?” I ask, finally tearing my eyes away from his note.

“Well, Ithinkwe need to find you a hot-ass new outfit that will blow his silly little Ford brain to pieces.”

“I thought today was about me helping you finish up your seating chart and centerpieces,” I say, doing my best to not make this week or even today about me.

She brushes me off with a small wave as she reaches for my arm and yanks me toward the door. “This is way more important, and I’ll get my mom and aunt to finish that up.”

I pull back and stop in place. “Ronnie, I appreciate this, but the whole reason I came home in the first place was for you and your wedding. Not so Ford could take me on a date.”

“And I love hearing you say that, but if things go well with you and Ford on this date, that could maybe mean I’ll be seeing you more often. So once again, in my eyes, this is way more important, and you don’t have to worry,” she continues, dismissing my worries with another small wave. “One way or another, I’ll get everything for my wedding done in time. I’m not worried about it, so you don’t need to be either.”

I can’t help but give in as I move forward and give her a hug. “I love you, Ron.”

“Love you too,” she says, kissing the side of my head before reaching for my hand as she pulls back. “But enough of this mushy stuff. It’s time to make sure this date goes perfectly. Our future lives depend on it.”

25

Ford

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