Chapter Five

Bonnie

The mid-morning sun spilled across my desk, casting a warm glow over the papers scattered in front of me. The window in Ford's office offered a modest view of the campus courtyard, where students hurried to class, bundled up tightly against the February chill. The sky was a pale blue, and the world outside seemed to be waking up from winter's embrace.

I tapped my pen against the desk, trying to refocus my attention on the project at hand. Now that the astrophysics conference was over, I was back to helping Ford with his research publications. He had been incredibly supportive of my studies, and I felt grateful to be here.

Still, my thoughts occasionally wandered to the dance floor, where I had felt something unexpected, something that lingered in my mind despite my best efforts to push it aside.

I shook my head, trying to banish the memory. I was here to work, after all. Ford Kingston was my mentor, my colleague, and nothing more. Even if there was an undeniable chemistry between us, it wasn't something I could act on. I was engaged to Jonathan, and that was where my focus needed to be.

The thought of Jonathan was bittersweet, especially today being Valentine's Day. He had left a box of chocolates in the kitchen before he headed off to work, a sweet gesture that would have been perfect if not for one small oversight: the chocolates were filled with nuts. The disappointment had settled in when I realized I wouldn't be able to eat them due to my severe nut allergy. Jonathan must not have noticed, I figured. It was just a mistake. I told myself that it didn't mean anything; after all, he was always thoughtful in so many other ways. Wasn't he?

I glanced up as the office door swung open, expecting to see Ford, but instead, a woman swept into the room like a gust of wind. She was striking, with long blonde hair that cascaded down her back in perfectly styled waves. Her eyes were a steely blue, framed by expertly applied makeup that accentuated her high cheekbones and full lips. Her outfit was straight out of a fashion magazine: a tailored designer coat over a chic dress that hugged her model-like figure, complete with towering heels and large diamond studs that caught the light with every movement. Her skin had an artificial glow, as if she spent every day lounging on a yacht in the Mediterranean rather than braving the bleak Illinois winter.

In her hands, she carried a bouquet of flowers, bright and vibrant against the neutral tones of the office. She breezed past me without so much as a glance, her eyes fixed on Ford's empty desk.

"Hello," I managed to say, rising from my seat. "Can I help you?"

She paused, her gaze finally settling on me with a mixture of curiosity and mild disdain. Her lips curved into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Oh, you must be the assistant," she said, her voice smooth and confident.

"Yes, I'm Bonnie," I replied, unsure of how to react to her sudden appearance. "And you are?"

"Greer Tolliver," she announced, as if her name alone should have been enough to clarify everything.

Recognition dawned on me almost instantly. The Tolliver name was well-known in town—Greer's father was the mayor, a prominent figure whose influence extended beyond the city limits. Suddenly, everything about her made sense.

Before I could respond, Ford entered the office, his expression shifting from surprise to something more guarded when he saw Greer.

"Greer, what are you doing here?" he asked, his tone polite but edged with an unease I'd never heard from him before.

Greer's smile widened, and she stepped forward, placing the vase of flowers on Ford's desk with a flourish. "Ford, darling! How wonderful to see you! I know we planned to meet tomorrow for dinner, but I just couldn't wait," she said, adjusting the arrangement with practiced ease. "And since it's Valentine's Day, I thought your office could use a woman's touch."

She cast a condescending glance in my direction, as if implying that the place was otherwise lacking. I bristled at her insinuation, a flush of irritation warming my cheeks.

Ford shifted awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable with the sudden display. "Greer, this really isn't necessary. We're at work, and I have a lot to do today."

Undeterred, Greer moved closer to him, her movements fluid and deliberate as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug that lingered just a little too long. Her intentions were clear as she looked up at him with a mixture of affection and possession.

A pang of jealousy pierced my heart like an arrow, and I immediately chastised myself for it. I hadn't even asked Ford if he was seeing someone; it wasn't my place to assume anything about his personal life. Besides, I had no right to feel any way about it. Yet, seeing Greer with him, so different from me in every conceivable way, made me feel small and insignificant. She was everything I wasn't—tall, poised, with the kind of polished beauty that belonged on the cover of a magazine. I glanced down at my simple blouse and skirt, feeling suddenly dowdy in comparison. My dark hair was practical, shoulder-length, and unremarkable, my curves not the sort that turned heads. I felt a wave of self-doubt wash over me, a nagging voice that whispered I didn't belong in Greer's world, and therefore any chemistry I'd thought I felt between Ford and me was simply my imagination. He could never be interested in me. But why did that bother me so much?

Ford disentangled himself from Greer's embrace, stepping back to put some distance between them. "Thank you for the flowers, Greer, but I really do have to get back to work now. I'll see you tomorrow night as we planned."

Greer pouted for a moment, then relented, her gaze sliding back to me with a hint of challenge. "Alright, Ford. I'll let you get back to your...work." She gave him one last lingering look before turning on her heel and striding out of the office, her heels clicking against the floor with each step.

The silence she left in her wake was deafening, and I felt Ford's eyes on me, gauging my reaction. I busied myself at my computer, pretending to be engrossed in work, but my mind was a jumble of confusion and uncertainty.

"Bonnie," Ford began, his voice carefully neutral, "I'm sorry about that. Greer is my ex-girlfriend. We were engaged for a while."

The admission caught me off guard, and I looked up, meeting his gaze. There was a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes, a glimpse of the man beneath the professional exterior. "I see," I said softly, unsure of what else to say.

He nodded, his expression closing off again. "It's a long story, one I'd rather not get into right now. She left town after we broke up last year, and I guess now she's back."

I absorbed his words, trying to reconcile this new information with the Ford I thought I knew. The thought of him with Greer was difficult to process, and I felt a twinge of sympathy for whatever pain their past might have caused him.

Recognizing the name Tolliver made everything click into place. Greer wasn't just Ford's ex; she was the daughter of the mayor, a woman whose connections and status gave her a certain power and influence. It explained her confidence, her sense of entitlement, and the way she had breezed back into Ford's life as if she had every right to be there.

Ford returned to his work, the subject clearly closed for now, and I followed suit, trying to focus on my own tasks despite the turmoil of emotions swirling inside me. The air between us was heavy with unspoken words, a tension that lingered even after Greer's departure.

Later that afternoon, I went to the university library, finding an empty carousel on the third floor. Flipping on the overhead light in the cubicle, I spread out my textbooks and sat down to study for my upcoming economics exam. The library was quiet, and I tried to concentrate on supply and demand curves, on market trends and fiscal policies, but my mind kept drifting back to Ford and Greer. The image of them together, the way Greer had claimed him as hers, was a distraction I couldn't quite shake.

My phone vibrated softly, pulling me from my thoughts. I glanced at the screen, expecting a message from Jonathan, but it was an unknown number. I stared at the text as I read the message:

Hey, Bonnie. This is Greer. We met in Ford's office this morning. I got your number from administration. Can you meet me for coffee at the cafe near campus?

My mind raced with questions. What could Greer possibly want from me? Her sudden interest was puzzling, and a part of me was wary of her intentions. Still, curiosity got the better of me, and I found myself agreeing to meet her.

With a sigh, I gathered my things, my mind a tangle of anticipation and uncertainty as I made my way to the café. The winter air was crisp against my skin, and I pulled my coat tighter around me as I navigated the winding campus paths. The café was a cozy, unassuming place, its interior warmly lit and inviting. I spotted Greer seated at a far corner table, her polished appearance standing out amidst the rustic charm of the surroundings.

Taking a deep breath, I approached her. She looked up as I arrived. A small smile played on her lips as she gestured to the seat across from her.

"Bonnie, thanks for coming," she said, her voice as smooth as syrup. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

I shook my head, sliding into the chair and setting my bag on the floor. "No, it's fine," I replied, studying her with cautious curiosity. "I was just studying for an exam."

Greer nodded. "How is that going? Studying and working at the same time can't be easy."

"It's a lot of work, but I'm managing," I said, choosing my words carefully.

She leaned forward slightly, tucking a lock of her long blonde hair behind her ear.

"I wanted to talk to you about Ford," she said, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret. "Woman to woman."

I stiffened at her words, unsure of where this conversation was headed. "What about him?" I asked, my tone guarded.

Greer regarded me with a knowing look, her eyes searching mine for something I couldn't quite define.

"Has he been seeing anyone?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

The question caught me off guard, and I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "Not that I know of," I said cautiously. "But then again, our relationship is strictly business."

She arched a perfectly manicured eyebrow in response. "Is that so?" she drawled, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Because word has it that you two looked pretty cozy at the conference party last week."

Shock washed over me like a cold wave. Were people really talking about me and Ford? A flush crept up my cheeks, the memory of that night still vivid in my mind. I opened my mouth to protest, but the words stuck in my throat. "We're just colleagues," I insisted, my voice a little too defensive. "I'm just his admin, that's all."

"Right," Greer said, drawing out the word as if she didn't quite believe me. She leaned back, crossing her arms and studying me intently as if appraising me. "Well, I'm glad we cleared that up."

I shifted uncomfortably, the implications of her words racing through my mind. There was something unnerving about her scrutiny, as if she were dissecting my every word and gesture, searching for some hidden truth. I felt pried open and vulnerable, like I had something to hide. Although I didn't, of course.

I held up my hand, showing off the engagement ring that Jonathan had given me. "I'm actually engaged," I said, hoping to steer the conversation in a different direction. "I have a fiancé."

Greer's icy gaze flicked to the ring. "I noticed," she said, her voice casual and unbothered. "But until two people say ‘I do,' promises don't mean much."

Her words unsettled me in a way I couldn't explain and made me feel defensive. I crossed my other leg on top and opened my mouth to speak. However, before I could do so, Greer's expression softened, and she leaned across the table again, lowering her voice as if to confide in me. "Bonnie, I want Ford back," she said, her tone now earnest and imploring. "It was all a misunderstanding what happened between us, and I want to fix things. Will you help me?"

Her request was unexpected, and a knot of unease formed in my stomach. This was a position I didn't want to be in, a role I hadn't asked for and didn't know how to handle. I didn't want to be a pawn in whatever game Greer was playing, but at the same time, I wasn't sure why the prospect of her and Ford getting back together bothered me so much.

I swallowed hard, fighting down the whirlwind of emotions rising in my gut as I tried to process her request. "I don't know if I can help you," I said finally, my voice quiet and uncertain. "Ford and I...we're just co-workers."

"Think about it, okay?" Greer urged, her eyes boring into mine with an intensity that was hard to resist. "I still love him, and I know he still loves me. Don't you want to see him happy? All I'm asking for is your support."

"Of course," I murmured. "Um, I need to get back to studying now."

"I knew I could count on you," she purred, swirling her spoon in her coffee while I hurried into my coat.

I stepped onto the sidewalk, walking straight into a gust of wind. The sudden blast of cold air made my eyes water and I blinked furiously to clear my vision. I didn't want to be caught in the middle of whatever drama Greer was stirring up, but I couldn't ignore the part of me that wondered why I cared so much. Was it just loyalty to Ford, a desire to protect him?

I didn't have answers, only questions that seemed to multiply with each passing moment.

In the distance, the university bells chimed, and I looked up at the clock tower, feeling more unsure of myself than ever.