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“Yup.”
“I’ve heard rumors.” Lots of them. “But you don’t have to tell me anything you’re not comfortable going over.”
Ford links his thick fingers through mine and leads me into the living room. “I appreciate it, but I’m not going to leave you wondering. I can only imagine the shit you’ve heard.”
“Yeah, it hasn’t painted you with the best brush.”
“But you’re still here?”
“Well, yeah. I might not have known you then, but I know you now.”
“What if it was something bad?” he asks.
“What if you tell me instead of making my imagination do the work?”
Ford laughs and flops back onto his couch, pulling me after him. “Good point.”
“Is this better or worse than me fucking up someone’s marriage?”
“Depends how you look at it. We both hurt people.”
I know I shouldn’t ask, but I can’t help myself. “A child?”
“Technically, yeah.”
“What do you mean technically?”
“He was seventeen, I was eighteen.”
Some of the tension I’ve been holding on to eases at that. Hurting someone is still hurting them, but there’s a big difference between two people of similar ages and someone much older and larger, preying on someone younger. “What happened?”
“He did some bad things to one of my friends, so I did some bad things to him.”
“Like …”
“Likeput him in the hospital with my fiststhings.”
“Wow.”
Ford’s jaw flexes, and he looks deep in thought. “I was an adult, so I was punished like one. Did my time, got out early on good behavior, and went to anger management classes. Not sure I needed them because I wasn’t angry when I went after him, but they gave me some good perspective. Thing is, I see my sixteeners, and if anyone ever hurt them, I think I’d do the exact same thing.”
Our eyes meet, like Ford is checking in on my reaction to that. And I know he believes his words, but I don’t.
“It would be horrible, and I hope nothing bad ever does happen to them, but I don’t think you’d hurt someone.”
“Even though I already have?”
I snigger. “You were eighteen. I mean, it doesn’t excuse what happened, but teenagers’ brains aren’t developed all the way. Have you hurt anyone since then?”
“No.”
“Exactly.” I draw in a deep breath. “We’ve both done things we’re not proud of, but we’re both working not to be those people anymore. You’ve been treated like shit by people here, and you never bite back. You think I have a big heart? Fuck, take a look at yourself.”
He smiles, even though he’s trying not to. “I’m glad I told you.”
“I’m glad you did too.” My stomach grumbles, and I drop my head onto his chest. “Especially because right now, I’m more concerned about dinner than things we can’t change.”
“One of the many things I love about you. You sure know how to prioritize.”
