“I’ll gladly keep her. For the rest of my life, if I’m lucky.”
Finally, he spun on his heel and stormed out of the inn, his tires screeching in his quick retreat. What an absolute piece of shit. I felt like I needed a shower after that ten-minute interaction just to wash off the slime. And Quinn had put up with that for more than thirty years. Put up with it and somehow still turned into the woman she was. The woman I loved.
I made a quick detour to the back office in search of the package, finding the small box on Addison’s messy desk. Without reading the label, I opened it to find a small black box inside, shock registering as I lifted the lid and pulled out what was inside. I stared at the item for long moments, turning it this way and that, a tiny detail making me shake my head as hope swept over me for the first time.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE
QUINN
I didn’t knowhow long I stood there, frozen to my spot around the corner from the check-in counter. It’d taken me longer than it should have to realize what was happening, but my dad’s voice had stopped me dead in my tracks, that all too familiar pit opening up in my stomach, my nerves in overdrive at just the thought of having to interact with him.
But then Ford had stood up to him. Forme.And not just that, but he’d parked himself in front of me like a ten-foot brick wall, refusing to let anything harmful come my way, including my father.Especiallymy father.
Ford hadn’t waffled for even a second. Not when my dad had pulled out his usual tricks, all his old standbys. Not when he’d spewed lies and overexaggerations about me. Ford hadn’t believed a word of it. Without wavering, he’d trusted me…believed me.
Protected me.
He’d done what no one in my life ever had. And the fact that he’d done so after everything I’d said to him yesterday morning? That he’d done it thinking we were done? That I was through with him?
I swallowed repeatedly, trying to shove down my emotions. Park them in the neat little box I’d created for them so I could keep a lid on it. So I could be the strong one, too tough to be torn down. Never letting people see my soft underbelly. But it was no use. My eyes burned, my nose stung, and my throat tightened as the tears came unbidden.
I cried—truly cried, not just a tear or two, but a deluge of them—for the first time in a long time because I stood there, rooted in place, as I finally realized what I’d thrown away. What my insecurities had made me toss aside.
Ford’s love.
I wasn’t sure how I’d never seen it… How I hadn’t realized it was there. Not when he’d shown me all along. He was unwavering in his focus on me, in his support of me, in his care for me. He was the only person I’d ever been able to count on. The only one I trusted enough to share the deepest, darkest parts of myself with. My rival at one time, and now my best friend.
And I’d walked away from him because I was scared. Because I believed the old voices in my head—the voices my parents had cultivated in me—instead of his. I’d thought the worst of him solely because of my insecurities. I’d slotted him into the safe space outside of my heart so I wouldn’t get hurt, and instead, I’d hurt him.
Swiping at my tears, I forced myself to move, making my way into the inn and listening for any signs of movement. I’d only been inside this part of the resort a couple times, so I wasn’t overly familiar with it, but I rushed room to room, hoping I’d find Ford in each one.
But room after room was empty until I’d searched them all. He was nowhere to be found. At some point in my searching, he must’ve gone outside and I’d missed him, like sand slipping through my fingers.
Knowing he had to be close and needing to find him, I pushed through the front door, nearly colliding with Addison in my haste to leave.
“Whoa, what’s the rush?” she asked. “Late for a date?”
“Um…kind of. Did you happen to see Ford out here?”
“No…” she said, drawing out the word. “But Ford was looking for you earlier. Did you guys lose each other today, or what?”
“Kind of.” Lost our way, definitely.
She narrowed her gaze on me. “Why are your eyes all red? Are you two fighting?”
“I just…really need to find him,” I said, praying a new wave of tears wouldn’t choose now to rush forward. “Do you have any idea where he might be?”
She studied me for several long moments, her lips pursed as if she wasn’t sure if she wanted to push me on the subject or not. Eventually, she said, “He was here picking up a package that was supposed to be delivered to your cottage. He’s probably headed there—”
“Thank you!” I said without waiting for her to finish the sentence.
I’d walked over here because I wanted the fresh air, but now I was wishing I had my car because it’d get me to Ford a hell of a lot faster.
By the time I made it to the cottage, I was really regretting my stance to only run if a murderer was chasing me because I was out of breath and a little sweaty, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to reunite with my husband this way.
But as I tore through our front door, my gaze scanning the inside of the cottage, I realized it didn’t matter.
Because Ford wasn’t here.
