Page 40 of Always a Bridesmaid
“You haven’t told your father hello yet?” Shetsked. “Kids these days. What happened to respecting your elders?”
With that, the woman walked off, muttering about the world going to hell in a handbasket.
Before Ford could attempt to revive the happy mood, Violet said, “It’s getting late. I should head out.”
She trudged over to where his friends were still shooting the shit, offered to pay for her drink—which was shut down with a chorus that boiled down tonope—and told them goodbye.
“I’ll walk you,” he said.
“I managed to get around Pensacola without an escort. I’m confident I can take on the streets of Uncertainty.”
“I’d feel better making sure you get home safely. You never know when another member of the Craft Cats will ambush you, and I’ve got experience dodging their knitting needles.”
Snickers went around the table, and Tucker explained that he, too, had been interrogated by the Craft Cats. “Without representation, I might add.”
“I’m all for the independent-woman thing,” Murph said, “but McGuire has a hero complex big enough to fill the Mississippi. He’ll worry about you the whole time, so it’d be easier for the lot of us if you’d allow the chivalry.”
And the award for best wingman went to Addie. Not that she was wrong, although he didn’t like the term “hero complex.”
“Come on then, Mr. Escort.” Violet gave another last wave. “Thanks again. Have a good night.”
As they stepped out of the bar, Ford wanted to put his hand on the small of her back or take her hand in his. Her stiff posture suggested it might not be welcome, though, and he respected people’s boundaries. Especially women’s.
Should I try to do damage control? Explain what Nellie Mae implied about me?
Not only did he doubt it’d do any good, he couldn’t deny what Nellie Mae had implied was somewhat true. He’d never excelled at the boyfriend thing, and there were plenty of locals who might think less of Violet for hanging around a “troublemaking McGuire.”
They’re all the same,he’d heard about his family, sometimes whispered and other times loud and clear. He’d never liked it much, but he had enough experience arguing with close-minded people to grasp how futile it was.
Still, earlier, when their game had turned flirty, he’d gotten an inkling of what a balanced life might entail. Which made it hard to shrug and sayoh well, guess I already lost my chance with this girl.
“Now I’m going to have to call my dad,” Violet said. “I’d die of shock if he hasn’t already heard I’m in town, but he hasn’t tried to contact me, so why doIhave to feel guilty?”
“You don’t have to.”
“Yet I do.” Her shoulders slumped, and she kicked a stray rock off the sidewalk. “It was nice pretending the crappy stuff didn’t exist for a while, you know?”
“I can imagine.”
The tiniest of smiles touched her lips. “What crappy stuff would you get rid of?”
“Natural disasters, probably. Hurricanes, floods, fires.”
“Wow. Way to make my answer sound overly frivolous.”
Ford jammed his hands in his pockets. “Sorry. After Nellie Mae called me a derelict, I needed to compensate. Speaking of, have I told you about how I singlehandedly saved every whale in Alabama?”
Violet giggled, and the knot lodged in his chest loosened. “And when will I get to see all these Alabamian whales?”
Keeping up with her wit was a challenge, one that sent a tantalizing zing through his bones. “Hanging out with the Loch Ness Monster in Lake Jocassee, of course. Might ought to mention both creatures are awfully bashful.”
“Sounds like your BS degree is more advanced than mine.”
His steps slowed as he neared Travis and Maisy’s front door. He didn’t want his time to be up yet, and he didn’t want to wait another week to see her.
Ford braced his hand on the doorjamb, words harder to form with the light from the outside fixture casting her in a golden glow. “Lexi made it clear you’d be a welcome addition to our bridal-shop outing. Honestly, I could use your help there, too. While a guy’s opinion can be a real asset—”
“Blech,” she said, adding a gagging noise while mimicking sticking a finger down her throat.
