Chapter 16

Ford

"Thank you again for coming." I tell Ashley as we ride back to Dixie Plaza. Felicity is staying with Mabel until we get back. I didn't want her to hear in case I was going to be told how shitty of a job I'm doing. "You didn't have to, and I appreciate you letting me count on you for this. Fee too."

"It's no problem." She runs her hands down her jeans.

But there's something different about the Ashley sitting in the seat next to me going home, than the one who went with me to the school. "What happened in there?" I jerk my thumb back toward where we just came from.

She shakes her head. "Ford, what are we doing?"

"What do you mean?" I'm dumbfounded, and have no idea what she's talking about. "We just went and met with my daughter's counselor. What the fuck do you think we just did?"

"That's not what I mean." She looks out the window, completely avoiding my gaze. "We both know that this isn't forever, it's temporary and I don't want Felicity to get too attached."

"Oh my fucking God. This is about what that woman said? I think I know my daughter to know what she can handle." I bang my hand against the steering wheel. "You're one of the only constant things in her life, and now you're going to run scared?"

The set of her jaw hardens. "You don't get to tell me what I'm running from, and me being one of the only constant things in her life is the problem, Ford. You and I both know that this doesn't end in a happily ever after."

"I don't even know what the fuck that means, Ashley. No one in my life has ever been happy with someone for the long haul. I'm not putting restrictions on us. All I wanted to do was have fun, and let my daughter experience what a real family is like ..." My voice is hoarse, and full of way more emotion than I mean for it to be. As we pull up to the convenience store, I park next to her car. "But ya know what? Forget it. If one little comment has you this worried, I can only imagine what happens when she does love you. When I might need you for something more than a booty call. Go ahead and cut those ties before they're double‐knotted."

She swallows so loud it makes it to my ears. "Ford ..."

"No." I hold up my hand to stop her. "You don't owe me a damn thing. Thank you for what you've done. You're free. Take the info I gave you about Doogie and do what you want with it. Just leave my name out of your mouth. If you see Fee, don't encourage her."

We sit there looking at one another for far too long. I'm afraid she can see every emotion in my eyes, that she knows how much this hurts. How I've come to count on her. I want her to say something, but she doesn't. All she does is mash her lips into a straight line, and she gets out of my SUV. Going along with her is a piece of myself that I'd opened up, even when I knew I shouldn't.

I'm working on Doogie's car, even though I don't want to. I need the money more than I can take a stance on whether or not what he's done is legal or illegal. I've been coming in early, and staying late trying to get it done, and avoiding Ashley.

"You almost done with my ride?"

Fuck his voice gets on my damn nerves. "It'll be a couple more days. I needed two more parts and obviously I can't go down to Auto Zone and place an order."

He leans against the front fender, crossing his arms over his chest. "How's my daughter doing?"

"You should probably ask her that question yourself."

An annoying as fuck chuckle comes out of his throat. "You know I'm on her no habla list right now."

"Just say she won't speak to you in any language, dumbass. You're an embarrassment all the way around."

He glares at me, seeming to take offense to my calling him out. "I'm paying you, maybe you should remember that."

"Oh, I know, and Ashley is her own woman. She can choose not to speak to you, just like she's chosen not to speak with me lately. Either way, that's her choice. You'd be good to remember that, Doogie. You can't force her to be your daughter."

His eyes see way too much. Eyes that are so much like hers stare back at me. I can imagine in his younger days, he was a looker. He probably only had to snap his fingers to get a woman to come home with him, but that's changed. He's no longer good looking, he's had a hard life and it's wearing right there on his face. "She should be appreciative. I've kept her out of jail."

"So she's supposed to thank you for that? You're more than likely the one who put her in the position to be arrested as it is. You're not father of the year. I think maybe you need to remember that."

He grabs hold of my shirt. "Neither are you, Ford. Maybe you need to remember that."

"Never said I was, but the one thing I can promise you is I'd never leave my daughter out to dry over shit I did. That's where we differ. You're lucky Ashley hasn't laid the hammer down on you. I'd be thanking my lucky stars if I were you, because that's so much more than you deserve."

He eyes me for a second, before taking a toothpick out of his pocket and puts it in his mouth. A smug smile spreads across his face. "Good luck with her, Ford. She's a lot like me, she just uses you for what she needs and then when you no longer serve a purpose, she drops you. Make sure you don't get those feelings hurt when she does." Doogie's smile turns snarky and full of self-importance, and all it does is infuriate me.

"Ashley is absolutely nothing like you. If you really think so, then you have a whole lot to learn about the woman you call a daughter. More than anything, she's closed off because of the shit you've pulled on her through the years." I lean under the hood and keep on working. "For the record, I didn't ask for you fuckin' opinion and until I do, keep it to yourself. Your car will be ready in a couple days. I'll let you know."

He presses into me, but I don't turn to look at him, I stare straight ahead. "Show me some respect, boy. Don't fuck with me."

"No, Doogie, don't you fuck with me."

As the older man leaves, I'm worried about what I've done. What will this bring down on Ashley and myself? More than anything I have to figure out a way to keep us, as well as Felicity, safe. Doesn't matter if she wants long‐term or not. She's going to be staying with me for the foreseeable future, just so I can keep an eye on her.

When I show up at her door, I make sure the look on my face lets her know not to argue with me. "Ash? Remember that change I told you to keep, and I said I'd let you know when I needed it back? It's time for repayment."

She opens her mouth, but instead of saying anything, she nods. "What do you need?"

So much more than she's willing to give.