Page 111 of The Summer that Changed Everything
Ford thought about Lucy and how this had to be affecting her. To know her father was innocent, at least of strangling Aurora—a young woman her own age and someone she knew—had to bring hersomerelief. After all, she’d tried to tell everyone that her father hadn’t murdered Aurora. Darren had confirmed it. But no one would believe them, even the police.Especiallythe police.
At the very least, Chet’s arrest removed the stigma, the assumption that she’d contributed to Aurora’s death in some way.
Ford wished he could be in North Hampton Beach to share her excitement and celebrate the truth, hard as that truth was for him in other respects.
He wondered how Patti and Nelson were faring. They had to be devastated all over again—and feeling a little sheepish. Theyshouldfeel sheepish, he thought, after the way they’d treated Lucy. Lucy had never done anything to Aurora. As a matter of fact, it was Aurora who’d wronged Lucy by calling him and coming on to him when he already had a girlfriend.
He checked his phone. It was too late to call Kira now, but he’d asked one of the friends he and Chet used to hang out with, who’d remained in closer touch with Chet over the years, to get him contact information. He wanted to offer her some financial assistance over the next few months, if she needed it. She was as much a victim in all of this as anyone.
Fortunately, she’d had the presence of mind to get away from Chet as soon as she realized the truth. Ford hated to think Chetwould harm the woman he loved, but someone as desperate as he must’ve been in that moment...
It was better if she didn’t take anything for granted.
Seeing that he’d received her number as requested, he sent a quick thanks in return and was just sliding his phone in his pocket, planning to call her first thing in the morning, when he heard a creak behind him and knew Christina had come into the room. She’d gone to bed at least an hour ago; he hadn’t expected to hear from her until morning. Since he’d returned, they hadn’t been sharing a bed. They didn’t even share a bedroom. He’d told her he wanted to ease into the relationship, take it slow and make sure it was going to work this time. But the truth had more to do with the fact that he didn’t want to be with anyone except Lucy and needed time to get over her—if he could.
“Ford?”
The French bulldog he’d given her came trotting over to him as he turned to face her. “Something wrong?” he asked, bending to pet Mo.
“With me? No. I’m worried aboutyou.”
That would be a first, he thought, but immediately chided himself. He couldn’t be cynical if he was going to make this work. Christina had been so tractable since he’d returned, so sweet. She was behaving like she had while they were dating. She was smart, always on her best behavior when she had to be.
Once again trying to silence that inner critic, he cleared his throat as he stood. “You’re the one who needs your rest. Why are you worried about me?”
“You’ve been up, rambling around most nights since you returned from North Hampton Beach.”
“I’m dealing with a lot of issues with my father’s estate and the woman he left behind. You know that.” Those issues weren’t currently the burden they’d been. Although he’d have to resolve them over time, it was more that he wasn’t eager to share what was going on in North Hampton Beach. He didn’t wantto mention anything that had to do with Lucy, was afraid Christina would be able to tell how much he’d rather be with her—and that couldn’t be healthy for their relationship.
She walked over and took his hand before leaning her head on his shoulder. “So it’s not the woman Houston told me about?”
Ford felt himself go cold. Houston had been talking to Christina? Why now? They’d never really liked each other. “I didn’t realize you and Houston were friendly again.”
“He’s my brother-in-law, Ford. He asked me if I wanted to go to North Hampton Beach with him, but then we decided it’d be better for you to come back here before you made a rash decision—just because you were mad at me—and hurt everyone.”
What he was doing in North Hampton Beach had been anything but rash. It’d felt like he’d gone home, that being with Lucy was where he was supposed to be. Except that couldn’t be right. He had a marriage to save for the sake of their baby. But it was the “we” in her statement that stood out. “I’m touched that you both care so much about me,” he said.
He knew she’d heard the sarcasm in his voice when she pulled away. “Are you saying we don’t?”
When he didn’t respond, she must’ve realized he was willing to leave the conversation just as it was rather than try to placate her, as she expected. Normally, she would’ve gotten mad and left the room. Tonight, she sidled up to him again. “Come to bed, babe. Let me give you a massage. I can tell you’resowound up.”
He knew what would happen if she coaxed him into her bed. She’d been trying to get him to have sex with her since he got home. She’d been so insistent about it, so suggestive at every turn, he assumed that was how she believed she could truly get him back. Or at least to where he’d been before, when he was trying to please her, hoping for the best and magnifying any crumb of kindness so he wouldn’t be quite so unhappy.
But he didn’t have that in him anymore. It was simplygone.All that was left was duty. He hoped to change that, but he certainly wasn’t there yet. “Not tonight,” he said. “You need to sleep. It’s important for the baby. I’ve been reading up on preeclampsia. It can be dangerous.”
“A lot of women do just fine with it,” she said. “They can have sex and everything.”
There it was. A stronger hint in case he’d missed the earlier ones. “I wouldn’t want to take the chance, just in case,” he told her. “Maybe after we’ve visited the doctor together, and I learn a bit more about her concerns and how we can keep you and the baby safe, things will be different.”
“Well, a blow job certainly wouldn’t hurt me,” she said with a laugh.
That wasn’t something she’d been willing to do, not since they were dating. But he still couldn’t summon the interest. “I just found out a friend of mine murdered a girl I used to know, Christina. Maybe another night.”
“You’re talking about those murders your mother once told me about in North Hampton Beach?”
He nodded.
“That’s terrible!” she exclaimed.
