The Sweetest Thing

Ford looked at Tara. “Stay and fight then,” he said. “For us.”

She looked at him with a mixture of anxiety and hope. “While giving everything I can and not blaming you for what I can’t?” she asked softly.

“That’s right.” He liked the look on her face, the one that said she was tempted.

“I like to analyze things,” she warned him. “Obsess. Think too much.”

“No,” he said straightfaced. “Not you.”

“I’m serious.”

He smiled. “Yes, I know. Look, I’m sure I’ll give you plenty to analyze and obsess over. Let’s start now. I have certain parts that need analyzing and obsessing.”

“Sawyer’s in the kitchen!” she hissed.

“He won’t listen.” Ford yawned, fighting against the sudden weight of his eyelids. “Or he’ll pretend not to, at least.”

“Your meds are making you sleepy.” She sounded concerned.

“No they’re not.” Yes, they were. But he didn’t care. He wanted her again. And then again. Maybe she’d do all the work this time, just this once. He’d owe her. He was good for it.

“Ford, I listened to what you told Mia at the hospital.”

“I know. I saw your heels beneath the curtain. So you know that I like to change the locks on Jax.”

“And that you think you were bad news for me. Or that I was made for better things than being stuck with you in a town I hated.” Her voice shook. “I never felt that way, Ford. Ever.” She shook her head. “You were very important to me. You were my best friend. I just didn’t know how to be your best friend. I didn’t know how to give myself. I didn’t learn that for a long time. When I got married to Logan, I still didn’t know, and I went the other way and gave too much. I’m only now learning the happy medium.”

Tenderness filled him. “I know,” he said gently. “And you’ve seemed happier lately than I’ve ever seen you.”

“Yes. That’s because of you.”

“Me?”

Tara smiled. “You.” She kissed him, then hopped up, pulling her hair into some complicated twist. “I have to go. Our guests at the i

His.

He hoped.

“Ford?”

“Hmm?” he said, or he thought he did. He felt her come closer and smiled. “You smell good.”

“I love you,” she whispered.

Emotion burst through him, and he closed his eyes for a second to absorb it. He could hear her moving around as if she was at home. He liked that. A lot. Liked watching her. But then he realized he wasn’t watching her; he was looking at the backs of his eyelids.

Huh. By the time he forced his eyes open, he was alone. “Tara?”

“Not exactly. But I can put on a Southern accent and get all pissy and bossy if you want.”

Sawyer.

Ford looked around. He was still on the couch. Sawyer was leaning back in a chair eating chips and watching TV, his boots on the arm of the couch near Ford’s face.

Ford shoved them. “What happened?”

“You needed a time-out,” Sawyer said.

“Tara?”

“Gone.” Sawyer cocked his head. “You’re not firing on all cylinders.”

No shit. Tara was gone, and Ford wasn’t sure if he’d really heard what he wanted to hear-what he’d wanted to hear for a very long time-or if he’d just dreamed it. “Did she say…?”

“Say what?”

I love you… “Nothing. Forget it.”

“She totally fondled you when she kissed you goodbye. You don’t remember?”

“No.”

Sawyer shrugged and lifted the bag to pour the last of the crumbs straight into his mouth. “Your loss. A woman like that fondles me, I remember.”

Tara headed back to the i

She never wanted to feel her heart hit her toes like that again. The run out to him had seemed to take forever, and then seeing his leg, his pain, had nearly killed her.

She thought of how she’d just left him, sated and relaxed and feeling no pain, and felt a little better. Inside the i

“Just lay back and relax now,” Chloe said to their guests, and light on her feet, moved toward Tara, pushing her out into the hallway.

“Hey,” Tara said. “Smells good in there.”

“It’s the oatmeal and honey mix in the facial. It smells delicious when it’s warmed. Don’t panic; I realize the i

“I wasn’t going to say that.”

“Okay, what were you going to say? Let me have it. Or should I save you some time? Yes, I stole your heavy cream, but I replaced it this morning. It helps make the facial smooth.”

“I don’t mind,” Tara said.

But Chloe was on a roll. “And yeah, okay, I ate the last of your Not Yo Mama’s Apple Pie. But…” She flashed her poker-face smile. “You’re getting sex, great sex by the look of you, so in all fairness, you don’t need the pie, right? And I made brownies to replace it anyway. You can add them to your picnic di

Tara felt a little dizzy with the quick subject changes, not to mention that this Chloe-a non-lazy, responsible Chloe-was a welcome surprise. “You did?”

“Okay, no. Mia made them. That girl most definitely inherited Ford’s talent in the kitchen.” Chloe waited a sly beat, just long enough for Tara to frown before laughing softly. “And yours, of course. Anyway, the husband’s allergic to a lot of veggies, did you know that? So instead of veggie oil, Mia used applesauce, of all things. And the brownies came out fantastic. If I hadn’t seen her do it with my own eyes, I’d have sworn you made them.”

Tara shook her head. Definitely dizzy. “Chloe…”

“Yeah, yeah, yell at me for all of it later, okay? I’ve got to get back in there.”

“No, Sugar. You don’t understand.” She reached for Chloe’s hand. “I’m not mad at all. Are you kidding? You used your own spare time to do my job, you covered my ass, and you’re making the i

Chloe narrowed her eyes. “You take some of Ford’s pain meds?”

“What? No!”

“You sure?”

“Yes! Chloe, I’m trying to say that I’m impressed. And that maybe I was too harsh when I said you never grew up. I shouldn’t have said that.”

Chloe arched a brow. “Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit. Did you almost-almost, mind you, but not quite-admit you were wrong about me?”

“Listen, I know I’ve been hard on you-”

“You were wrong,” Chloe said flatly. “Say it.”

Tara sighed. “Okay, fine. You’re right. I was wrong.”

“Wow. And you didn’t even choke on it.” Chloe gri

“My relationship with Mia is a work in progress.”

“I meant Ford.” Chloe leaned in and sniffed at her neck. “You smell like him, you know.”

Tara felt the heat on her face. “You should probably get back to the guests.”

With a soft, knowing laugh, Chloe headed into the sunroom. Tara blew out a breath and moved into the kitchen to get the picnic di

Mia came in and silently began chopping the herbs and nuts. Tara felt a little burst of pride and affection fill her. They really did work well as a team. She smiled, then felt her smile congeal when she caught a good look at Mia’s face. “You’ve been crying.”