Page 25 of The Snuggle is Real
“So how will this all work then?” he asked warily. “Do I give you a list of things we need, and you do what you can? Or do you just have a general package and I take what I get? Not that I mind,” he said quickly. “Anything is appreciated. Just, Charlie already has her heart set on some things. But that’s not your problem.”
“Well—”
Ford raced on, talking over me. “You know, this is a bad idea. I can just get some more work. I don’t know when or where yet, but something will come along. And if not?—”
“Please stop,” I said firmly. “Take a breath.”
Ford looked around wildly, as if he wanted to escape. But he couldn’t run from his situation. He couldn’t hide from what Charlie needed.
“This is for Charlie,” I reminded him quietly.
He took a breath and nodded.
“And really, you’d be doing me a favor,” I said, a spark of inspiration firing in my mind.
“What do you mean?”
“I want to start a new program, and you’ll provide the perfect trial run.”
“So we’d be the guinea pigs?” he asked.
“Yep, exactly! You’d help me test out whether this program could work for other people. So when you think about it, you’d be helping a lot of families who might need it in the future.”
Ford gave me a skeptical look. “Do I look like a five-year-old?”
I swept my gaze over his tall, broad frame. “Definitely not.”
“Or like I’m lacking brain cells.”
“I—”
“No, don’t answer that. Your offer is a little too good to be true, but I can’t really afford to say no, even if you are placating me.”
“So you’ll do it?” I asked hopefully.
He met my gaze and let out a sigh. “You’re worse than Charlie, you know that?”
“I am?” I cast a glance her way. “But she’s adorable.”
“Yeah, she is.”
I cocked my head. “Are you…calling me adorable? I’m not sure how to take that.”
He laughed suddenly. “No. You’re just damn difficult to refuse.”
I grinned. “Ah, thatistrue. I’m glad you’ve realized now. It’ll save us a lot of arguing when it’s time to wear those ugly Christmas sweaters.”
“I’m never gonna live that down,” he grumbled, but he smiled as he rested one large hand on Charlie’s shoulder and turned his gaze back to the parade.
“This really is a beautiful display,” he murmured. “I’d forgotten.”
“Why is that?”
His smile faltered. “I haven’t been in four years. Never had a good reason to come back after…” He trailed off. “Well, Charlie needed this, so here we are.”
“See?” I said. “You’re giving her your best already.”
“Guess I’m a softie,” he admitted.
