But right now, they both need me. They’ll both be hurting, both be keeping it on the inside even though it’s okay to show it.
Ford doesn’t need this now. He’s got enough on his plate.
And Archer…he’s more sensitive than he lets on. Just because he wasn’t close with her doesn’t mean this won’t hurt. He’ll almost certainly go to the funeral, where he’ll have to see his brother, who’s newly engaged to his recent ex.
It’s too much, and for as much as none of this is about me at all, I have no clue how to handle it.
I want to be there for everyone, but I no longer fit where I used to. And now I’m wearing my dream ring from the brother I never expected to give it to me.
I pull back and go into planner mode. “What can I do? Have arrangements been made? Do you need me to notify anyone?”
He clears his throat. “Arrangements have been made. Next Tuesday. Everybody’s day off. Three days before Christmas.” His voice is flat. No emotion. Apart from the red-rimmed eyes, I have no real clue what he’s thinking or feeling right now.
But what I do know is that he needs to get back to Chicago a week from today, and he’ll have to face his family.
“Come with me,” he says softly.
I nod. “Of course.”
Scratch that.Wewill have to face his family. Together.
The next week passes in a flash in the whirlwind of wedding planning and funeral travel arrangements. That viral video topped out at a little over two million views, and Ford has spoken to every member of his family except for Archer and his dad. Well, and his mom, obviously. He’s the one who said it. Dark humor for the win, I guess.
We’ll be staying at the Bradley Mansion together in Ford’s old room, and I wonder how many of the other Bradley siblings will be staying there as well. As far as I know, Madden has a place in the city, and so do Everleigh and Liam. But Dex, Ford, Archer, and Ivy don’t.
I don’t allow myself to imagine how awkward it’ll be to share a space with Archer when I’m sleeping beside Ford, nor do I allow myself to imagine the looks I’ll get from the other Bradley siblings as we stay in the mansion.
It already feels messy, and we haven’t even boarded the plane yet.
I watch the game on Sunday from Ford’s couch since he’s away in Nashville. The Beasts fight hard, but without Grant Landry in the game, they come up short.
Ford is in amoodwhen he arrives home on Sunday night.
I leap off the couch to greet him at the door, and he gives me a halfhearted hug. I know they lost, which sucks, but usually he greets me with a bit more enthusiasm thanthis.
“What’s wrong?” I ask. It’s a stupid question, I know. He lost his mother. We have to fly to Chicago in the morning to help with her estate and be with his family and attend her funeral. On top of that, his team lost.
“We fuckin’ lost,” he mutters.
“I watched. You played so hard, Ford. You were amazing.”
“What good did it do?” he mutters. “Another season down the drain.”
“It’s one loss,” I protest. “It’s not the end.”
“We lost, the Fury won. They won last weekend, too. Our playoff spot isn’t secured, so we’ll have to play Wild Card Weekend, and without Landry, we will lose. No doubt about it. So, yeah. It’s the end. It’s over.”
I don’t really understand how it all works, but what I do understand is human emotion. I slip my arms around him. “I’m sorry. I know this is hard. But your team has amazing talent, and maybe you’ll surprise even yourself at the wild card game. And if not, there’s always next year.”
He sighs. “Yeah. Always next year.” He lets go of me and heads toward his bedroom, and I guess that’s it.
We sleep separately, and when morning dawns, I wake with a heavy weight on my shoulders and nerves constantly moving up and down my spine.
I guess it’s time to face Archer with this engagement ring on my finger.
CHAPTER 29: Ford Bradley
Ransacking
