Page 27 of Her Mountain Boss
The silence that follows is deafening. Jenny presses a hand to her mouth, while Derrick’s face darkens. Sophia’s hand lands on my thigh, squeezing hard. I lower my hand from her back and place it on top of hers, squeezing back.
“You can’t be serious, Ford,” Derrick says, his voice low but no less harsh for its lack of volume. “She’s your niece, for Christ’s sake. And she’s half your age.”
I hold his gaze, unwavering. “I’m well aware of that, Derrick. But it doesn’t change how we feel. We didn’t choose this. It just happened. It was…” I shrug, and Sophia turns her hand palm up, weaving her fingers with mine.
“Inevitable,” she finishes for me, and I nod.
Jenny’s voice shakes slightly as she speaks. “Sophia, honey, what are you thinking? This is… this is wrong. He’s your uncle.”
Sophia takes a deep breath, her voice steady. “He’s not though, Mom. Not in any way that matters. He’s my step-uncle. We’re not related by blood.” She takes another breath and squares her shoulders. “I love him. And he loves me.”
Our table falls silent again, the weight of our confession hanging heavy in the air. Derrick and Jenny exchange a look, their faces a mirror of shock and disbelief.
Jenny’s eyes flash, and I can see anger bubbling below the surface. “You were supposed to be here to learn, Sophia. To grow. And instead you…what? Hopped into the boss’s bed?”
Sophia flinches, her shoulders tensing, but she doesn’t shrink away. Instead, she straightens, meeting her mother’s eyeshead-on. Her voice shakes, but it’s strong, filled with conviction. “No. I fell in love with someone who saw me. Who took care of me. Who has never treated me like a child.”
Jenny makes a disapprovingtsksound, and it takes all the restraint I have not to tell her off. But given that I’m in this for the long haul with Sophia, I know that getting into it with Jenny isn’t the right move. Especially because Sophia’s holding her own just fine.
The tension is so thick it’s suffocating. Derrick’s face is a mask of shock and anger, his jaw clenched tight. Jenny looks like she’s been slapped, her eyes wide, mouth agape.
Sophia takes a deep breath, her thumb rubbing against my hand. “And I won’t apologize for it. Being with Ford is what I want.”
That’s my girl. Stronger and braver than she thinks, but I’m not surprised. She has so much strength inside her.
Jenny’s gaze shifts to me, her eyes narrowing. “And you,” she says, her voice like ice. “You should know better. She’s half your age.”
I meet her gaze, unflinching. “Here’s what I know,” I say, my voice steady. “I know that what we have is real. I know that I love her, and she loves me. And that’s all that matters.”
Derrick slams his fist on the table, making the dishes rattle. Several heads swivel in our direction. “This is insane,” he growls. “You’re both out of your minds.”
Sophia shrugs. “Maybe we are,” she says. “But it’s our choice to make. And we’ve made it.”
“What do you think people will say when they find out?” Jenny hisses. “When they learn that you’re with a man old enough to be your father? Who is technically your uncle?”
“Let them talk,” I say, calm and steady. “I’m not ashamed of her. Not for a second. We wanted to tell you the truth instead ofsneaking around behind your backs. Because you both matter to us, and what we have is real. We didn’t want to hide.”
Sophia turns to her mother, her eyes pleading. “He makes me happy, Mom. He treats me like gold. Don’t you want that for me?”
Jenny’s mouth opens, closes, then opens again, but no words come out. She’s at a loss, and I can see the wheels turning in her head. She’s trying to process, to understand. But sometimes, love doesn’t make sense. It just is.
Sophia looks at me, and I can see the love shining out at me. My sweet girl. And in this moment, nothing else matters. Not the shocked silence from Derrick and Jenny, not the potential fallout, not the judgment from others.
The silence stretches, heavy and uncomfortable, until Derrick finally speaks, his voice gruff. “I think we need some time to process this.” He looks at Jenny, who nods, her face pale. “We’re going to head back to the city tonight.”
Sophia’s face falls, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “You’re leaving?” Her voice is small, a whisper.
Jenny closes her eyes for a moment, her lips pressed into a thin line. She takes a breath, and then reaches out, placing her hand over Sophia’s. “We need some time, sweetheart. This is…a lot to take in.” My respect for Jenny grows in that moment. She’s shocked and upset, but she’s trying.
I can see the panic rising in Sophia, her breath coming faster, her eyes darting between her mother and me. I squeeze her hand. “It’s okay, baby girl,” I murmur. “They just need some time.”
Derrick looks at me, his expression serious. “We’re not disowning her, Ford. But we’re not exactly embracing this situation either. We’re overwhelmed.”
I nod, understanding. I’d expected as much. This isn’t something they can just accept overnight. “I get it, Derrick. It’s alot to take in. But I want you to know, I love her. And I’m going to take care of her. For the rest of my life, if she’ll have me.”
Jenny looks at me, her eyes searching. She nods, slowly. “I can see that, Ford. I just…I need some time.”
Sophia’s eyes fill with tears, and I pull her close, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay, kitten. They just need some time. They’ll come around.”
