25. Ford
25
Ford
T he wait to see Blair after the other night’s festivities felt like pure torture—a day and a half of pathetic longing, but I’m already addicted and I’m not afraid to admit it. Plus, it’s been worth the wait. I’ve waited over ten years for this, so what’s an extra day at this point?
As selfish as I want to be, I know that yesterday was about Blair helping and spending time with Ronnie as they worked out some last-minute wedding details. The least I could do was be patient, and thankfully, that patience has finally paid off.
I couldn’t even say I minded picking her up at Miles’ place. Witnessing her emerge, only slightly late this time, made every minute apart and any inconvenience worth it. She’s every straight man’s dream in a plain black top, a short black skirt speckled with white polka dots that hits just a few inches above her knees, and her iconic leather jacket and black Converse. She’s always been skilled at doing her hair, and tonight is no different, as long beachy waves fall down her shoulders and a solitary braid adorns one side.
I still can’t believe this is happening. Yes, we had sex, and mind-blowing sex at that, but it’s so much more than that, and with her, it always has been. It’s the fact that we’re finally doing this and taking this much-needed and important step.
A part of me had expected her to pull away and had braced myself for her inevitably saying once again that we could never work. There’s even been a part of me that has felt those same worries too, but I need this to happen—I have to see where this can go. If not, I don’t think I could ever properly move forward in life.
Perhaps we’ll only find out that our feelings are nothing more than just that, and we’ve somehow let our imaginations make this into some huge thing that it’s not, but deep down, I know that’s not true. I’ve always known that Blair is my soulmate, and I’m more than ready for this date to be what confirms it for both of us.
“Nonna’s Trattoria, huh?” she asks as I pull into an empty parking stall.
“I considered driving out of Evergreen for this, but that just didn’t feel right. If we’re finally going to do this, it feels like I need to take you to a place where everyone here goes for their dinner and date nights.”
In such a small town, the dining options are limited, but when people want something more upscale, this is the go-to place. Elsewhere, this restaurant would likely be seen as comparable to The Olive Garden, or perhaps even slightly lower, but in Evergreen, it’s the epitome of fine dining.
“I guess it does feel a bit poetic,” she agrees with a slight nod as she unfastens her belt with a soft click.
“Hold up,” I say, quickly undoing my own before holding out a hand to keep her from getting out. “If we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it right.”
As her eyebrows furrow, I waste no time in opening my door and swiftly making my way to her side to open hers before she gets the chance. “Are you serious?” she asks, shaking her head, but there’s an amused lilt to her tone that lets me know she’s enjoying herself.
“Of course I am,” I say with a smile, extending my hand to help her out as she thankfully accepts and her palm falls into mine. “If you think for one second I’m not going to go out of my way to do everything right to impress the girl that I’ve had feelings for since I was a teenager, then you’re insane.”
Okay, so maybe I already have the girl and don’t need to pull out all these weird and extra stops, but I can’t help myself. I’ve dreamed about the day that I’d finally get to take Blair Bennett out on a date, and there’s no way I’m not going to go all out to show her why I’m the only one for her. She deserves the world, and I fully plan on being the one who gives it to her.
“I don’t know; if anyone is acting insane here, it’s you, but luckily, I kind of like it. The bribery and flattery are kind of hot, so by all means, keep it up,” she encourages as she flattens out her skirt and exits the vehicle.
“Oh, don’t you worry; there’s plenty more where this came from,” I assure her with a wink before placing my hand on the small of her back to guide her inside.
Given our mutual desire to preserve our friendship, it was only logical to exercise caution and avoid crossing certain lines. We were far too aware of the possibility that it could ruin everything we’ve built, but since doing nothing left us in a place where we didn’t even talk for two years, it only makes sense to give this a true shot. That’s precisely why I plan on pulling out all the stops tonight, if only to show her just how right the two of us are for each other.
My mom went out of her way to make sure that her sons knew how to respect and take care of women. While I’ve always been taught the importance of opening the door for a lady, I meant what I said. I did my best to give Jenny everything she deserved when we were together. I planned extravagant dates, showered her with gifts, and always let her win every argument. So maybe there was some overcompensation on my part due to the guilt I felt for harboring feelings for my best friend. But now, with this date, I genuinely want and need everything to go perfectly. There’s so much at stake, and I refuse to let something small mess it up.
Walking inside, part of me wonders if I’ve made a mistake by bringing her here. It may be one of the fancier establishments in Evergreen Grove, but part of me worries that I should have picked something nicer and classier out of town. The dark red booths and the fake candles on every table attempt to create an ambient atmosphere but, I can’t help but wonder if this place seems a bit too cheesy when compared to some of the unique places that Blair’s gotten to visit on her travels. However, as the hostess gives us a friendly greeting and welcomes Blair back into town, my concerns fade. The giant smile plastered on my date’s face makes me feel secure in our choice, especially as the two of them do some quick catching up.
If anything, maybe the cheesiness is working to my benefit, especially since this is likely a huge blast from the past. While we’d each eaten here plenty of times on various dates, it was never on a date with each other. As she said, it seems fitting that this is finally where we get to have our long-awaited first date together.
I know I’m overthinking things as she slides into the booth we’re led to, but instead of second-guessing myself, I confidently slide in next to her.
Not only does Blair seem a little surprised by my choice, but so does the hostess, as her eyes dart nervously between us. “So, uh, was it just the two of you tonight? Or did I misunderstand? Is Veronica joining you later?” she asks.
“Nope. It’s just the two of us,” I say, determined not to let her judgment affect our evening. Eager to move things along and diffuse any lingering awkwardness, I reach for the menus in her hand.
“Alright, well, your waitress will be with you soon,” the hostess says a bit hesitantly before thankfully walking away.
“Well, I guess that’s one way to just rip off the Band-Aid and let the whole town know we’re on a date,” she laughs awkwardly, accepting the menu before flipping it open.
“You’re not second-guessing this, right?” I ask, my menu wide open, but my gaze firmly locked on her.
“No,” she says, turning to meet my eyes. “If this is something we’re going to try out, it’s best that everyone knows anyway, right? Plus, it’s not like I’m new to being the town’s center of gossip. If anything, this just makes me feel more at home,” she adds, a slight curl to her lips. Unfortunately, I know her too well to believe that smile is anywhere close to being genuine.
“Do you want to go somewhere else?” I ask, lowering my voice as I lean in close.
“No, it’s fine,” she says, brushing me off as she looks back down at her menu. “Plus, it’s not like word isn’t already going to get out. I’m pretty sure Lisa,” she begins, nodding her head in the direction of the hostess, a girl we went to high school with, who had sat us down, “has already gone and spread the word to everyone else who works here.”
Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure she’s right. Lisa is no longer at the front of the restaurant, ready to welcome the incoming patrons; instead she is currently near the back, talking to some of the waitstaff. I could just be paranoid, and I hope I am, but knowing Evergreen’s reputation, it’s only logical to assume that we’re the ones she’s talking about.
“Let’s just enjoy this. It’s our first date. We deserve this,” she reminds me as she places a hand on my arm, clearly picking up on my own nerves. Not only that, but she’s absolutely right. I’ve waited too damn long for this date to take place to let something as trivial as gossip get in the way.
“So, what are you getting?” I finally ask, ready to take her mind off the weirdness so we can focus on what is important here—us.
“Are you serious?” she asks, laughing as I nod my head.
“Yeah, I kid you not. Every time I go into my classroom I have to look around carefully because they’re constantly switching out the pictures around my room with pictures of Chuck Norris, Taylor Swift, or John Cena. I will say, I have left up a few because they’re actually pretty funny,” I chuckle as I swirl some of the leftover spaghetti on my plate around my fork.
“I could see it. You’re definitely a secret Swiftie, huh?” she teases, poking my side.
“I see nothing wrong with that. The woman knows how to write an amazing song.” I shrug before lifting the bite into my mouth.
“I feel like that checks out. Every time I talk to Ronnie she’s always blasting one of her albums in the background and I’m sure she’s forced you to listen to it, too.”
“Oh, uh, yeah. It was all Ronnie,” I playfully joke and nod, totally ready to let her take the blame, even if I do occasionally find myself listening to some of her songs on my own. “Truthfully, though, I don’t totally mind her music, and Jenny was always super into her as well,” I say, without much thought since, after all, Jenny has been a huge part of my life for so long. However, I’m filled with immediate regret, since while she recovers quickly, there’s a distinct change in Blair’s demeanor at the sound of my ex’s name. “But it’s the Chuck Norris pictures that are my favorite,” I add, doing my best to change the subject. “Especially since they’re usually accompanied by one of the many hilarious Chuck Norris jokes. Actually, one of my students told me a really good one the other day,” I preface, setting my fork down as I turn my body to face her. “Did you know that Chuck Norris once kicked a horse in the chin? They now call it a giraffe.”
She laughs, and it’s hard not to find relief in that beautiful melodic sound. “That is a good one,” she agrees. “Have you heard the one where Chuck Norris doesn’t need a watch? He decides what time it is.”
Her laughter is contagious as I laugh along with her. “I hadn’t, but I like it. I’ll have to tell it to my students. They’ll love it.”
“You know, it’s actually kind of cute,” she starts as I raise an eyebrow while reaching for my Dr Pepper. “It’s clear you have a good relationship with your students and that they like and trust you enough to want to do all that.”
“You know, it could always be the opposite and it could be because they have no respect for me,” I offer, even if I don’t actually believe that. I’ve always made it a point to connect with each and every student that comes into my classroom, and my effort has, thankfully, for the most part, been reciprocated.
“No, there is no way that could be true,” she decides, and with little to no thought I lean forward to press my lips against hers for a quick kiss, but instead of pulling away, I can’t help but linger, and she doesn’t seem to mind as she kisses me back, her hand coming to rest gently against my chest.
“So, are we thinking we want dessert tonight?” I whisper against her lips, pulling back only enough so I can look at her angelic face.
“Oh, we’ll definitely be having dessert tonight, but not here,” she softly giggles before pressing her lips to mine once more.
“Ford Hastings,” a stern voice says, killing the moment.
The last thing I want is to end my kiss with Blair, but at the sound of that unfortunately very familiar voice, I practically leap to the other side of the bench, leaving ample space between the two of us.
“Mary,” I say, doing my best to control my racing heart. “Hey, how are you doing?”
“Oh, cut the shit, Ford. Is this seriously how you’re going to act now?”
“Mary,” I say, attempting to strike a fine balance between sternness and respect in my tone. While I can understand why Mary, Jenny’s mom, is upset to witness this scene after our two-year marriage and the many years we’d dated before that, she has to realize that she can’t address me in such a manner, especially in front of my date.
“Don’t ‘Mary’ me,” she huffs, clearly not planning to calm down. “Do you not get how disrespectful and embarrassing this is to Jenny?”
“Mrs. White,” Blair cuts in. “I’m so sorry. The last thing we want to do is—”
The murderous glare that Mary sends her way stops her from saying more. “If you for one second think I want to hear anything from your whorish mouth, then you have another thing coming, missy.”
“Whoa, I’m going to need you to stop right there,” I say, stepping out of the booth as I stand between the two women. I don’t expect things to get violent or anything, but I plan to put a stop to this immediately. There is no way I’m going to allow her, let alone anybody, to ever speak to Blair that way. Even more, this isn’t the normal kind of behavior I’d expect from my former mother-in-law, and the last thing she needs is to say something that I know all of us will regret in the future. “Do you really think Jenny would want you out in public saying something like this?”
“No, she probably wouldn’t,” she says, her tone indignant. “But someone needs to stand up for my daughter after all you put her through. We talk, you know, and she,” she continues, her gaze moving around me as she points a finger toward Blair “is the cause of all the problems in your marriage. If it weren’t for her, you and Jenny would still be together. I know it.”
Glancing back, it’s disheartening to witness the transformation of the strong, confident woman I’ve always known shrink into a small, defeated figure, practically sinking into the corner of the booth.
“Mary, I need you to go,” I command, not backing down. “But first, understand this: Jenny and I aren’t together because we aren’t right for each other. Whether you believe it or not, I do love and care for your daughter, and that is exactly why we needed to end things. She deserves to find the right person for her; the person who truly loves her, and it’s only right that I deserve to find the same thing. End of story.”
“And let me guess?” she asks, with a resentful huff. “She’s the right person for you? The one that you’re going to flaunt in front everyone’s faces, not caring who you hurt in the process?” Mary seethes, her eyes once again shooting daggers in Blair’s direction.
Yes. She is , but I’m not about to dignify her ridiculous question with a response, especially given the way she’s acting —she doesn’t deserve an actual answer. “We’re done with this conversation,” I say instead, as I nod for her to keep moving.
Mary looks like she wants to say more, but as I keep my composure, she shakes her head and gives Blair one final glare before turning to leave the restaurant.
“Blair,” I say, instantly ready to apologize, but she just shakes her head with glassy, hooded eyes. I know her. So well, in fact, that I know she’s about to cry, which is why I don’t say more—at least not right now. I’ll save it for when it’s just the two of us and she’s had some time to calm down after all of that.
“Let’s just go, okay?” she pleads.
“Yeah, sure. Whatever you want.” I nod before looking around, where I unfortunately find the attention of practically everyone in the room, even if they’re all trying to act like they weren’t just listening to the entire thing. The only positive is that our waitress rushes over to give us our check.
So much for the perfect date.