I keep stepping forward until I reach the floor-to-ceiling windows, and my eyes skip the view of the outside pool and head straight to where I can’t tear my eyes away from the deep blue lake with glistening specks from the sunlight. “Beautiful,” I say softly.
“Yeah… it is.”
The way Ford’s tone lingers in the air causes me to glance at him, and I see his eyes are on me, and I wonder if they ever left since I arrived. I don’t say anything.
“Uhm, I can get your bags if you want and bring them to the guest room.” He scratches his chin which has short stubble because he’s a man now; he always was, but now he’s older and still we’re barely thirty.
“You don’t need to do that. I’ll get them in a minute.”
He tips his head in the direction of the sliding doors. “Come on, the weather is far too great to be inside. Want a drink?”
“No, thank you.” I follow him outside and again I’m caught by surprise.
The backyard is a bit more put together than the last time I was here. The pool isn’t too big, but there is an inflatable alligator on the water. In the corner of my eye, I see a rope hanging from a willow tree that is an equal distance between the lake and the house. My eyes scan the scene, and I see the dock with a rowboat at the end of it, plus a small speed boat. The patio I’m standing on has new stone tiles and lounge furniture, with a bench swing which causes me to smile. I love bench swings.
“You did a really good job. Connor must love this.” It’s a lot more than my townhouse, but nothing has been a competition between us. Maybe internally, I’ve always known that Ford would be the cool dad with over-the-top presents, and I would be the mom with structure, and I’m okay with that. Ford and I don’t speak negatively about one another, and I’ve never had a fear he would outshine me.
“I hope so. I guess we don’t need to worry about him sneaking girls into the house or taking off with the boat yet. Give it a few years, though.”
I huff a laugh. “If he is anything like his father then we are in serious trouble when he’s a teenager.”
“Nah, I know every possible hideout in a five-mile radius where he could sneak off to. Good luck to him,” Ford proudly states as he tucks his hands into the back pockets of his jeans.
I walk to the bench swing and flop myself down, noticing that Ford follows, sitting beside me. “This is such a difference from a few months ago when you were missing grass. It’s now a real home.”
He leans over with his elbows on his knees. “Happy you approve.”
“You don’t need my approval.”
“Still, I like it.”
Heat spreads through me at the way he says that, and it only intensifies because I can feel the warmth of his body next to me. I swallow some air and resilience.
“What time are we picking up the kiddo from camp?” I do my best to change the topic as I propel us to swing with my foot.
Ford chuckles under his breath, low, deep in his throat, and sinister. “This is where you’re going to kill me.”
My full attention whips in his direction. “What do you mean?” My foot brakes on the ground to stop the swing’s movement.
“We have a slight change of plans.” I can tell he is easing me into something.
I stand up and throw my hands to my hips. “Ford, what is going on?”
He looks up at me, with his smirk satisfied and strong. “Technically, when Connor is with me, then I make the parental choices.”
“And?” I don’t blink, and my tone must tell him that I’m not amused.
Ford slaps his hands on his knees before standing to tower over me. “He enjoyed camp last week, so I signed him up for another week.”
“What?” I shriek, fuming.
“It’s good for him.”
“He’s ten!”
“Exactly, which is why he wanted to do another week, and he will stay with Violet.”
My jaw drops, and I swear I snarl. “You should have discussed this with me!”
