FORD
I’m not sure why we aren’t having a barbeque at anyone’s house, but instead we’re doing it at the fucking park, but I decide not to complain.
Grabbing my fishing poles and tackle box from the back, I decided to do a little catfishing while I’m here. Reese likes to cast his line out, so I made sure to bring the Cars fishing pole that I grabbed for him at Walmart about a year ago.
“Unca Ford,” Reese yells at the top of his lungs as soon as he sees me approaching.
I watch as his little legs start to move and I set the fishing poles and tackle box down right before he launches himself into my arms. Picking him up, I pull him against my chest as he giggles.
“We fish?” he asks.
“Yeah, buddy. We’ll go fishin’.”
“Yay,” he cries.
Setting him down on his feet, I pick up my box and the poles, shifting it all to one hand so that I can hold his other hand. Together we walk hand-in-hand to the rest of the group. All my friends are here, with their little ones.
I can’t stop the pang of sadness that washes through me at the sight of everyone with their families. That’s what I always dreamed of and I don’t have it, at my age, probably never will. The only thing that I can be at this point is the best fucking Uncle Ford that I can be. And I will.
Channing and Exeter are standing near the food, arranging shit around as I approach the group.
“Reese, you shouldn’t have run off,” Channing scolds, a small smile playing on her lips.
Reese looks down at his feet, then lifts his eyes up to his mama’s. “I had to,” he simply states.
“You had to?” she asks, arching a brow.
He nods his little head. “Unca Ford needed me,” he sighs.
Pressing my lips together, I try fucking hard not to laugh at the kid. “He needed you?” Channing asks him when he doesn’t continue.
“Unca Ford is all alone, Mama. He needed me to help him not be lonely,” he explains, his blue eyes wide and too fucking cute.
He’s far too observant, or maybe he’s been listening to Rylan and Channing talk when he isn’t supposed to. Doesn’t matter, I take no offense because he’s absolutely correct.
Channing can’t hold it in, she laughs softly as she shakes her head. “Go on and help your daddy,” she instructs.
“Bye,” Reese calls as he turns and runs toward Rylan and Wyatt who are getting the grill ready.
“Sorry about that,” Channing murmurs.
Shaking my head, I reach for Brooks who is wiggling in her arms. “Goddamn, woman, what’re you feedin’ this kid?” I ask on a groan as I pull her into my arms.
She gasps, lifting her hand to her chest, feigning offense. “She is happy and healthy, Ford,” she snaps, wearing a smile.
“I feel that, almost threw my back out,” I grumble.
She laughs, shaking her head. “You’re full of it, Ford Matthews.”
Brooks lifts her little hands and slaps them against my cheeks, forcing my attention from her mama to her. Smiling at her, I look into her blue eyes, eyes that match her father’s to a T.
“Hey, honey,” I rasp. “You’re a big girl now, ain’t ya?”
She babbles, then blows a raspberry, getting her baby slobber all over me. Lifting one of my hands to the back of her head, I close my eyes and let out a loud laugh. Then, I dip my chin and bury my face in her neck, giving her the same raspberry treatment causing her to wiggle, giggle, and squirm in my arms.
Listening to a baby’s laugh would soothe the largest ache in the world, and Brooks’ laugh does just that. Keeping her in my arms, I walk over to Louis and Tulip who are sitting next to Wyatt and Rylan who are busy at work manning the grill.
“Ford, brother,” Louis says, standing up. Extending my palm, we shake as he claps me on the back.
“Hey,” I murmur.
Tulip stands, but Louis walks over to help her up. “I’m not an invalid,” she huffs.
My eyes flick down to her belly, then lift to meet hers. “How much longer?”
“Three months.” She smiles as she reaches for her stomach. I watch as she lovingly holds her belly, she lets out a puff of air. “I think Louis makes gigantic babies though, because I feel absolutely huge.”
Brooks laughs, which causes all of us to chuckle. “I think you look beautiful, Tullie,” Louis grunts.
“You do, Tulip. You look beautiful.” I smile.
She rolls her eyes with a thanks, then makes her way over to the other women. “I kind of didn’t mention that I weighed ten pounds when I was born,” Louis whispers.
“Fuck,” I groan. “You big bastard.”
Louis lets out a bark of laughter, Rylan and Wyatt doing the same. “You know you look good with a baby, just sayin’,” Wyatt mutters.
Shifting Brooks to my other arm, I turn my head to look at him. “Maybe I’ll just keep y’all’s munchkins. Seems like you keep makin’ ‘em and may have one or two to spare.”
“Get your own,” Rylan snaps.
We all laugh, I shake my head as Brooks starts to wiggle. “I’m gonna take her back to her mama unless you want her?” I ask Rylan.
He shakes his head. “Can’t hold her when I’m mannin’ the grill. She gets way too fuckin’ curious.”
Turning away from him, I head over to where the women are gathered. They are deep in discussion, their heads tipped together. Hutton has joined them and I wonder what the fuck they’re conspiring about now. It’s always something with them.
They all stop talking as soon as I approach. “Okay,” I drawl. “This one’s gettin’ wiggly, Mama. Reese probably wants to get that pole baited and, in the water, too,” I say.
“Ford?” a voice calls out.
Turning my head, my heart stops beating in my chest at the sight in front of me.
Stephanie LaRue.
Chapter Four
STEPHANIE
Oh. My. God.
Ford Matthews looks back at me, that same sweet little girl from HEB in his arms. Channing takes the baby from him and my eyes shift from him to her, then back to him again. God. They look gorgeous together.
Of course, he would have a wife and a beautiful family. I knew he would, but seeing it, damn, it breaks my heart immediately.
Ford frowns at me, crossing his arms over his chest as he looks down into my eyes. “What the fuck’re you doing here?” he barks.
My shoulder jerks as though his words have physically assaulted me. Taking a step back, I grip the charcuterie board tighter so that I don’t drop it.
“Here, let me grab that for you,” a very pretty petite pregnant woman says as she slips the board from my hands.
I can’t even thank her, my eyes are glued to Ford’s. God, he’s more beautiful than he was seventeen years ago. Time and ranching have been good to Ford Matthews. His once thin, lean, muscled body has bulked. He’s grown too, at least three inches. His jaw is strong, his eyes so dark blue that they almost look black.
“Um,” I hum, pressing my lips together. “Nothing. I’m just going to go,” I whisper as I turn around to leave.