“What?No, you didn’t.You’re so fucking talented, Cameron.You always have been.”
“I left and couldn’t make a living at it,” I point out, and he scoffs.
“You barely tried.You weren’t gone for long, and I read that the art industry is one of the hardest to break into.”
“You read, huh?”I ask, trying to change the subject to something lighter.
“Yeah, I did.After you left, I started reading up on it.”
“Why?”I blurt out.
“Cameron!”Nikki calls, and Ford and I both turn to see her in the doorway.
“You have a guest,” she says with a smile.
“I should get back to work,” I murmur, standing.
“Your food.”
“I’ll just take it home and eat it later.”
I grab my plate, tossing it in a to-go box and sticking it in the employee fridge.I hurry past Ford and out to the dining area.I spot my grandma right away and I smile as I make my way towards her.
“There she is!With her beau,” my grandma says and I glance over my shoulder to see Ford right on my heels.
“Hello again,” he greets her.
She’s with her friends, and I say hello to all of them before I grab my notepad to take their order.
“You two are finally together?”Mrs.Warren asks, and Ford wraps his arm around my waist.
“Sure are,” he confirms.
“Well, it’s about time!”Mrs.Abbot shouts.
She’s half deaf so I don’t blame her, but I still wince at the volume.
“That’s what I said!”My grandma says, and the women all share a laugh.“Don’t they make a cute couple?”
“So cute.You two look as pretty as a picture together!”Mrs.Warren says.
“Thank you, ma’am,” Ford says, and I smile.
“Thanks.Can I get you ladies something to drink?”
“Just waters, dear,” my grandma orders.
I turn to grab their drinks, leaving Ford there with them.I can see him charming all of them and smile as I watch him.
I love him, more than I did growing up.It’s different now.We’re not kids and it doesn’t feel like it’s just a schoolgirl crush.It feels weird.
It’s not,my subconscious reminds me and my smile drops.
I keep forgetting that, but I can’t afford to.When my grandma leaves, I have to go back to just being his friend and employee.
We can’t be with him,I remind myself as I heft my tray and head back to their table.What would we do if we messed everything up?We need Ford in our lives.I can’t imagine not seeing him every day and what would I do for work?What happens when I fail at being with Ford the same way that I failed at art?
I need to be strong and try to remember that this is all just meant to be fake.
