Page 82 of The Wrong Date Deal

August’s throat felt thick. She didn’t feel like she’d settled that much. Nobody went into relationships hoping to settle. She’d thought she’d been doing okay, doing the right thing. Partners didn’t want to deal with all of her family drama, and she’d understood. She’d assumed that was how it went, that she didn’t deserve someone who wanted to handle that with her. But here was Ford, pointing out things she’d barely had the courage to acknowledge herself, let alone think anyone else had noticed.

She blinked rapidly and cleared her throat. “When did you get so wise, huh?”

He moved to sit beside her on the floor, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I grew up with a pretty great role model.”

“Oh, yeah? Mom and Dad teaching you all about being there for the people you love?”

He nudged her, the two of them swaying together slightly. “You, you dork. And, as you said, I’m a fully grown man now. You don’t have to carry the burden all alone. Maybe you felt the need to protect me when I was a kid, but, now, we get to be equals.” He shot her a sentimental look that transformed into a laugh. “And, as your equal, I get to tell you when you’re being a fool about a good woman who is clearly massively into you.”

“You think?” August asked, a little more emotional than she’d been planning to get tonight.

“If someone looked at me the way Piper looks at you, I don’t think I’d be holding up that first date for anything.”

She laughed. “Does it even count as a first date at this point?”

“Yes. For sentimentality’s sake.”

“You’re such a romantic.”

“And you’re not? I got it from somewhere. And, no, it wasn’t Mom and Dad, before you ask.”

August laughed again. There were many things you could accuse their parents of, but being romantics would not be high on the list. “Fair. Sorry for infecting you.”

He leaned reassuringly into her side, making her feel small in a pleasant way—like maybe he was right and she didn’t have to carry her burdens alone, like they really were equals these days. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Let us hope your new roommate is similarly sentimental.”

Ford laughed. “I think he’s more my landlord than my roommate.”

“You’ll be living together.”

“We will.” He smiled to himself, and August could see the relief that thought brought him. “I have a good feeling about it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He nodded, obviously going over his conversations with Hermes from the night. “Plus, we can gossip freely about what’s happening with you and Piper, because he’s just as much on that train as everyone else is.”

“Ugh.” August relaxed her body, dropping backwards onto the floor again. “I did get that impression from him.”

Ford laughed. “I don’t know why you’re being weird about it. Everyone there was thinking the same thing—even the people that weren’t part of our group.”

“They were not.”

“Excuse me? When was the last time you saw two people standing the way you and Piper were anddidn’tthink they were together?”

“Um. Well. Never, probably. But I’m sure I see it sometimes and don’t give it a second thought, so there’s no guaranteeeveryonethought we were together.”

He rolled his eyes. “I can’t wait until you two make it official so you can stop being ridiculous.”

“As you just pointed out, we haven’t even had our first date yet, so I’m not the one jumping the gun.”

“You’re the one being annoying about a woman you clearly adore.”

“I adore all my friends.”

“Not the same and you know it. Youliterallyjust told me it’s not.”

“Eh. I guess.” She laughed. “I suppose I just have to refrain from screwing up Thursday night?”

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