Three Little Words (Fool's Gold #12)

“Do I look like a guy who talks about his feelings?”


“You probably should. Or you could get a therapy dog. I’ve read about them. Oh! Your sister raises them.”

He leaned his head back and laughed. A full-throated belly laugh that made her both smile and want to punch him.

“I’m being serious,” she told him, when he’d stopped chuckling.

“I know.” He kissed her on the tip of her nose. “I don’t need a therapy dog.”

“I’m just saying if you need support, you should get it.”

“I already did.”

She wasn’t sure what that meant, but before she could ask, they were walking again.

“You really going to be able to leave all this?” he asked, motioning to everything going on around them.

“Yes, I’m sure.” She drew in a breath. “Don’t tell anyone, but I sort of am liking living here. I’m not staying, of course. My new business is going to be in New York. Sonia and I have plans. But this has been nice. I’d forgotten what it was like to be this integrated into a community.”

“You won’t be here when Lauren gets married. You won’t get to see her in her dress.”

“I know.”

Her voice was wistful as she thought about the “memory wall” in the office. Another tradition of her grandmother’s. Each bride brought back a picture. Some were of just her on her wedding day; some were the bride and groom or the whole wedding party. The photographs filled one entire wall and were now creeping onto another. She wouldn’t be adding to them, nor could she be sure the new owner would continue the tradition.

“I’ll make new memories in my new store. What about you? Except for your mother’s desire to get you paired up, how is it being back?”

“Good. I like being around my family.” He shrugged. “Mostly. My sisters can be intense. Except for Kent and me, everyone’s married. Mom’s with Max.”

“That’s right. The new guy. Have you met him?”

“A couple times. He’s crazy about her and seems like a good guy. I’m glad she’s happy. She’s bugging me for grandchildren.”

Isabel came to a stop and the cup nearly slipped from her hands. “You’re not expecting us to—”

His mouth twitched. “Didn’t I mention the kids?”

She shoved away his arm. “You’re horrible. Don’t tease about that. I lie awake nights thinking how much harder my divorce would have been if Eric and I had had a child.”

He removed his glasses again and took the cup from her. After tossing it in a trash can, he squeezed her fingers. “I’m sorry. I won’t joke about having babies with you.”

She was going to snap at him again, but suddenly she couldn’t speak. Because the second he said “babies” she found herself enveloped in a longing so deep and profound it nearly brought tears to her eyes.

She was divorced. Not that she regretted the breakup of a marriage that had been a mistake from the beginning, but here she was. Twenty-eight and single. Starting over. While she’d never thought much about having kids, she’d always assumed they were in her future. She was traditional enough to want a husband in the picture. She’d worked hard, thought she’d done everything right, and now she was divorced, living in her parents’ house, without a real job and only a few wisps of dreams to sustain her.

Ford grabbed her other hand. “What? You’re having a crisis. I can see it.”

“I’m fine,” she said automatically. “It’s not about you, so don’t worry.”

“You’re my girlfriend. Of course I’m worried.”

“Pretend girlfriend.”

“You get worry perks. Come on. Tell me. What is it?”

She opened her mouth, then closed it. “I’m a failure. It’s been six years since I graduated from college and look at where I am. Back in my same bedroom, with nothing to show for how I’ve spent my time.”

“Is this about missing Eric?”

“What? Of course not. He and I should never have gotten married. I mistook great friendship for love. I’d never felt passion, so I wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t notice the guy I was marrying was g*y. How is that possible? I loved my job, but I was going nowhere. Now I’m here.”

“Not for long,” he told her. “You and Sonia are going to open your store and take the fashion world by storm.”

Despite her sense of failure, she managed a smile. “Do you even know what the fashion world is?”

“No, but you’ll do great.”

He was trying. She would give him credit. “Thanks. Sorry to dump this on you. I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?”

She nodded. Eventually she would be. Maybe she hadn’t been spending enough time on her business plan. She would call Sonia next week and touch base with her. They should talk more, she decided. Make sure everything was in order.

“I need to distract myself,” she said. “Maybe you’re right about the sugar thing. We could get an elephant ear and share it.”