“Just spit it out already,” she said with an easy laugh.
“I haven’t been with anyone since my wife passed away four years ago. Haven’t even gone on a single date. I was convinced I had my happiness, and that was it. I’ve lost so many people I cared about, and the thought of losing someone else kept me guarded. I never planned to let anyone else in. But then there you were, stranded on your porch because Ed was licking your car window.”
She laughed, the sound bliss to his soul. He wanted to hear that sweet laughter every day for the rest of his life. He knew someday he would ask Cadence Whitmore to marry him.
“The truth is, Cadence? I love you.”
Her gasp was enough to jerk her shoulders back a little. Those chocolate eyes widened in surprise at his words, but it didn’t take long for them to recover. “You mean that?”
“With all my heart.” He waited, hoping against hope that she might’ve fallen in love with him, too. But they had only known each other for a week. People didn’t normally develop feelings so quickly, did they? For now, it only mattered that she remembered his words before he admitted the next to her. “I want you to stay, Cadence. Sunset Ridge won’t be the same if you leave.Iwon’t be the same.”
“I want to stay, too.”
She offered no hint of any decisions that might’ve been made overnight, and as much as he wanted to ask, there wasn’t time.
“I have something else to tell you. It’s important.” He rubbed the back of his neck hard. This was it. He wanted to chicken out, tell her never mind. “It’s a confession, really.”
“Ford, there you are!” Tanya Rivers stopped there on the sidewalk in front of them and dug into the deep recesses of her purse. “You left that competition so quickly last night that you didn’t get your prize! Liam asked me to give this to you.” She waved a certificate for Warren’s Sea Shack at him. “Guess I know where you’re taking me to dinner.”
Ford snatched the certificate from her hand, trying his best not to be rude. Tanya was a nice gal, but this was getting obnoxious. Or maybe he was stressing because the group was crossing the street headed this way. Loudtick-tock, tick-tockssounded in his head like thunder. “Thanks, Tanya. You didn’t have to pick this up for me.”
“I wanted to. My calendar is filling up, and I didn’t want to miss a chance to schedule that dinner date.”
“You’re not going on a date with him.” Cadence hopped to her feet, pulling Ford with her by his hand. “He’s with me.”
“I, uh—”
“Cadence, we have to go.” Sophie tugged at her elbow, apologizing with a helpless shrug and plea for forgiveness in her eyes to Ford. “Tessa will be leaving for the airport soon. If we don’t get her to sign—”
“I’m sorry, Ford. We have to make this call. It’s important.”
“I’ll find you after.” He watched her hurry down the sidewalk with Sophie and Caroline, regret filling him. Why’d he ever agree to this arrangement with Patty to begin with? There were other ways to pay for college. He wanted to avoid Rilee taking out student loans, but if they became necessary, he would help her pay those off as quickly as possible, even if it meant getting another job.
“Ford, I’m sorry if I overstepped my bounds,” Tanya said, and for a moment he believed her. Until she reached for his bicep and slid her fingers around his arm. “If two friends having dinner is crossing some sort of line—”
“It is,” Rilee chimed in, pulling Ford in the opposite direction by the other arm. “He’s in love with Cadence.”
For once, Tanya didn’t have a thing to say.
“We have to get to Riggs,” Rilee said to Ford. “I forgot to put away a bag of chips.”
“Gotta run,” he said to Tanya. “That dog might’ve ingested a whole bag of chips, the wrapper included.” He handed the gift certificate back to her. “I appreciate your help with the lodge photos, more than you know. Keep this. You’ll find someone better to take you. Someone special.”
Chapter Seventeen
Cadence
Though Sunset Ridge was not as overpopulated today as it had been yesterday, the festival still pulled in a sizeable crowd. Finding a quiet place for a phone call proved difficult. They turned it into a game for Caroline’s sake, and promised the first person to spot a free picnic table would get ice cream.
“There! Over there!” Caroline pointed eagerly at a table in the middle of the park, currently empty. “I see one. Right there.”
The three hurried through the crowded park, weaving around people and clusters of camping chairs. When Cadence spotted someone eyeing their table, she took off at a run. Caroline’s giggles followed her to the table as the two tried to keep up behind her. She slid into the seat in time to reserve it.
Sophie helped her squirming daughter onto the bench, then slid into a seat herself. “It’s a madhouse here.”
“Did you know Aunt Patty never had a vacancy during any festival weekend. Ever?”
“Do I get ice cream?” Caroline hopped in her seat, excitement dancing in her eyes. Cadence had a brief moment to envy the girl and how simple life was for a four-year-old. The most important concern on her mind was an ice cream reward. Her entire fate didn’t hang on the result of a phone call.
