I tried not to stare at him while he did, but it was hard not to admire how good he looked tonight. His hair was looking a little more tousled than before…he’d probably been running his hands through it. The thought made me want to runmyhands through it, but before I could accidentally reach out, Ford grabbed my hand and pulled me back into the throng.
People were eager to talk to him and we wove through the crowd, carefully avoiding his mother and other family members who seemed to always be appearing and disappearing out of the corner of my eye.
“Who shall I introduce you to next, dearest?” Ford asked. “I’m going to make sure you get the complete girlfriend experience.”
Did it make me pathetic that I got butterflies every time he called me dearest? Even knowing full well it was for show?
“Oh, no, it’s okay,” I said. “I’m fine.”
“Lies,” he said with a grin, shaking his head. “I know you came here at least partly to raise some funds for your charity.”
I was a little touched that he remembered.
“I came here foryou,” I said. “Because you asked.”
“I know,” he said. “But I also know you’re relentless when it comes to your causes. So who can we squeeze some money out of?”
He looked positively gleeful at the thought and I couldn’t help but laugh. Whenever Ford was like this—a little drunk and a lot eager—fun and crazy things usually happened. In fact, I wouldn’t have been surprised to discover that he was the one behind the epic Connect Four game last year. He always managed to stir up trouble wherever he went.
“You pick the target,” I said. “I’ll just play along.”
“Aww, come on,” he coaxed. “I know you. I’d bet anything you have your eye on someone already.”
I laughed, feeling my cheeks go warm. He did know me.
“Okay,” I confessed. “Imighthave been checking out Jessie Flores.”
Ford scrunched up his nose. “Who?”
I gave him a look. “You’d recognize her. She’s a huge influencer.”
The look of confusion didn’t fade from his handsome face.
“She’s all over social media,” I tried again. “Takes pictures of herself doing, like, yoga poses in a bikini at national parks or in front of beautiful monuments.”
Recognition sparked in Ford’s eyes. “BikiniBliss? I love her pictures.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Yeah, I’m sure it’s her pictures that you’re admiring when you double tap,” I said.
He held up his hands. “What do you expect?” he said. “I have eyes.”
“You think you can keep it in your pants long enough to spark up some friendly conversation, or am I better off flying solo?” I asked.
“We got this. Where is she?” Ford asked, craning his neck as he looked across the ballroom for her.
“Gah, stop being so obvious!” I grabbed his arm. “She’s over there, by the ice sculpture.”
“The swan again? That thing’s been a magnet for all the who’s-who tonight.”
“No, the other one. I think it’s an eagle or something,” I said.
“I don’t get my mother’s obsession with birds,” he said, still looking. “It’s downright creepy.”
I giggled.
“There she is,” Ford said.
