Fuck. Corrie was right.
Everything that had been building inside. Everything that he’d been keeping to himself. He’d finally had a moment wherehe let go. And, dammit, as much as it sucked balls, it felt surprisingly good.
Of course, he hadn’treallygone into depth about what was going on with him. But acknowledging to someone else—acknowledging tohimself, really—that he wasn’t okay... well, it feltokaythat he wasn’t okay.
Ford dropped into the chair and leaned back, directing his gaze to the tent ceiling before closing his eyes and letting out a huge sigh. Corrie deserved an apology. And a thank-you.
Chapter
Seven
Ford was worse off than Corrie had originally thought. She hadn’t expected all... that. Or any of it, to be honest. When Ethan had asked her to talk to him, Corrie had thought maybe he would be sad about missing his mom. Or maybe he’d be stressed about the dig and the fact that they were practically starting over at square one.
But this whole thing about his dad? Yeah, Corrie didn’t know what to make of that. Or Addison.
Was she a horrible person for feeling a slight sense of satisfaction that they were no longer together?
No. Don’t be like that. High road. The man had just opened up to her, albeit in his own way. Now wasn’t the time to gloat.
“Hey,” Ford said, startling her out of her thoughts.
She looked up from where she sat on the covered platform outside Ford’s tent to find him standing across from her, leaning against one of the posts holding up the tent with his arms folded. Good thing these tents were heavy-duty. They could notonly withstand the heavy rains, they could also support a solid body like Ford’s.
“Hey,” she said back.
“Look, I’m sorry that I snapped. I get that you’re trying to help. It’s just... it’s not easy for me to talk to people about this.”
It wasn’t quite the apology Corrie had waited eight years for, but she’d take it.
“I get it, Ford. Trust me, I get it more than you think I do. We may be different in many,manyways,” she said with a friendly smirk, “but we’re alike in many others. We don’t like to appear weak. But talking about your feelings doesn’t make you weak. In fact, I’d say the opposite is true.”
He cocked his head and smiled. God, was it sexy. “You’re very wise, Dr. Mejía.”
“Thanks. I’d say I try, but it’s natural,” she said with a playful smile.
He snickered and bowed his head, giving it a slow shake. “Well, thank you. I mean it. You’re the first person who’s really tried to get me to talk, at least in a while. Even Ethan gave up trying a long time ago. Either I must be really good at hiding my emotions or everyone else is in denial that I might have actual feelings.”
“Ford Matthews has feelings?” she said, scrunching her nose. “I’m kidding. But, in all seriousness, you’re welcome. Perhaps it’s weird, but I do actually like you in my own sick, twisted way.”
“Well, as long as it’s sick and twisted.”
“Hey, I’d say this is an improvement, don’t you think?”
He smiled again and it was doing weird things to Corrie’s insides. “We haven’t argued in atleastfifteen minutes.Hugeimprovement.”
Corrie laughed. “Huge. I suppose the fact that you were stewing inside for the last fourteen and a half of those minutes might have had something to do with it.”
He stared at her, tenderly, like they were old friends rather than old rivals. She liked this. Liked this playful side of him.
“Could you have pictured this even a few days ago?” he asked. “The two of us in middle-of-nowhere Mexico, laughing and talking about ourfeelings?”
“Oh God, no,” she said with a laugh. “I would have bet all my savings against it.”
His smile fell a little. Was it her emphatic denial? Or something else? Great. She’d gone too far.He’s going to close up. He doesn’t want to—
“Does it get easier?” he asked with no context, his tone somber.
“Does what get it easier?”
