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“Monica is not an option—she doesn’t give good advice,” Ford said. “Bye, Luna.”
“Bye, Ford.”
“Say goodbye to your idiot for me.”
“Will do.”
He remembered Nash saying that when he’d first moved here, the townspeople just kind of stepped into his life, which his brother had hated as he was even more of a grump than Ford.
Was that what was happening? They’d just decided he needed remodeling?
Maybe he needed to stay away from Ryker Falls for a while, especially since one sweet schoolteacher was making him think about things he shouldn’t.
Chapter12
Decision made, he went back to his cake with the intention of eating it and drinking his coffee as fast as he could without burning his mouth. Ford took the seat next to Autumn again and tried not to be aware of her or remember just how good her ass had looked in those leggings.
“You checking up on me by calling Luna, Ford?” Piper said, returning from the back room of the café.
“I did, and she said she didn’t mention anything about me to you or anyone but Mr. Goldhirsh.”
“Huh,” Piper said. “I’m sure we had a conversation about you just yesterday.”
“Don’t you want your customers to return? Surely annoying the crap out of them is not achieving that.”
Her smile upped her level of prettiness, but he felt nothing. He was, however, aware of the woman at his side who was inhaling her cake.
“Now, we both know you’ll be back because you can’t resist my charm or chocolate cake with caramel filling.”
“You have a point,” he muttered as she walked away to serve Jack and Rory, who had just arrived.
“You need to savor that.”
Autumn turned with a large forkful of cake close to her mouth.
“It’s good.”
“It really is,” Ford agreed.
He could play nice. Just because he’d imagined her naked beneath him did not mean he couldn’t talk like a normal person. Just because that flare of anger when he’d realized those men were hassling her had him wanting to hurt them did not mean he couldn’t be the cool, calm man he’d always been.
“What made you choose Ryker Falls to make your home, Autumn?”
She ate the mouthful, chewed, and then swallowed, almost like she needed time to answer.
“I wanted a change for Ritchie and me.”
“It’s a nice place to raise a kid.”
“It is. The people are good here.”
“Nosy but good,” he added.
“I noticed they’re a bit in your face.”
“Massive understatement. You wait—your turn will come.”
“So you think they’re letting me settle in first?” Her eyes sparkled with mischief. The woman was sweet.
