Written on Her Heart (16 page)

“Ford …” Andi interrupted, raising a hand for him to stop.

“I know you feel it, too, or you wouldn’t have said the things you did yesterday. And, dammit, I don’t feel this way about people!” He shifted, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t let people in, but with you it’s easy … so easy. And it feels like I’ve known you a whole hell of a lot longer than I have. Like maybe I’ve known you forever, as cliché as it sounds.” He rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes.

Andi turned her back to him. She couldn’t listen to this. Why wouldn’t he just let this go? She
needed
him to let this go instead of making things impossible.

“I told you I’d remain professional, and I will.” Ford’s voice broke the silence. “Believe it or not, that was the initial reason for my visit this morning. But for some reason, when I’m around you, I can’t seem to help myself. I’ll try not to make this any harder for you. At least until you say otherwise. I just needed to say that first.”

Andi let out a shaky breath, knowing there was nothing she could say in response. She needed to find out what he wanted, then get back to her day and clear her head before her brunch with Peter. “Come on and help me with the boat.”

Underneath a large weeping willow, the old metal rowboat lay in the dirt. Andi curled her fingers around the side, the muck and mud digging into her nails, and together, they flipped it over. Pushing the nose of the boat into the water, Andi glanced back at Ford.

“Ladies first,” he said, holding onto the side, gesturing for her to get in.

Andi complied and stepped inside. It rocked slightly with the movement and addition of weight, but she took a seat and Ford climbed in after her. Grabbing the oars, he rowed them out into the water. Once they were several hundred yards out of the mouth of the inlet and moving further into the lake, he dropped them and let the boat coast.

Honeysuckle and kudzu draped over the stretching arms of the willows surrounding the lake, forming a cave-like atmosphere and scenting the air with honey. A gull cawed from above, and the water rippled. The leaves on the branches blew in the breeze, quivering like falling confetti. In the distance, a fish splashed into the water. And with the sight of the familiar refuge, Andi felt herself relax for the first time that morning.

“I thought I got the best spot in Callaway Cove with the old plantation. I guess I was wrong. This beats anything I’ve seen.”

Andi gazed at him, suddenly tired. The small talk, acting like everything was normal, wore her down. “Ford, what did you need?”

“Ah, yes. I left my briefcase in my car back at your house, but I wanted to talk to you about your book. I found your notebook at work the other day.”

Andi gasped and put a hand to her chest, her pulse leaping. “Oh, thank God.” She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again and smiled. “I thought I lost it. And I only have part of it saved in my computer.”

“I wasn’t sneaking around or looking through your things. Ms. Perry showed it to me. You must have left it there and she found it.”

Sure she did.
“I know. I did leave it there, and then we went sailing and I didn’t get a chance to check for it that morning. Then, yesterday… Anyway, you have no idea how relieved I am that you have it.”

“That’s great. I hope you’re not mad but I read it.”

“You read it?”

“The whole thing.”

Oh, shit. Ford Delany read my book.
What if he hated it? What if he thought it was complete crap?
All her insecurities hit her like a flash flood, soaking through all her thoughts and submerging them.

He said nothing, just stared at her, his silence twisting anxiety into her gut like a knife.
He must’ve hated it
.

His gaze searched hers, his expression serious, before he said, “I loved it.” He smiled. “It blew me away, actually. Most people who want to write say they’re great, but they usually blow.” He laughed. “I didn’t know what to expect when I realized what it was. In fact, I was almost afraid to read it, but once I started, I was hooked and impressed beyond belief. It’s fantastic.”

Andi covered her face with her hands and let out a laugh, half in disbelief, half in excitement. “Really? You liked it that much?”

“I more than liked it. Andi, is that your first full length work?”

She nodded, bobbing her head like a Hawaiian dashboard doll. “Yeah. I wrote bits and pieces of stuff before this. I did a couple shorter works, but this is my first novel.”

Ford, shook his head and widened his eyes. “Well, I can tell you this. You have a huge future ahead of you. I can guarantee you that. I hope you don’t mind, but I’m sending it to my agent to read. I’ll need you to finish typing it up, though, since it’s not all on your computer yet. And the ending’s missing.”

Andi’s mouth dropped. “Holy crap! Do I mind?” She slapped her hands over her mouth, and Ford laughed again. Her head swirled like a pinwheel, leaving her delirious with excitement. “Um, just give me a couple days and I’ll have it.” She ran her hands through her hair, unable to stop moving.

What if she woke up and realized this wasn’t real?

“Just to be sure,” she said, “one more time, because I can’t believe this, you’re sending
my book
to your agent?”

Ford smiled. “Yep. She’s expecting it, so as soon as it’s ready, just give me the file and I’ll send it over.”

But she barely heard him through the blare of her own thoughts, because one thing clawed to the surface and wouldn’t let go. What if this had nothing to do with her writing and more to do with his feelings for her?
 “Wait.” She brought a hand up to her chest, bracing herself. “This doesn’t have anything to do with…” She pointed between them.

“No. No, of course not.” Ford answered immediately. “Despite what you think, I can be a professional. And when it comes to my writing and other people’s work, I am nothing but. I don’t sugarcoat things, and trust me, I would not send this to her if I didn’t think it was something she would absolutely love.” He grinned. “You have no idea how talented you are, do you?”

Andi ignored the question. She, Andi Callaway, had a real shot at representation by Ford Delaney’s agent!

She couldn’t hold it in anymore. She bounced in her seat and squealed, then threw her arms in the air. The boat rocked with the sudden movement. Ford leaned forward to stop her, but the abrupt shift of weight caused the canoe to tip.

Andi yelped and threw her arms out, but it wasn’t enough to stop the momentum. The boat rolled and tipped, capsizing and sending both of them splashing into the water.

Even while she sank into the dark, cold depths of the lake, the humor in the situation struck her. She laughed as she moved her arms to swim to the surface, but her foot caught on something below. She shook her leg, trying to free it from the obstruction, but she couldn’t. It was too dark to see under water, so she curled her body and pumped her arms until she reached the bottom of her leg and felt around it. Something rough and hard encased her foot, and as she glided her hands over the object, she felt the slime and barnacles that covered it, indicating it had been there a lot longer than she had.

Her mind flashed on the memory of a bad storm they had years ago that tore the cove apart and plunged several trees into the water. And now she wasn’t laughing, but instead, pulling on her leg. She yanked on her foot, hoping to break the rotting wood and free herself. But her foot still wouldn’t budge. Glancing around her for signs of Ford, she saw nothing.

Her throat burned and the ache in her chest grew. She hadn’t been prepared to go under when they fell off the boat. Laughing had left her lungs empty.

She clawed at the old tree trunk. Splinters of wood dug into her nails and the palms of her hand. Now frantic, she shook her leg. Pounding the log with her fist, she tried to loosen the grip on her foot, but the lack of oxygen made her head fuzzy and her limbs weak.

Her movements slowed as her arms and legs grew tired. Her mind went eerily quiet, and in the stillness, one thought came to her with shocking clarity. If she didn’t get her foot out, she would drown. She would die immediately after receiving some of the best news of her life. How was that for irony?

Her lungs caught fire and she wanted to take a breath. She needed to, and knew it was only a matter of time before her body forced her mouth open and she breathed in a lungful of lake water. She shook. Her chest heaved.

The edges of her vision darkened. And just before her world went black, she saw something come at her.

#

Andi coughed, spewing up the lake. Firm hands gripped her waist and rolled her onto her side. She wheezed in a breath and gagged, but forced herself to continue taking shallow, shaky breaths.

A warm hand smoothed her wet hair and rubbed her back in slow circles. She almost forgot where she was until she glanced up through bleary eyes to see Ford, dripping wet and hovering over her.

He leaned back on his heels and scrubbed a hand over his face, droplets of water spraying her as he did.

“God, Andi, you scared the hell out of me. I think I lost twenty fucking years of my life.” He huffed out a breath, his voice cracking. “You almost drowned.”

She opened her mouth and winced. “I know. I was there,” she rasped.

“Smart ass.” He paused, glaring down at her. “You did that dance and almost damn near killed yourself. I hope it was worth it.”

“It was. I got my manuscript in the hands of Ford Delaney’s agent.” Andi started to chuckle, but the laughter gave way to a hacking cough. She flinched and put a hand to her throat.

He gave her a sidelong glance, then started to stand, but Andi grabbed his arm. She took in the sight of him. The thin, wet cotton of his shirt clinging to his chest, revealing the muscles beneath. His sandy hair, tousled and soaked. His lips, still wet from the lake…

“Thank you,” she whispered. “You saved me.”

He nodded. “I did.” He stared at her a moment longer before he leaned in and brushed the hair off her forehead. The heat of his hand warmed her, and she caught the familiar scent of him that lingered on his jacket the day on his boat.

He went to pull away, but Andi caught his hand, holding it there.

He exhaled, breath caressing her skin. “How do you do it?” he asked.

She swallowed, a razor blade in her throat while his eyes searched hers. “Do what?”

His face became distorted and her vision blurred until she wondered if this all wasn’t just a dream.

“Get under my skin,” he whispered.

The second the words left his mouth, he leaned in and crushed his lips over hers, kissing her as though it was going to be his last time kissing anyone. She blocked out the world, blocked out every thought except of him and the warmth of his touch. His fingers trailed over her jaw, her throat, and moved over her cool, damp skin, leaving her breathless.

She tipped her head to the side, deepening the kiss, reveling at how the pain in her throat and the throbbing in her chest vanished with his touch. Never before had she felt this. As if she was soaring and falling at the same time. As if she was witnessing something exotic and rare. As if she could die right now and not care, as long as it was in his arms.

She reached up to him, running her hands through his hair, something she had wanted to do from that first day in his office. He groaned and every nerve came alive with each second his lips danced with hers. All her worries slipped away. She was invincible.

And then their lips parted and Ford breathed her name. But when she blinked her heavy eyelids open, seconds later, he was gone.

She sat up, clenching her empty hands as if he might rematerialize in her arms. Her eyes stung, water dripping into them from her lake-drenched hair. Rubbing her eyes with her fists, she surveyed her surroundings again, only to find no sign of him. She scanned the woods surrounding the cove and found them empty.