Chapter 7 Ford #2
When I meet his gaze and he widens his eyes dramatically, I understand exactly what he’s doing.
“Sorry, Tina. I gotta go,” I quickly throw in her direction, leaving her behind as I haul ass behind Joe.
He gives me an amused glance over his shoulder. “You should’ve seen your face.”
I don’t know whether to laugh or wince. “That bad?”
“Yeah. What were you talking about?”
I grab the five-dollar bill I was going to spend on the hot dog and slide it into the pocket of his jacket. “She was just flirting. Thanks for the hot dog and the save, buddy.”
“No problem. I didn’t know how you like your hot dogs, so I ordered the one I like.”
“This is fine. More than fine, actually. I appreciate it.”
“Did you know that woman?”
The crowd parts as we move. I don’t know where we’re going, but I’m happy to follow him and get away from the unwanted attention.
“Kind of. She is—or was, I don’t know—good friends with my ex-wife.”
He sounds surprised when he asks, “You were married?”
“Yeah. Didn’t last very long, though.”
“What happened?”
The fact that he’s not afraid to ask pulls a smirk out of me. He reminds me of Ivy in that way. And while my divorce isn’t my favorite topic of conversation, I don’t mind telling him.
“She cheated on me.” When his mouth falls open, I quickly add, “It’s fine. I mean, what she did isn’t fine, but I am fine now. It wasn’t a good relationship to begin with.”
“And her friend was flirting with you just now? Isn’t that a little weird?”
“Say it louder, kid.”
“I don’t understand love sometimes,” he mutters.
“That makes two of us.”
We end up by the fountain, not far from the carnival games. As if she had a giant arrow pointed at her, I spot Ivy immediately, sitting on one of the wooden benches. She glances up from her phone when she feels us approaching, then does a double take.
“Hey again. Is your shift over?”
I hold up my hot dog. “Dinner break. I’ve got about ten minutes unless chaos ensues first.”
“Let’s hope not for the sake of your digestion. Want to sit with us?”
Joe slides into the spot next to her, and I sit by his side. “How are you enjoying the festival so far?”
My question is aimed at both of them, but it’s Ivy who says, “We nearly sold out at our booth. Oh, and I got myself a Harmony Hills Fire Department hoodie so you don’t have a meltdown about the calendars. It’s really nice that you’re supporting an orphanage this year.”
“What calendars?” Joe asks. A crumb falls onto his jacket, and he picks it up and eats it.
“The firefighter calendars,” Ivy replies.
“Have you ever seen one?” I ask the boy.
“No.”
“Good. Keep it that way.”
The sound of Ivy’s chuckle travels all the way to my chest.
“They had to pose half naked, Jojo,” she explains.
Her brother scrunches his face in disgust. “I don’t want to keep talking about this.”
“Works for me.” I nudge his side with my elbow. “What about you? Having fun?”
“Yeah. My friends and I played the water gun shooting game, and Bradley won a teddy bear.”
“I told him to have dinner with them, but…,” Ivy interjects, biting into her hot dog.
“I’ll hang out with them after this. I’ve barely seen you today.”
“Aw. Someone’s unhealthily attached to his big sister,” she teases.
Joe rolls his eyes as he swallows his last bite. He eats even faster than me, and that’s saying something. “I got to save Ford from an annoying woman, so it isn’t all about you.”
Her eyes widen. “What do you mean, an annoying woman?”
After finishing my hot dog, I grab one of the paper napkins Joe got at the stand and wipe my fingers and the corners of my mouth as he explains, “His ex-wife’s friend was flirting with him, and he looked uncomfortable. It was so funny, Ives. His face was all like—”
He pauses to make a distraught face that I’m sure is ten times more dramatic than the one I pulled. But at least it makes Ivy laugh.
“I was ahead of him in the line, so I got him a hot dog so he could leave.”
“Look at you, being so perceptive and helpful.”
Ivy pinches his cheek, which in turn makes Joe push her away. She says it as a joke, but the pride in her eyes is crystal clear. It’s adorable.
Wait a damn—
“I’m raising such a gentleman. I kind of deserve a medal for that.”
“For being the most annoying sister, sure,” Joe mutters, their dynamic reminding me so much of the one I have with my brothers.
Ivy ignores him and turns to me. “So it is true that women throw themselves at you.”
I arch an eyebrow in her direction. “Why would I lie about that?”
“For self-aggrandizement purposes? Because your ego was hurt after your divorce? I don’t know. People lie for no reason all the time.”
“Sure, but I wasn’t lying. Unfortunately.”
“How many girlfriends have you had? Or wives?” Joe chimes in.
“You can’t just ask people that, Jojo. It’s personal.”
“I don’t mind,” I say truthfully. For some reason, opening up to them doesn’t feel as daunting as it does with other people. “I was only married once, for less than a year. Before that, I had two serious girlfriends.”
“I’ve never had a girlfriend,” Joe comments casually.
Ivy turns to him. “What about that girl…. Julie, right? Weren’t you going to ask her out?”
“I did, but she said she only liked me as a friend.” Joe shrugs like it’s no big deal. “It’s fine. I’d rather focus on my career.”
Ivy and I exchange an amused look.
“As much as I enjoy hanging out with you two, I need to go back,” I announce, collecting everyone’s trash before getting to my feet. “But thanks for the company.”
Ivy smiles up at me, as big and genuine as always. How could I have thought she was flirting with me? This is just who she is—carefree, kind, sunshine personified.
“See you around, neighbor.”
Joe waves. “Bye, Ford.”
As I leave, I tell myself I’m only hearing things when the wind carries over Ivy’s voice in my direction: “What did that woman say to him?”