Shock - Marie Johnston Page 0,53
mine when she talked you out of the denim prom dress.”
Karoline’s laugh is louder than the rest of ours. “And Ryan kept trying to talk me into it.” She lowers her voice. “He was such a shit. I can’t wait until his kids are teens. He’s going to get paid back so hard.”
Over three courses, Ford’s shoulders visibly relax as Karoline and Sergei regale us with stories of Ryan’s kids, their honeymoon, and life as newlyweds.
When the meal wraps up, Sergei secures the bill. Ford opens his mouth to argue, and I can guess why, though he’d never say it out loud. He doesn’t want them to think he can’t afford to pay for everyone on his paramedic wages. But Karoline’s in banking and her husband works for an architecture firm.
My opinion of them rises even higher when Sergei puts a polite hand up, stopping him before Ford can get a word out. His golden eyes are kind. “Please. You have made my wife very happy tonight. Ever since I met her, she’s talked about you and wanting to reconcile. Let me treat you and your date tonight.”
“Next time, it’s on me.”
Sergei grins. “Anytime. Anything you two need, call us, please.”
Karoline puts her hand on Ford’s arm. “Yes. Even if you don’t need anything, call, text, or send smoke signals. Whatever works.” She turns her megawatt smile on me. “It was so good to finally talk with you, Lia. Can I get your number so I don’t have to bug Ford for it later?”
I was ready for the usual round of “Let’s do lunch” promises that everyone knows will never materialize into actual lunches, so it takes me a second to regroup. “Yeah, sure,” I say, fumbling for my purse. Just as I dig my phone out, a message notification pops up on the screen. Samuel.
Just checking in on you. Everything going okay?
I haven’t forgotten him, but I stare at the screen only for a moment before clicking away from it and exchanging numbers with Karoline.
We leave the restaurant and walk out into the mild evening. Warmth kisses my skin even as the sun fades below the horizon. Karoline waves as she and Sergei peel off toward their car. Ford puts a hand on my back. “Everything all right?” he murmurs.
I think about how to answer his question and whether it’ll be any different than how I’ll answer Samuel’s. “Samuel sent a message asking how I was doing.”
Ford opens his car door for me and trots around to the driver’s side. “He still wants you,” he says after he gets inside.
“It doesn’t matter.” Maybe Samuel’s dreaming of me at night and all the ways he could win me back, or maybe he’s reconciling with his ex-wife, or maybe he’s even hitting the dating scene with someone new—it doesn’t matter. “I don’t want to get back together with him.”
“I think you made that point when you moved to a different town and changed careers.”
“Ugh, seems dramatic when you say it like that. The jilted bride, leaving town to start fresh and find herself.” I stare out the window at the passing trees and couples out for an evening stroll on the walking paths, on their way home before it gets too dark. “All over a guy. Next time, a man is not going to be behind any of my decisions—not where I live, not what I do for work, nothing.” No one but me.
Ford’s quiet for a moment. “Did you tell him that?”
“No. I’m going to ignore the message. Just because he asked doesn’t mean I have to answer.”
“Moving to another town didn’t dissuade him. Maybe you should tell him how you feel. Don’t let him get his hopes up only to then go on with your life like he doesn’t mean anything.” His hand is clenched on the wheel and the relaxed mood from earlier is gone. His gaze bores into the road.
“I packed my bags and moved out of his house, and the one time he tries to come and win me back, I showed you off. My part in not getting his hopes up is done.”
Tension eases out of him. “I know. I guess I don’t know how to react to some dude hitting up my girl. This is new.”
“It’s new for both of us.”
He nods and there’s no more discussion as he drives us back to my place. The words we said roll around in my head. Ford’s not the jealous type.
We said we wanted to date