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“If you have any left, I’ll send Steve over once we’re done.”
“Don’t count on it. These ones are always popular.”
They finish setup, and we spend a couple of minutes making small talk about their son in college before Amber tilts her head and asks what I can tell she’s been trying to hold back.
“No Ford today?”
My smile springs to my face. “He said he’ll be by later.”
“It’s sweet that he’s been helping you. I didn’t realize you were friends.”
“Yeah, it’s only been a few months now, but sometimes you meet those people who fit seamlessly into your life. That’s Ford.”
“Ford Thomas?” Leeandra pauses by us. “The ex-con?”
It’s a real lesson in self-control to stop myself from telling her to fuck off. “Ford the mechanic, yes.”
She exchanges a look with Claude, who she runs the pretzel stand with. “I take my car up to Springfield to get seen to. Most of us do. We don’t want to support a criminal.”
“A criminal?” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. “What proof do you have?”
“I was friends with his parents,” Claude says. “They were heartbroken when he was sent away.”
“I think we’ve had enough town gossip for one day.” Steve’s tone is firm.
“Not gossip.” Claude straightens. “It’s true. What he did to that poor kid—”
“That’s enough.” Where Steve was firm, I’m angry. I glare Claude down. “Ford is nothing but a good person, and no one here gives a shit that you guys don’t use his garage. He has great business without you, and he’s not going anywhere.”
“If he had good sense, he wouldn’t show his face around here,” Leeandra throws back.
“He has as much right to be here as anyone, and when he shows up to help out at my booth today, you’d better keep your opinions to yourself.”
Leeandra and Claude give me pitiful looks as they leave, and Amber lets out a long breath.
“Rude old bat,” she says.
“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not. Things were really bad for Ford when he first moved back here. The last thing he needs is for that nonsense to keep coming up again.”
“I don’t think I was around then.”
She shakes her head. “It was before you and Tara moved here.”
“So … hedidgo to jail, then?”
She shrugs.
Steve rests a hand on her shoulder. “It’s never been confirmed. By anyone. People are sure they know what happened, but Ford’s never said a word, and his parents don’t talk about it. Mostly it’s old news by now until assholes like that get involved.”
“Right,” I say, forcing a level of calm that I don’t feel. They wander away as the market doors open, and I’m left by myself, feeling this lump in my gut. I’m not even sure what the feeling is from. Sure, the thought of him doing time isn’t a happy one, but I’ve heard those rumors before, and they don’t line up with the man I know. I’d been sure it was all talk. Small-town gossip.
But Claude had been talking like he had details. And if there was akidinvolved?
My mind runs away with the idea, and the sickness settles deeper. It infects my mood. Makes it hard to focus. Ford didn’t judge me for my past, and I have every intention to do the same, but … but. There are some things I can’t get past, as hypocritical as that might be.
Hurting kids is one of those things.
