Page 47 of Welcome Home to Ivy Falls

It knocked the wind out of me when she pulled me into a massive hug, held on for no more than two breaths, and then turned in her black orthopedic shoes and stomped toward the register. Since that day, she’d given me a smile, a pat on the shoulder, every time she saw me. On that day she could have easily replaced the words Ivy Falls with me, because she’d been the kindness and understanding I’d needed at the lowest point in my life.

‘It was kids being dumb. I know better now. She’s become the grandmother I never had.’

‘I wish I could tell you more—’

‘No, it’s okay. Sorry if I made this… weird.’

‘You can ask me anything you want, except for confidential patient information. I’m an open book, Piper.’

‘No one is an open book, Ford.’ That earned me another one of those panty-dropping smirks. ‘It’s easy to say that but when people ask hard questions, even you might find it hard to be honest.’

He tapped at the spackle with a putty knife and said, ‘Let’s put that theory to the test.’

I leaned a hip against the sink, studying how he continued to work without a single hint of tension in his athletic frame. He was cocky but not in an off-putting way. In his Harpeth Manor world I bet things were always proper. That certain topics were off limits in order to keep up appearances. Maybe it was time to make him uncomfortable. Set him a little off-kilter like I felt when he stared at me with that pale blue gaze.

‘How old were you when you lost your virginity and how badly did you screw it up?’

I waited for him to sputter. To take several uncomfortable gulps. What I did not expect was the roar of a laugh that burst from his lips.

‘It was bad. I was in the eleventh grade and at my first senior party. There was a girl in my class I liked. No names to protect the innocent,’ he said coyly. ‘We kissed at first and then went upstairs. I tried to be smooth, kicked off my shoes, lowered her onto the bed.’

Heat snapped through my veins. Dammit, I’d walked right into a trap. My point was to embarrass him, but I was the one getting all pink-cheeked.

‘Once we were on the bed, she rolled me over and kissed me. I thought it was a power play, so I rolled again and sent us careening right off the bed. I landed on her with the full force of my weight, knocking the wind out of her.’ He shook his head. ‘Poor girl gasped for air for like thirty seconds. It was a real shitshow.’

‘After all that, did it… still happen?’

God, my cheeks were blazing. So much for being a smart-ass.

‘Yes. After she could, you know, actually breathe again.’ He let loose another uninhibited laugh, and it was so infectious I found myself giggling along.

How was he doing this? Being so smart. Cute. Honest. Making me smile so wide my face ached. It was easy to see why he was good at being a doctor. He wore empathy like a second skin and I hated to admit it was a goddamn turn on.

He went back to fixing the wall, anchoring the shower rod and humming ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’ until the doorbell rang.

I froze. Shit. It had to be Beck. Besides my close family, Diego and Maisey – and, well, now Ford – no one else knew I lived here.

My brother’s hovering had to end and I was going to tell him that. I started for the door when Ford said, ‘That would be the pizza.’

‘You ordered pizza? To my apartment? Why?’