by Paige Rion
She wanted to say no. She should say no. Peter would be there in a few hours and it was her day off. Ford had no business being there. But even as her mouth opened, rounding on the simple, two-letter word, she heard herself saying, “Fine. I was headed out for a row before it got too hot.”
“Can I come with you?”
“Yeah. Let’s go now.” She grabbed the plate of her half-eaten pancake, scraped it in the trash, and placed it in the sink, marveling at Ford’s ability to stifle her appetite. On her way through the kitchen, she opened the cabinet next to the stove, retrieved a large mug and filled it with coffee from the pot. “More?” she asked, turning to Ford.
When he nodded, she filled his mug, put the carafe back on the counter, added cream and sugar to hers, then made her way through the rest of the kitchen and out onto the porch. She stepped into the cool morning and took a deep breath. The air smelled of freshly mowed lawn and lavender from her mother’s flowerbeds.
What are you doing, Andi? Taking him to the cove? If you want to be professional, have your talk right here!
When Ford appeared beside her, Andi shoved her thoughts down and cleared her throat. “Follow me.” She stepped into the yard, starting the familiar trek back to the cove. She said nothing as they walked, needing the silence to clear her head.
Passing through the fields, then the woods, they finally emerged through the clearing into the cove. “It’s over here.” She waved him along as she moved to the western side of the clearing near the water. Wild phlox grew in patches amongst the grass and the fleabane tickled her calves as they neared the water’s edge.
“What is this?” he asked, glancing around.
“It’s the famous cove you’ve heard about. You remember the history of the mill and my family...”
He pointed to the water. “This is the part of Lake Erie where the safe boats would come?”
Andi nodded. “Yep. It’s a tiny arm off the lake.”
“God, it’s beautiful.” He stood, hands on his hips, staring out at the calm, blue waters and the wildlife surrounding him.
“Yeah. It’s kind of my retreat. When I was a kid, I always came out here if I got into trouble or was upset about something. There’s nothing like the beauty of this place to heal the disappointment of your first boyfriend kissing your arch-enemy in junior high, or to help you grieve the loss of your childhood dog. It’s also a great place to sneak out to in the middle of the night with your two best friends and nothing but a flashlight and a bag of cheese curls.” She laughed. “Most of all, there’s nothing like this place to help clear your head and write.”
Turning to her, he shoved his hands in his pockets and stared before he said, “I’m sorry for saying anything about Peter. You’re right. It’s none of my business.”
Andi sighed. “To be fair, I never should have told you about him and what was going on with us in the first place.”
“I just…” Ford hung his head and kicked at a clump of moss. “I’ve never had this happen before, not since—there’s something here between you and I. Something special. Different.” His gaze found hers again.
All the air left Andi’s lungs, like the wind leaving a boat’s sails. She laughed. “I thought you didn’t believe in that kind of stuff.”
“Maybe you could make—”
“Ford …” Andi interrupted, raising a hand for him to stop.
“I know you feel it, too, or you wouldn’t have said the things you did yesterday. And, dammit, I don’t feel this way about people!” He shifted, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t let people in, but with you it’s easy … so easy. And it feels like I’ve known you a whole hell of a lot longer than I have. Like maybe I’ve known you forever, as cliché as it sounds.” He rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes.
Andi turned her back to him. She couldn’t listen to this. Why wouldn’t he just let this go? She needed him to let this go instead of making things impossible.
“I told you I’d remain professional, and I will.” Ford’s voice broke the silence. “Believe it or not, that was the initial reason for my visit this morning. But for some reason, when I’m around you, I can’t seem to help myself. I’ll try not to make this any harder for you. At least until you say otherwise. I just needed to say that first.”
Andi let out a shaky breath, knowing there was nothing she could say in response. She needed to find out what he wanted, then get back to her day and clear her head before her brunch with Peter. “Come on and help me with the boat.”
Underneath a large weeping willow, the old metal rowboat lay in the dirt. Andi curled her fingers around the side, the muck and mud digging into her nails, and together, they flipped it over. Pushing the nose of the boat into the water, Andi glanced back at Ford.
“Ladies first,” he said, holding onto the side, gesturing for her to get in.
Andi complied and stepped inside. It rocked slightly with the movement and addition of weight, but she took a seat and Ford climbed in after her. Grabbing the oars, he rowed them out into the water. Once they were several hundred yards out of the mouth of the inlet and moving further into the lake, he dropped them and let the boat coast.
Honeysuckle and kudzu draped over the stretching arms of the willows surrounding the lake, forming a cave-like atmosphere and scenting the air with honey. A gull cawed from above, and the water rippled. The leaves on the branches blew in the breeze, quivering like falling confetti. In the distance, a fish splashed into the water. And with the sight of the familiar refuge, Andi felt herself relax for the first time that morning.
“I thought I got the best spot in Callaway Cove with the old plantation. I guess I was wrong. This beats anything I’ve seen.”
Andi gazed at him, suddenly tired. The small talk, acting like everything was normal, wore her down. “Ford, what did you need?”
“Ah, yes. I left my briefcase in my car back at your house, but I wanted to talk to you about your book. I found your notebook at work the other day.”
Andi gasped and put a hand to her chest, her pulse leaping. “Oh, thank God.” She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again and smiled. “I thought I lost it. And I only have part of it saved in my computer.”
“I wasn’t sneaking around or looking through your things. Ms. Perry showed it to me. You must have left it there and she found it.”
Sure she did. “I know. I did leave it there, and then we went sailing and I didn’t get a chance to check for it that morning. Then, yesterday… Anyway, you have no idea how relieved I am that you have it.”
“That’s great. I hope you’re not mad but I read it.”
“You read it?”
“The whole thing.”
Oh, shit. Ford Delany read my book. What if he hated it? What if he thought it was complete crap? All her insecurities hit her like a flash flood, soaking through all her thoughts and submerging them.
He said nothing, just stared at her, his silence twisting anxiety into her gut like a knife. He must’ve hated it.
His gaze searched hers, his expression serious, before he said, “I loved it.” He smiled. “It blew me away, actually. Most people who want to write say they’re great, but they usually blow.” He laughed. “I didn’t know what to expect when I realized what it was. In fact, I was almost afraid to read it, but once I started, I was hooked and impressed beyond belief. It’s fantastic.”
Andi covered her face with her hands and let out a laugh, half in disbelief, half in excitement. “Really? You liked it that much?”
“I more than liked it. Andi, is that your first full length work?”
She nodded, bobbing her head like a Hawaiian dashboard doll. “Yeah. I wrote bits and pieces of stuff before this. I did a couple shorter works, but this is my first novel.”
Ford, shook his head and widened his eyes. “Well, I can tell you this. You have a huge future ahead of you. I can guarantee you that. I hope you don’t mind, but I’m sending it to my agent to read. I’ll need you
to finish typing it up, though, since it’s not all on your computer yet. And the ending’s missing.”
Andi’s mouth dropped. “Holy crap! Do I mind?” She slapped her hands over her mouth, and Ford laughed again. Her head swirled like a pinwheel, leaving her delirious with excitement. “Um, just give me a couple days and I’ll have it.” She ran her hands through her hair, unable to stop moving.
What if she woke up and realized this wasn’t real?
“Just to be sure,” she said, “one more time, because I can’t believe this, you’re sending my book to your agent?”
Ford smiled. “Yep. She’s expecting it, so as soon as it’s ready, just give me the file and I’ll send it over.”
But she barely heard him through the blare of her own thoughts, because one thing clawed to the surface and wouldn’t let go. What if this had nothing to do with her writing and more to do with his feelings for her?
“Wait.” She brought a hand up to her chest, bracing herself. “This doesn’t have anything to do with…” She pointed between them.
“No. No, of course not.” Ford answered immediately. “Despite what you think, I can be a professional. And when it comes to my writing and other people’s work, I am nothing but. I don’t sugarcoat things, and trust me, I would not send this to her if I didn’t think it was something she would absolutely love.” He grinned. “You have no idea how talented you are, do you?”
Andi ignored the question. She, Andi Callaway, had a real shot at representation by Ford Delaney’s agent!
She couldn’t hold it in anymore. She bounced in her seat and squealed, then threw her arms in the air. The boat rocked with the sudden movement. Ford leaned forward to stop her, but the abrupt shift of weight caused the canoe to tip.
Andi yelped and threw her arms out, but it wasn’t enough to stop the momentum. The boat rolled and tipped, capsizing and sending both of them splashing into the water.
Even while she sank into the dark, cold depths of the lake, the humor in the situation struck her. She laughed as she moved her arms to swim to the surface, but her foot caught on something below. She shook her leg, trying to free it from the obstruction, but she couldn’t. It was too dark to see under water, so she curled her body and pumped her arms until she reached the bottom of her leg and felt around it. Something rough and hard encased her foot, and as she glided her hands over the object, she felt the slime and barnacles that covered it, indicating it had been there a lot longer than she had.
Her mind flashed on the memory of a bad storm they had years ago that tore the cove apart and plunged several trees into the water. And now she wasn’t laughing, but instead, pulling on her leg. She yanked on her foot, hoping to break the rotting wood and free herself. But her foot still wouldn’t budge. Glancing around her for signs of Ford, she saw nothing.
Her throat burned and the ache in her chest grew. She hadn’t been prepared to go under when they fell off the boat. Laughing had left her lungs empty.
She clawed at the old tree trunk. Splinters of wood dug into her nails and the palms of her hand. Now frantic, she shook her leg. Pounding the log with her fist, she tried to loosen the grip on her foot, but the lack of oxygen made her head fuzzy and her limbs weak.
Her movements slowed as her arms and legs grew tired. Her mind went eerily quiet, and in the stillness, one thought came to her with shocking clarity. If she didn’t get her foot out, she would drown. She would die immediately after receiving some of the best news of her life. How was that for irony?
Her lungs caught fire and she wanted to take a breath. She needed to, and knew it was only a matter of time before her body forced her mouth open and she breathed in a lungful of lake water. She shook. Her chest heaved.
The edges of her vision darkened. And just before her world went black, she saw something come at her.
#
Andi coughed, spewing up the lake. Firm hands gripped her waist and rolled her onto her side. She wheezed in a breath and gagged, but forced herself to continue taking shallow, shaky breaths.
A warm hand smoothed her wet hair and rubbed her back in slow circles. She almost forgot where she was until she glanced up through bleary eyes to see Ford, dripping wet and hovering over her.
He leaned back on his heels and scrubbed a hand over his face, droplets of water spraying her as he did.
“God, Andi, you scared the hell out of me. I think I lost twenty fucking years of my life.” He huffed out a breath, his voice cracking. “You almost drowned.”
She opened her mouth and winced. “I know. I was there,” she rasped.
“Smart ass.” He paused, glaring down at her. “You did that dance and almost damn near killed yourself. I hope it was worth it.”
“It was. I got my manuscript in the hands of Ford Delaney’s agent.” Andi started to chuckle, but the laughter gave way to a hacking cough. She flinched and put a hand to her throat.
He gave her a sidelong glance, then started to stand, but Andi grabbed his arm. She took in the sight of him. The thin, wet cotton of his shirt clinging to his chest, revealing the muscles beneath. His sandy hair, tousled and soaked. His lips, still wet from the lake…
“Thank you,” she whispered. “You saved me.”
He nodded. “I did.” He stared at her a moment longer before he leaned in and brushed the hair off her forehead. The heat of his hand warmed her, and she caught the familiar scent of him that lingered on his jacket the day on his boat.
He went to pull away, but Andi caught his hand, holding it there.
He exhaled, breath caressing her skin. “How do you do it?” he asked.
She swallowed, a razor blade in her throat while his eyes searched hers. “Do what?”
His face became distorted and her vision blurred until she wondered if this all wasn’t just a dream.
“Get under my skin,” he whispered.
The second the words left his mouth, he leaned in and crushed his lips over hers, kissing her as though it was going to be his last time kissing anyone. She blocked out the world, blocked out every thought except of him and the warmth of his touch. His fingers trailed over her jaw, her throat, and moved over her cool, damp skin, leaving her breathless.
She tipped her head to the side, deepening the kiss, reveling at how the pain in her throat and the throbbing in her chest vanished with his touch. Never before had she felt this. As if she was soaring and falling at the same time. As if she was witnessing something exotic and rare. As if she could die right now and not care, as long as it was in his arms.
She reached up to him, running her hands through his hair, something she had wanted to do from that first day in his office. He groaned and every nerve came alive with each second his lips danced with hers. All her worries slipped away. She was invincible.
And then their lips parted and Ford breathed her name. But when she blinked her heavy eyelids open, seconds later, he was gone.
She sat up, clenching her empty hands as if he might rematerialize in her arms. Her eyes stung, water dripping into them from her lake-drenched hair. Rubbing her eyes with her fists, she surveyed her surroundings again, only to find no sign of him. She scanned the woods surrounding the cove and found them empty.
Bringing a hand to her head, a pulsating headache bloomed, and as she lay back down, trying to quell the pounding, she wondered if the kiss had ever really happened, or if it had been some kind of dream.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Monday came quicker than Andi would have liked. She arrived to work with a lingering anxiety that knotted her insides into a giant mass. She stepped behind her desk just as Ford left his office. Their eyes met from across the room, and Andi wondered, as she had all weekend, whether she should mention the incident at the cove. Should she say something about her impromptu dip in the lake? Should she thank him again for saving her? Should she mention the kiss?
She gnawed at her lip, considering. Too many questions, and too many shoulds for a Monday.
Ford moved toward her an
d threw a stack of papers with his sloppy scrawl on her desk. “She’s gone for the week, so it’ll just be you,” he said, hooking a thumb toward Ms. Perry’s desk. “These are some informational posts I typed up for this weekly thing my agent asked me to do. They’re articles on improving craft, marketing yourself, that kind of thing. Just save them and send them to my e-mail when you’re done.”
“Sure thing.” She glanced up at him from under her lashes, trying to be inconspicuous, but she needn’t have worried, because he didn’t look at her again or try to catch her gaze. Instead, he simply turned and retreated back into his office.
“Awkward,” Andi muttered under her breath.
She stared at the closed door to his office, wondering once more if she should muster her courage and say something. “No,” she said to the empty room. Let him come to me. Let him say something first.
She sat down and grabbed the stack of papers. Deciphering Ford’s handwriting was like translating Latin, but two hours later, she hit send and leaned back in her seat. For the first time since her arrival, Ford opened the door to his office and popped his head out. But still, he didn’t meet her eye. “Hey, I just got that. Do you think you could go grab me a Starbucks or something?”
Andi forced a straight face. “And where would you like me to get that? There aren’t any in town. In fact, there isn’t one within a thirty mile radius. Small town, remember?”
“Really? Hmm.” Ford pursed his lips. “One from the local shop is fine.”
“Anything special? Latte? Cappuccino?” Ford didn’t seem the froufrou coffee type, but she asked anyway, willing him to actually look at her when he answered.
But he didn’t.
Turning, he said, “No. Black coffee’s fine,” then went back in his office and shut the door.
That first day set the precedent for the week. Ford spoke to Andi only when necessary, giving her work, then hiding away in his office. Either that or he would leave and not come back until it was time for her to go home. Tuesday, he sent her on useless errands around town, taking in his dry cleaning, picking up lunch and buying office supplies.
