It’s terrifying.
And yet… it feels good.
CHAPTER 28
Ford
“…Iknow, Jamie, but…”
My blood runs cold as Lo’s voice stirs me from my sleep. She sounds upset, worried, and it’s far too early in the morning for all of that.
I jump up, knocking my bed sheets on the floor, in my hurry to see her.
Lo’s standing by the kitchen counter, her cell phone pressed to her ear and her free hand clenched into a fist at her side. Her back is to me, but even without seeing her face, I can feel the tension in her posture.
I don’t say anything at first. I just take a step closer, watching her, letting her know I’m here. I’m hoping my silent presence can calm her down, because even though Beck is the only one with her mark, and his is the only mark she bears, I don’t need to feel her inside my chest to know that she’s distressed.
That something is wrong.
She doesn’t hear me at first, too absorbed in the conversation with her brother. I can only make out fragments of her side, but that’s enough to know something’s off.
“Yeah, I know, Jamie. I’ll sort it out. Don’t worry, okay?”
She growls as she ends the call, hanging her head low. I hate the sound of her muttering curse words to herself.
“Lo?” I try not to startle her, but I want her to know I’m here. “You okay?”
She jumps, just a little, and her shoulders tense as if she’s been caught in the middle of something private. But when she turns to face me, there’s a flicker of relief in her eyes. Just a brief, fleeting moment before she shutters it away again. I can see it, though. The crack in her wall.
“According to Jamie, they packed. Which means they’re coming to stay for some time. I’m going to have to face my parents after all. I kinda pushed all of that to the back of my mind with the Dylan drama, but now?—”
Her scent is a swirl of confusion, stress, and something fragile that she doesn’t let anyone see. But I feel it. I always do. I can tell she’s spiraling, her nerves starting to unravel beneath the pressure.
“Lo…” I whisper, trying to keep as calm as possible, even though my heart is hammering in my chest. “You don’t have to do this alone. I’m here.”
Her eyes flicker for a moment, her breath catching in her throat, but she doesn’t say anything. Just stands there, looking at me. She’s trying to figure out whether she can let herself lean on me.
She shakes her head slowly, trying to convince herself that she can handle it. “I… I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t know if I’m ready to face them, Ford. I know I have to, but after all these years? After what they did?”
Her voice cracks on the last word, and I want to crush the space between us, wrap her up in my arms, and tell her everything will be okay. But I know that’s not what she needs right now. She needs to face this, but I can help her do it. We all can.
“You don’t have to do it alone,” I repeat, my hand sliding to her shoulder, gently pressing down. “I’ll be here. Whatever you need.”
She looks up at me then, her eyes searching mine for something, for reassurance, for any sign that she’s not as alone as she feels.
“I… I just don’t know what to say to them, Ford.” She shakes her head sadly.
I swallow hard, my thumb brushing the back of her hand before I slide it up to cup her cheek. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, Lo. They’re your family, but they don’t get to make you feel small. You’re allowed to feel however you want.”
She exhales slowly, her shoulders dropping slightly, but the tension hasn’t melted away completely. “I just… I don’t know what to do with all of it. All of this. Why can’t my life just be like something in the books? Where it’s perfect and nothing goes wrong?”
“If you’re not ready to do something, then don’t do it,” I say softly. “Just because they’re coming into town doesn’t mean you owe them a damn thing. Let’s get out of here for a little while. Take a drive. We can go somewhere that’s just for us. I’ll take you somewhere quiet, and we can talk… or not talk. Whatever you need.”
She doesn’t answer at first. Her gaze flickers to the phone on the counter, to the situation she’s been trying to handle. I can tell she’s torn. She wants to run from this but doesn’t know if she’s allowed to.
Finally, she nods, just barely. “Okay.”
We don’t say much as we head out. I grab my keys, and Lo slips on her shoes. I drive slowly, taking my time, letting the quiet between us stretch. We don’t need words right now. We just need the space to breathe.
