Chapter 20

Ford

"Are you okay with it?" I ask Felicity. "You understand what I'm saying about Ashley, right? She and I are dating one another. We might be together forever, we may not. If we're not, that's on her and me. It has nothing to do with you," I say the words again that I told her earlier. "We both love you."

"I know." She nods, carefully. "She might be my new mom, she might not."

I inhale deeply, counting to ten in my head. That's not what I've said, really, but it's what she's hearing, and I'm more than cognizant I have to explain things in a way she understands. "Right, but you don't call her mom until you ask. Remember?"

She nods again, throwing her small arms around me. "I'm glad she's going to be around."

"I am too, kiddo. You wanna go get some pizza?"

"Is Ashley coming with us?"

"As long as it's okay with you." I want her to know that while I care a lot about Ashley, Felicity is going to be my top priority. She's never been anyone's top priority, but she's mine.

"Do I get to wear my princess dress?" she asks, excitement in her voice.

"You can wear whatever you want."

As Felicity runs to her room to change, there's a knock at the door. Glancing out the side window Ashley's standing there. I rush to open it and wrap an arm around her waist. "Hey, I missed you today." I lean in, kissing her soundly and lingering as long as I can against her lips.

"Missed you too, but I'm so glad to be off work. It's still crazy up there. Everyone keeps coming in to see how I'm doing and what I might say. I think I'm gonna start charging by the look. Anyone who wants to gawk can pay me a flat fee," she deadpans, wrapping her arms around my neck and hugging me tightly.

"Sounds like a good plan. Felicity is putting on her princess dress for pizza. She should be done in a few minutes."

"How do I look?" the small voice squeals as she runs into the living room.

Ashley gasps, putting a hand to her chest. "Like a for‐real princess. I'm so excited to be going to dinner with you tonight."

"I'm excited too." She gives a cute smile.

"Okay ladies, let's head out, I'm starving." The three of us leave, going to my SUV. I can feel the eyes of Dixie Plaza on us. At one point, it would've bothered me, but right now? It's the happiest I've ever been.

"Do you feel like everyone is watching us?" Ashley asks as we scoot into a booth at Slice of Heaven.

"Oh yeah, they most definitely are, but just let them watch. They've got to have something to talk about, and right now we're it." I reach across the table, handing Felicity the children's menu.

"You'd think I'd be used to it." She pushes a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Hey." I reach over and grab her chin, forcing her eyes to meet mine. "People should mind their own goddamn business, right?"

"Yeah." She grins.

"Are we doing pepperoni or not?" I ask, as the waitress comes over to our table.

"Umm yes, but only if we can get the cheese sticks too. Right Fee?" Ashley shoots a wink over at my daughter.

"Right, and extra sauce too, please." She says as she colors the menu with the crayons they gave her.

"You heard the ladies." I shake my head at the waitress. I have a very good feeling this is how the rest of my life is going to go if these two women are in it.

"So ..." Ashley leans in close so that only I can hear her. "Is this a good time to talk about how we're going to decide which nights we'll be spending at each other's places?"

Out of nowhere Fee looks at us. "We're going to have a sleep over? Ashley can sleep in my bed!"

I spit my water out, trying to figure out how to explain this. I cough for longer than I probably should, but when I finally get my breath back, I inhale deeply. "It's a grown-up sleep over. You'll learn more about it when you get older. Finish your picture and we'll put it on the fridge."

Watching as she leans over and starts coloring, I glance back over at Ashley. "Every night you can be, you should be with me. I want you in my arms if it's possible, every single night. I've spent my entire life barely getting by, Ash. Whether it be because I didn't have money for food, rent or gas, or because I didn't have anyone who gave a shit about me. I'm a mechanic who got a GED because he didn't have a parent who cared if he went to class or not. I'm ready to change all of that."

She tenderly kisses my forehead. "If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do. We can change our generational bullshit Ford, it's just going to take us being aware of it, and making a real effort. I'm willing to do that for us, and her, if you are."

"Yeah." I nod, a slow smile spreading across my face. "I'm ready for that. I'm ready for it all. The future, the love, the possibility of growing. It's scary as fuck, but I'm willing to open myself up to it."

She wrinkles her nose, pressing her forehead to mine. "I'm ready for it too. Every single bit of it. Heaven help anyone who stands in our way."

They'll have to deal with me. End of story. I'll do whatever it takes to keep this family together, and I pray for anyone who tries to do harm to it. I will go down in a fucking blaze of glory, and do it with a smile on my face.