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“I settled with Jess.”
My mind blanked, my bloodstream replaced by an influx of fast moving snowflakes. “You settled. So what are you doing here if you’re with her?”
“Huh?” Ford started. “Jesus, princess. I settled. Out of court,” he said slowly. “As in I paid her a ludicrous sum to fuck right off and never come back at me again.”
“You. Bribed. Her.” But he wasn’t with her. I heard that right. But also, he left and I should have slapped him. Right? Or maybe kiss and slap? What was the standard here?
“She tried to blackmail me. It hurts less this way. But if I have to read another contract in the next forty-eight hours my head will actually explode.” He tried for a grin again, the fine lines around his mouth straining its edges.
“At least implode. You’ll make less mess that way,” I promised him. “Gotta think of others. And I thought you went home on the twenty-seventh?”
“I never left, Neesh. I’ve been here fixing things the entire time. And I’ve stood there, across the road, watching you start and finish your tour every day like a good little stalker,” he said seriously.
“You have?” I stared. If I did it any more my eyeballs would pop out on their stalks and wave hello to him in person.
“Sure have.” He took a slow step forward. People milled around us, their heads down as the snow started up. “Left Pickles at home. Not that he’s impressed. He looks good in sunglasses.”
A snort escaped me. “So incognito.”
“That’s what he said.” Ford paused, rubbing the back of his neck. “We didn’t leave on good terms. Or any terms, really.”
“You mean you didn’t leave on any terms,” I said tartly, stuffing my tips into my pouch. “That’s what happened, Ford. You left me with no way to contact you, and you had my card. You could have messaged, or called, orsomething.” I stamped a foot, sending up a flurry that turned to slush around my boot. “I’m tired, I’m hungry, and I want to go home.”
I sounded like a petulant child who didn’t know what she wanted but I didn’t care. What I wanted was to forget I ever met Ford Millham.
Liar.
“Any chance I can help with that?” Ford pressed his lips into a hard line. “I want to make up for hurting you.”
I spun around in a little circle, not really having any idea where I was headed. “Ford, I haven’t gotten over the hurt of not being able to have you in my life. A few weird and wonderful and intense days...and nothing. My mind...” I made a puffing gestion, breaking my palms apart in a silent explosion. “And to go back through that and have you leave? I can’t.” My voice cracked as he stared at me, unmoving, unspeaking.
“About that. I’m uh, not going back. To Australia. Not for a while, anyway. And when I do it will be shorter trips. I’d like you to come with me.”
“For your business trips? Are you mad?”
“Yes to the last, yes to the first but only as much as you’ll stay with me the rest of the time while I'm in the States, Neesh. I don’t want this to stop. And I know you love New York. I’d never willingly pull you out of it, except maybe for some short breaks. So, I figured if I wanted you, I had to move here. I got a five year visa. Kinda pushed it through.”
“More bribes, huh?” I rolled my eyes.
Ford grimaced. “This one was a favour owed. But call it what you want. I’m here for a while, and if I can make it permanent, I’ll do it.”
“So you’re staying.” I nodded like it all made sense. Spoilers: inside my head, nothing at all was making sense.
“Yeah. I’m staying, princess. And I’d like to prove or disprove the theory of whether I shit in a golden toilet.”
I narrowed my eyes. “So which one is it?”
He held out his hand. “You have to come with me to find out.” His smile was lopsided as I studied his calluses that I secretly adored
“Mmm, okay. If only to find out about the toilet.” I placed my hand in his.
“Is that the only reason, elf girl?” He pulled me straight into his chest, lowering his mouth and pausing just shy of making contact. “If I told you I loved you and got down on one knee, would you...”
“Slap you and call you a loon and make more legal problems for you?” I supplied. “Absofreakinlutely, Mister Millham.”
“Good to know we’re on the same page then.” His arms wound around me tight, but it didn’t feel like a cage, more of a safety net I desperately wanted to rely on. “Because I fell in love with you the moment you patted my alpaca, Nisha,” he husked in his ear.
I giggled like a drunken elf who couldn't believe Christmas was actually over. “He was very cute,” I said solemnly, managing to hold my face straight while my heart soared. “Ford Millham loves me. That was what you just said, right?” I peered up at him. “Cute pets aside, you are telling me you love me and all the things?”
