Chapter Sixteen
For the next half hour, the photographers took dozens of shots, first of the girls and then the whole family together. Mia had hated knowing how upset Ian was about what he’d seen, but though his nickname for her was little girl, he had to know that she wasn’t one anymore, right?
Of course, it didn’t help that just a few minutes after Mia had made it to the group for pictures, Ford finally emerged from beneath his dark hat. The wedding guests’ excitement began as murmured exclamations of surprise, but soon escalated to the point that Mia was starting to feel like she was in the audience at one of his shows.
Nicola, thankfully, didn’t seem the least bit bothered by the commotion, and when she jokingly rolled her eyes and said, “Musicians always have to be the center of attention, don’t they?” everyone laughed. Everyone except Ian, who looked as though he was barely restraining himself from tearing across the grounds to pummel Ford.
Mia shot him a pointed look between photos. You promised.
Today only, was the reminder he sent back in just as pointed a manner.
Through it all, Mia was pretty darn pleased with how well she pulled off her relaxed smile. Only Ian and Brooke knew just how hard she was having to work to manage it.
The second the photographer declared the family photo session finished, Brooke pulled her aside. “How are you doing?”
“Well,” Mia said in a low voice that she made sure wouldn’t carry to anyone else, especially her other brothers, “I’m glad I gave Ford a piece of my mind.”
In the way that only a true friend could, Brooke raised her eyebrows as she scanned Mia’s slightly messy hair, obviously well-kissed lips, and flushed skin. “It certainly looks like you gave him something.”
“I didn’t break my promise!” Mia insisted. “There were no tongues in either direction.”
“Well, that’s good, I guess,” Brooke said in a rather doubtful voice.
“It was good,” Mia had to admit. So good that she could still feel the imprint of his lips all across her skin. “At least until Ian walked in on us.”
Brooke’s eyebrows shot up twice as high as they’d been before. “How is Ford still alive?”
Mia looked over to where he was signing autographs, and a rush of heat moved through her when he lifted his gaze to meet hers. “He might not be for long,” she murmured, even as she found it impossible to look away.
Just then Rafe walked up to them and slid his arm around his fiancée. “Something’s up with Ian. He looks like he’s going to burst a vein soon. And when did Ford Vincent get here?”
Mia didn’t even have to send her friend a save me look before Brooke pressed a very distracting kiss to Rafe’s lips. “I think we’re supposed to sit down now for the meal and toasts.” Before Rafe could say anything more about Ian, Brooke began a rather one-sided conversation about how beautiful the wedding had been and how pretty the vineyard was and how she was absolutely starved. Anything and everything she could think of to keep Rafe off the scent.
Yet again, Mia thought as she squared her shoulders to prepare herself to make it through the rest of today’s wedding in one piece, she owed Brooke big time.
Although, when she found her name card at one of the family tables up at the front of the reception area, Mia decided she might very well have to kill Nicola and Marcus, even though it was their special day...
Because, as luck would have it, they’d seated her right next to Ford.
* * *
When Ford realized where he was seated for the meal, he hoped Nicola’s new husband wouldn’t take it the wrong way when he planted a big wet one on both of them later.
From his seat, he could see Mia standing a few yards away downing a glass of champagne, and was immediately taken by the urge to lick the stray drops of the fizzy liquor off her lips. But he’d always wanted to meet her family, and despite knowing that at least one of her brothers already had it in for him, Ford wanted to take the opportunity to get to know as much about Mia and the Sullivans as he could.
Fortunately, he had an ally in Tatiana, who found her place card at his table, as well. Unfortunately, a moment later, so did Ian, directly across from Ford.
Weddings were always full of surprises. Usually, however, those surprises came in the form of a drunk old auntie who was later found face-down in a hedge, snoring off the bottle of whiskey she’d smuggled from catering. Just think how long people would talk about this one if Mia’s brothers gave him what he deserved.
“I’m a big fan of your music,” the guy pulling out a chair beside Ian said to Ford as he held out a hand. “I’m Ryan Sullivan, and this is my fiancée, Vicki Bennett.”
“Great to meet you both,” he said before he finally realized why the guy looked so familiar. Ford had been so focused on Mia during the ceremony that he’d completely spaced on recognizing the best pitcher in the National Baseball League in the lineup of groomsmen. “I was blown away by your pitching last season. And,” he said as he realized who Vicki was, “I’m also a fan of your sculptures.”
She was obviously pleased that he knew of her work. “Thank you.”
Ford was struck by how comfortable Vicki and Ryan were with each other, how they looked like two people who were clearly meant to be together. Had they ever screwed things up, or had everything in their relationship gone perfectly from day one?
“Are you two going to be the next Sullivan wedding?”
“Maybe,” Vicki said with a laugh. “Unless Zach and Heather or Smith and Valentina or Brooke and Rafe beat us to it. But we’re used to waiting,” Vicki said with an easy smile as she leaned back into Ryan’s arms and looked up at her fiancé. “Aren’t we?”
“I fell for her when we were fifteen,” Ryan explained to Ford, “and then she went and married some other guy. Fifteen years later, I finally convinced her we were meant to be.”
“I love your story,” Tatiana said. “It’s so romantic.”
Ford was still digesting the knowledge that Ryan and Vicki had been apart three times longer than he and Mia had, and they’d managed to make it work, when the final two open seats were taken by another couple.
“Wow,” the woman said as she realized Ford was sitting there. “Hi.”
When Ford grinned back at her and said, “Hello,” the guy with her tugged on her long, sleek braid and quickly covered her mouth with his as if to remind her whom she belonged to. Their kiss was short, but hot, and when they finally came apart, she was both flushed and laughing.
“You’re such a Neanderthal,” she said in an affectionately irritated voice before turning back to Ford. “I’m Heather, and this is Zach.”
He shook their hands. “Ford. Nice to meet you both.”
Just as the first course was served, Mia finally took her seat beside him, a fresh glass of champagne in her hand as she shot Ian a clear warning glance. What, Ford wondered as he turned to smile at her, had she said to her brother to keep him from going for Ford’s jugular?
And was there any chance that the reason she wanted him in one piece was because she’d decided to give their relationship another go?
“Looks like Nicola and Marcus are playing matchmaker,” Zach commented as he looked at Ian and Tatiana and then Mia and Ford. “Wouldn’t it be something if it worked?”
Heather shoved a roll into his mouth. “Eat this so your mouth will be too full for you to say anything else that will make everyone uncomfortable.”
“Okay,” Zach said after he took a bite and shoved it into his cheek, “but once the meal’s over, you’re going to have to think of something else I can do with my mouth to keep me quiet.” Heather rolled her eyes, but by the way her cheeks flushed, Ford could see that she wasn’t at all averse to the suggestion.
“Actually,” Mia told the group, “Ford and I already know each other. He’s one of my clients.”
“Since when is he one of your clients?” Ian’s fork clanging hard on his plate punctuated his question.
“Since Friday.”
Ian turned his glare to Ford. “You’re going to buy a house in Seattle?”
Ford was six-two and worked out to stay in shape for his three-hour shows. Still, he figured Ian had to have a couple of inches and probably thirty pounds on him.
“I’m looking forward to moving out of hotels and into a house for once.”
“Anyway,” Mia said with another pointed glance at her brother as she speared a lettuce leaf with her fork, “I showed him a great piece of waterfront on Friday with an absolutely perfect house already built. It even has a tower room.”
“A real stone tower?” Vicki was clearly intrigued.
Mia looked so pretty when she smiled at the other woman without any of her guards up. “It’s really amazing,” she said, “but I have a few other properties to show him, too, so he can weigh all the options.”
He pushed his plate aside as he turned to her. Right now, he only had an appetite for one thing. For her. “You said it’s the kind of house and yard that a bunch of kids would be happy playing in, right?”
“Right.”
“Then I don’t need to weigh any other options.” Though they were surrounded by her family, right then it felt like they were the only two people at the table. “I’ve already made up my mind about exactly what I want.”
He could see from the look in her eyes that she knew he wasn’t just talking about the house, but the moment was ruined when a loud burst of laughter from the next table over sent her back into business-only mode.
“Are you saying you want to make an offer on Alana’s house?”
“Yes.”
She was already reaching for her phone when he put a hand over hers. “Monday is soon enough. Today I want you to enjoy being with your family.” The pulse at her wrist was racing by the time he reluctantly lifted his hand away and turned back to everyone at the table. “Where are you all from?”
“There are Sullivans here from San Francisco, Seattle, New York, and Maine,” Ryan replied. “We all get together periodically for family reunions and, of course, weddings.”
“Got any good stories?”
“Where do you want me to start?” Zach said with a laugh. He nodded toward Mia. “Especially with Ms. Wild Child over here.”
Mia raised an eyebrow in Zach’s direction. “Just remember I’ve got a few stories of my own about you, Speed Racer.”
“I’m just saying it’d be pretty hard to forget that night at the lake when you were only six years old and didn’t tell anyone where you were going.” To Ford, he said, “She hid out in the woods for hours just so she could scare the hell out of us guys when we hiked past. I thought Uncle Max and Aunt Claudia were going to lose it when we brought her back home wearing a big smile on her sneaky little face.” But it was clear that Zach was totally impressed with her even before he added, “To my fearless and determined cousin.”
And as everyone at the table raised their glasses in a toast to Mia, Ford finally got some insight into a family who were always there for each other, no matter what. Because even now, when Ian and Mia were clearly at odds, Ford could see that it didn’t diminish their bond in the least.
“Whatever happened to that guy you were with at the last wedding?” Ryan asked Mia. “Bob? Or was his name Buddy?”
Ford watched her very carefully as she replied, “He was just a friend.”
“Come on, you must have someone up your sleeve. You always do.”
Ford was pretty sure Vicki kicked Ryan under the table. Clearly, she’d picked up on the sparks between Mia and her client even if her fiancé hadn’t.
“You know she can’t answer that with her big brother sitting here,” Tatiana said before Mia could respond. Clearly, she’d appointed herself peacemaker for the table.
“True,” Zach agreed. “Odds are, you’d hunt the guy down before sunset, wouldn’t you, Ian? It’s what I always wanted to do when I found some guy sniffing around one of my sisters. Got a few good ones in on Jake, actually, when I found out he’d knocked up Sophie. Never had a chance to slug Grayson, though, for dating Lori.”
Ian’s eyes were sharp as daggers and cold as ice as he stared across the table at Ford. “If I ever meet a guy and find out he’s hurt my sister, I’m going to make him pay in the most painful way possible.”
Mia cleared her throat and when everyone finally turned back to her, she was smiling at them all over the rim of her glass as if she didn’t have a care in the world. “Actually, since you’ve asked, Ryan, I had a date on Friday night with this great guy I met while I was out jogging.”
“You went out with someone Friday night?” Rationally, Ford knew he had no claim on her, but just the thought of anyone else touching her, kissing her, made him crazy. “After you showed me the house?”
Mia nodded, looking extremely pleased with herself. “I did. And then on the flight here I met someone else on the plane.”
“Damn it, Mia—”
Marcus’s voice came through the speakers, cutting Ford off right before he broke his promise to Mia and outed them as more than just business associates. “Thank you for being here with us today to celebrate the best day of our lives so far.”
Still not able to think straight, Ford couldn’t focus on what Marcus and Nicola were saying to their guests as he pulled out his phone.
DID YOU LET EITHER OF THOSE GUYS TOUCH YOU?
Her expression remained smooth as she read his message, then typed a message back and shoved her phone into her bag.
IT’S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS IF I DID OR NOT.
He was about to respond first and think later, when Billy tapped him on the shoulder. “Your guitar is tuned and ready for you.”
“Thanks, Billy.” Ford knew he needed to pull it together to give Marcus and Nicola his gift before he left on his private plane to head to Los Angeles for his show.
Hopefully, Mia would understand whom he had really written the song for...
* * *
Mia had been certain that she could find a way to resist Ford’s sweet words, even his kisses.
But no matter how hard she worked to brace herself, she already knew she’d never be able to resist him performing one of his songs. It wasn’t just how sexy it was when he was on stage that got to her...it was the fact that he loved singing and playing guitar so much that touched her so deeply.
“We’re going to let all of you loose on the dance floor soon,” Nicola said to her guests, “but before we do, I’m beyond excited to let you know that a friend of mine is going to give us a really special treat.”
Ford was undeniably gorgeous as he wound through the tables to pick up his guitar.
“Nicola and Marcus, I’m really glad I could be here today to witness the kind of love that we’re all hoping for. I wrote this song yesterday, so I apologize if it’s still a little rough, but know that it comes straight from my heart. It’s called Everything I Need.”
Yesterday? Had he written the song early in the morning, before they’d met at the tower house...or could he have written it after they’d seen each other again?
Mia knew firsthand that Ford didn’t need to hide behind a stage or a microphone, and a shiver went through her as he began to play the acoustic guitar. Just as she had the very first time she ever heard him sing, right from the first few lines of his new song about finding forever in a kiss, a touch, a smile, Mia couldn’t keep her eyes from closing as the music washed over her.
Everything I need
You’re everything I was looking for
When nothing else could have made me whole
There you were
Everything I need
When I’m holding you tight against me
I lose myself in you every single time
Because you’re everything I need
Don’t ever stop
Don’t ever stop
Don’t ever stop being everything I need
She didn’t hear the sighs of the women all around her—frankly, wasn’t aware of anything other than Ford singing a song that spoke straight to her heart. But as every new lyric hit closer and went deeper, though it would have been smarter to try to block out at least one aspect of his performance, she couldn’t keep her eyes closed. She simply had to watch Ford as he poured his heart and soul into the music.
Music that almost felt written just for her.
And, my God, he wasn’t just beautiful as he sang for Marcus and Nicola. He wasn’t just utterly captivating, a natural born performer.
This was who Ford was at his core.
She’d known it all along, of course, but now, as she watched him create magic with talent that very, very few other people possessed, she had to wonder how a home in Seattle could possibly fit into the life of a man who belonged on stage. And how could he even think about giving up being on the road?
Because while she knew millions of people could listen to his music through headphones or on the radio, the truth was that just being in the same room with Ford while he was singing to you—whether out in a vineyard with three hundred people or in a stadium with a hundred thousand—was a life-changing event.
When the final chord rang out, as everyone applauded and Ford kissed Nicola on the cheek and shook Marcus’s hand, Mia excused herself from the table and slipped out toward the vineyards to a spot where no one in her family and none of the other wedding guests could see her.
She needed a little while out under the bright blue sky away from everyone to recover from what Ford’s song, and his earlier kisses in the storeroom, had done to her.
She could accept by now that she still wanted him, even that there was desperation and intensity to that wanting. But she didn’t want to have to acknowledge anything more...certainly not all the emotions, and the dreams, that his song had sent pouring through her.
And yet, even though she’d told herself she wanted to be alone for a little while, she was neither surprised nor displeased when she heard footsteps in the dirt behind her. She turned to face him, knowing neither running nor pushing him away was an option anymore.
“Your new song is beautiful.”
“After I saw you on Friday, the song wrote itself.” He took her hands in his and lifted them to his lips for a kiss. One that moved her just as much as his music had. “I need to leave now for Los Angeles, but I’ll be back in Seattle on Monday morning.”
She’d miss him, she realized as she watched him start to walk away, and a pang landed deep in her belly. Five years she’d lived without him, and now, after less than twenty-four hours with him, she was already hooked again.
Hooked enough to reach for him at the exact moment that he turned to reach for her, too.
“Damn it,” he said, “I keep saying I’m not going to push you, but I can’t leave without kissing you goodbye.”
“And I can’t let you go without kissing you, either,” she admitted.
Just as his song had been emotional yet edgy, so was the goodbye kiss they gave each other. His hands fisted in her hair and hers tightly gripped his shoulders. His tongue dove deep and hers met his just as violently. Her teeth nipped at his lower lip and he dragged her closer so that he could give her more of everything she so desperately craved.
And yet, even in the middle of the storm that was rising up between them in the vineyard, Mia knew their hearts weren’t just thundering against each other’s chests from passion…but from the deep and relentless power of the emotions swirling around them.
When they finally made themselves draw away from each other, neither of them was breathing steadily. “Have fun with your family, Mia. They’re great. You don’t know how much I envy what you have with them.” He pulled her back against him for one more quick, breathless kiss, and then he was gone.
And as Mia sank back against a rock wall to catch her breath, she knew that wanting Ford, needing Ford, was no longer in question.
The only question left was, what was she going to do about it?