Chapter 23 #2
“I can’t resist. Low hanging fruit, I know, but they’ve only been together a year or so.
I have some mileage to get out of it yet,” Kat says about Geo, Sutton and Avery, and their unconventional relationship.
I admit, I judged Avery when I first learned of their dynamic.
Then I judged Sutton. Lastly, I judged Geo.
But then Ford Mercer kissed me on the balcony that night and I started to realize how rare love is, how unique and special it feels once you have it and how’d you rearrange the world to keep it.
That’s all Geo, Sutton and Avery are doing, and who am I to judge?
Kat never judged them, but she loves poking fun.
“But yes, I remember what we discussed.”
“Juliette has concerns that you may feel usurped if she and I have children before you and Zennie are able to adopt, and in addition to that, she worries that you may not be comfortable with us having children,” he says, cutting me a glance, nodding his head.
I nod my head, because those are my fears, and he understands them well enough to easily articulate them, and that makes my eyes sting.
Harry didn’t get me at all, meanwhile, Ford was here all along, understanding me from afar.
“J, you and I shared the same dream when we were kids. Find the right person, get married, get drunk at our weddings because at fifteen we were so super sure that getting drunk was the coolest possible thing we could do,” she says, laughing, and I laugh along with her because yep, getting drunk seemed legendary.
“And have a bunch of kids. That was what we always said. A bunch. We have detoured through the wrong gender and a host of losers but now, J, we both have exactly who we want. Now it’s time to get all the other things we said we wanted. ”
Ford faces me, using his thumbs to swipe away the happy tears. “See?”
I nod. “I believed you but I guess everything had unfolded so perfectly. I guess I just wanted to know for sure.” Ford smiles tenderly.
“We gotta get up and get going, but we’re still on for facials next week, right?” Kat asks me, bypassing Ford.
“Yes,” I reply, “a week from tomorrow. I’ll meet you there but I’ll talk to you before then, of course.”
“Of course,” Kat repeats, and she and Ford chat for another minute or so while I finish my oatmeal, then they end their call.
He faces me, leaning on one elbow amidst the photos, the silver in his hair catching the lights from above, shining.
“Just because we have Kat’s blessing doesn't mean it has to be now. I’m already fucking old,” he says, rolling his eyes, “by the world’s standards, not mine.
But I’m not in a hurry, despite my age. I can wait.
I will wait. I know you’re building your career and–”
My spoon clinks against the empty bowl as I push it forward, away from me. “I do want to build a career but I don’t want us to put the life we’re building on hold for it. I can start weaning off the pill,” I tell him, shrugging.
“What if it happens right away?” Ford asks.
Another shrug. “I’ve waited this long for you, now I’m greedy. I want it all.” Then, for the first time ever, I proudly admit, “we’ll figure it all out, together.”
Ford kisses my inner wrist. “We will.” We don’t discuss babies or the pill any longer, because Ford picks up a photo, studying it, and I know we’re shifting gears to my career.
“Did you enjoy taking these?” he asks thoughtfully.
“I learned through photographing Velvet that I want to do more photography of people, and movement. But I don’t know what that translates to,” I admit, this time not insecure to share. Ford never makes me feel silly for what I haven’t figured out yet.
Ford considers me for a moment. “What did you enjoy about photographing the locations?” Both of us face the photos strewn about, and begin searching for a commonality.
“People. I really like people over objects because you usually see something in the photo that you didn’t notice in person. And also, you can really stare at a portrait and never get bored.”
Ford nods. “I agree.” He points to a photo of one of the bar hands at one of the older, original locations.
I took that the first night of my trip. “Like that,” he says of the photo of the inked waitress, wrapped in a glitter and fringe classic flapper dress.
“You notice her dress, and how it glitters, but the more you look–”
“The more you get lost in the artwork on her body,” I complete his sentence, sliding closer to him to get nearer to the photo. The waitress had as much ink as Ford, or more. “Then you move onto her body,” I say, dragging my pinky nail along the silhouette of the waitress’s hip.
“And look,” Ford says, guiding my finger to the bar taps in the bottom left of the photo. “There’s so much to be seen in these photos.”
I point to another photo, one of a man stepping out of the passage into the bar.
He’s the center of the composition, and a burst of light shines from behind him, a sliver of Nineteen20 visible.
Ford picks up the photo. “Have you thought about fashion photography? You know, all of these photos highlight people, and make them look fucking incredible.”
He tips his head toward mine, waving the photo in his hand. “I know Charlie, and he’s not nearly as magical in person as he is in this photo.”
I can’t help but laugh at that. “Fashion photography would probably be really awesome, but I don’t have an in.
And as it turns out, in every career to have ever existed, it doesn’t matter how fast you learn, how nice you are or how good you are at your job, it’s all about how much money you have and who you know. ”
Ford’s hand slides over my shoulders, and he presses a kiss to my temple. “Well I guess it’s fortunate that you’re with me, because I know everyone and,” he says, collecting me in his arms with so much ease that my belly flutters. “I’m filthy rich.”
He moves to the stairs, taking them two at a time, need coiling in my belly. “Yeah, Mr. Filthy Rich. Where are you taking me?”
“We’re taking a shower, then we’re going to go to your apartment to begin collecting things to bring back.
” With his foot, he pushes open his bedroom door when we reach the top of the stairs.
“And then I have to get down to Velvet to do some paperwork. Thought you could grab your camera at your place and wander while I work. Snag some new photos or bring your laptop and work on editing the last batch.”
I nuzzle into his chest and kiss the underside of his jaw. “Sounds perfect.”