Page 97 of Always a Bridesmaid
Ford climbed out of bed, opened the drawer to his dresser, and grabbed a pair of boxer briefs.
As she was pulling on her panties, he stared and made ammm, mmm, mmmsound. “A guy could get used to this view.”
With a quick jerk, Ford yanked on his jeans and stalked toward her. Shirtless, the top button of his pants undone. When he reached her, instead of putting on his T-shirt, he slipped it over her head. Then he pressed his lips to hers.
“Hungry?”
“Starving. All that hiking and hot sex really works up an appetite.”
“Damn straight,” he said, taking her by the hand and leading her into the living room.
Since Violet was more qualified to prepare dog food than eggs, she fed them and then headed into the kitchen to watch Ford move from the fridge to the stove.
Sunlight streamed in from the window over the sink, highlighting every muscle and groove in his naked torso. He placed a plate of eggs and bacon in front of her and then circled the counter and sat beside her with his own plate.
Violet swallowed a bite of food as she gathered enough courage to ask the question she’d yet to ask. If she was going to truly consider staying in Uncertainty, she needed to know that meant commitment. Slowly integrating their lives by doing typical couple activities.
Not that she wanted to test Ford, but she also didn’t want to make the same mistakes she’d made before. Ever since the run-in with Cheryl at the bazaar, she’d had a hard time not fretting over the bakery’s grand reopening.
“Do you have plans on Thursday evening? Full disclosure: I kinda have a favor to ask.”
Ford twisted on the stool, his knee bumping into hers. “Well, you’re not wearing pants, so the odds are in your favor.”
Okay, big breath in, big breath out…“So you know how my father and I have a strained relationship?” Completely rhetorical, since she’d made it clear, so she kept on spilling her guts. “And in case you didn’t notice after the bazaar, that goes double for Cheryl. She seriously tried to bribe me to leave town.”
Ford clenched his jaw. “Typical Hurst move. Throw money at their problems to make them go away.” His fork hit his empty plate. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
His clear and present anger turned her into a boneless pile of a girl. “It’s okay. I appreciate it, actually.”
Time to ask him her question and see if he was the type of guy who’d show up.
“Anyway, Maisy’s having this sign-hanging and reopening event for the bakery at four o’clock. It was Cheryl’s idea, and my dad will be there to perform his mayoral role of cutting the ribbon, and to support Maisy, of course. I could use a hand to hold.” Violet gnawed on her lower lip. “Would you go with me? It’ll be easier to deal with everything with you there, and that way I don’t have to take on my dad and Cheryl alone.”
“I’ll be there,” he said.
Violet almost let the rest of what she wanted to say slide. But that stupid “shame on me” phrase bounced through her head, reminding her that she had to learn from past mistakes.
“While I’m sure this will shock you, I have some issues…” Violet arched an eyebrow, warning him not to comment. “Trust issues, mainly.” Her anxiety left her internal organs in tatters, targeting the air in her lungs until it’d eaten away the last of her reserves. “While I’d love to say everything was all Benjamin’s fault and he’s the only reason we fell apart, I didn’t always tell him what I needed. I made my fair share of mistakes, too…”
Like bashing in his car.A subject for another time, because her point was heavy enough without that fun tidbit in the mix.
“My dad’s also broken promises, and it’s made me realize how badly I need a guy who shows up.” She fiddled with the hem of the oversize T-shirt Ford had put on her, restless energy getting the best of her.
Ford grabbed her hand and folded it into his. “Hey. It’s my job to show up.”
“Yes, but I need you to show up not only because it’s your job but because you do what you say. Because you want to be there for me.”
Ford lifted her knuckles and placed a featherlight kiss atop them. “For you, Vi, I’ll always show up. I promise.”
Oxygen gradually returned to her lungs, and right as she opened her mouth in an attempt to find the words to express how much that meant to her, the dogs went wild barking.
Then a loud knock split the air.
…
Ford answered the door and immediately wished he hadn’t when he saw his father on the other side. The happiness that’d been on full blast since last night evaporated, his worries rising up and poking holes in it.
A visit meant Dad wanted something, and Violet was here, and the pedestal she’d put him on—while it felt damn nice—was about to get kicked out from underneath him.
