“Mason is the freaking editor and chief of the school paper. You didn’t think it was important to tell me?” I argue. I bury my head in Ford’s neck, groaning with frustration. This website problem has as much to do with me as it does Ford.
Ford runs a soothing hand up and down my back. “I was waiting until after homecoming. I didn’t want to add another layer of stress to this weekend. I wanted us to have fun and not worry about who was lurking in the shadows. I never planned to keep this from you. I promise.”
I sigh. I believe him. He would never keep something this important from me. “I know, and as usual, you’re right. It would’ve just caused more stress. I would’ve been looking around for him constantly.”
“Hey.”
I jump, startled by the sound of Jack’s voice.
Ford grabs Jack’s arm and pulls him behind the Range Rover out of the view of the restaurant.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. What’s going on?” Jack asks.
“Mason Bergeson showed up,” Ford whispers.
Jack gets wide-eyed and glances at me. “Oh, got it.”
“What are you doing?” I ask Jack.
He scratches his jaw and then says, “the girls were worried about you. You two have been gone for a while. I got designated to come and check on you.”
“Oh,” is all I say. I completely forgot about everybody.
“We should get back,” Ford says.
I nod. “How are we going to get past Mason andhis date?” So many things click into place now that I know who’s behind everything with the website. Mason has the know-how for creating and maintaining the fan website. The paper is in charge of the school’s student website, blog, and Facebook page.
“Who’s his date?” Jack asks, looking surprised.
“Bree,” I say through clenched teeth. “Why can’t she leave me alone?”
“Because you took what she wanted.” Jack and I look at Ford.
He quirks an eyebrow. “I am irresistible.”
Well, he’s not wrong, but I’m not going to tell him that. “Oh, jeez. She’s an idiot.”
“So true. I say we all walk around the building the way we came. I’m not hiding, and I’m certainly not running.”
“I agree.” I nod.
“Okay, sounds good,” Jack shrugs.
I hurry and fix my face so it doesn’t look like I’ve been crying for the past ten minutes and the three of us walk past the restaurant. “Wait,” I say, pulling on Ford’s arm and stop walking. “What if we went back through the restaurant and not around?”
Ford and Jack exchanged looks and then shrug, and we walk up the sidewalk and inside. Ford waives to the server, and we walk across the restaurant and out the back. I don’t glance at Bree or Mason, but I can feel eyes on me. What I’m doing is mean. I’m flaunting my relationship with Ford in front of Bree. If Jack’s right and she’s mad because Ford is with me and not her. The thing she doesn’t realize is that Ford would never be with her the way she wanted. He made that clear before we were ever together.
When we walk out the doors to the back patio, dinner has already been served. “I’m starved. Please tell me those are pork tacos?” I walk down to the two empty chairs at the end of the table, but before I can sit down, Ford pulls my chair out for me, helping me.
“You two took your time,” Tyler says, winking at me.
I just shrug.
June leans over. “Is everything okay?
“It’s great. We just got carried away.” I smile and wink at her.
“Here, try this,” Ford pushes a glass with creamy white liquid in front of me.
