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“Thank you so much.”
Aunt Jess patted her cheek. “No more thanking me. I love looking after Ritchie. He’s a sweet boy, and my babies like him.”
She had friends and people like Aunt Jess in her life. That soothed some of the turmoil inside her. Heading back to the court, she saw the team they would play, a mix of school kids and a few their age.
“Good luck, everyone.”
Turning to see who’d spoken, she met Sheriff Dans’s eyes. He smiled, and she nodded.Were his eyes the same color as Ritchie’s?
“Focus, Autumn!” Piper snapped.
“Right. Focus,” she said, taking her position at the net.
“You got this, ladies.” It was Ford who had spoken, but as he was lifting his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face, she didn’t make eye contact. That flash of hard muscles and tanned skin had a lick of heat traveling through her.
A whistle blasted, and the ball sailed over her head.
Later she’d think about her next step with him and Sheriff Dans. Right now she needed to concentrate on winning.
Chapter30
“Autumn is good.”
“She is.”
“So tell me what happened now that you have nowhere to run.”
“None of your business, Nash.” Ford kept his eyes on her. She was everywhere. Diving, leaping, and that body in shorts and a T-shirt was heating him up again just when he’d cooled down after the game.
Not that Autumn was going to forgive him for being a shithead anytime soon, and if he was honest, he didn’t know if he wanted her to. Sleeping alone was better for both of them. Even as he thought the words, he knew them for a lie. He wanted Autumn in his life.Neededher in his life.
“Like when I was messing up with Luna and it was none of your business?” Nash elbowed him hard in the ribs, sucking the wind out of him. “How did you mess things up?”
“We’re standing on the side of a volleyball court, surrounded by people, Nash. Even if I was going to talk, it wouldn’t be now.”
“No one is listening. They’re watching the women.”
He sighed.
“You’ll feel better.”
“It’s between her and me, but the short answer is I had a nightmare—”
“Which I know about already, but you wouldn’t let me in the room and pretended to be asleep.”
“I said some things to her, and that was after nearly punching her when I woke up.”
“That has to be hard on you,” Nash said softly. “But you didn’t punch her, and you never would. You’re one of the good guys, Ford.”
“Thanks, and not always. I guess I freaked out at how close I’d come, and what with the nightmare, I was still unsettled. I told her to go away. Told her we were wrong together.”
“She wanted to stay with you, and you pushed her away?”
He’d hurt her, and this morning she was the ice queen with him. He understood self-protection better than anyone. When he was hurting inside, he made damn sure the outside didn’t show it.
“Something like that. I’m just not sure I’m the guy for a relationship.”
“I call BS to that. You’re made to be a husband and father.”
