Page 67 of 500 First Editions (The Romantics #3)

RYAN

EVERYONE LOVES A CLIFFHANGER

I eyed the couch with suspicion as I padded through the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water, then retreating to my room before I had to get on the video call.

Willow’s perfume lingered on the corner of the couch like an insult, teasing me over how long it had been since I had seen her. Talked to her. Held her.

I had been trying to get in touch with her in any way I could. But the calls and texts were still blocked, and the social media messages went unanswered.

A normal guy would have taken the hint.

But I was not a normal guy.

Willow wasn’t a normal woman either. I wasn’t entirely sure what kind of mind game she was playing. All I knew was that she had, apparently, come to visit my mother but still refused to talk to me.

Willow dropped by unexpectedly, just wanting to talk and get to know her. Mom had raved about her, because, of course, she did. And then she enacted “girl code” and refused to tell me specifics of what they had talked about.

The downside of self-employment was that I called the shots. Sometimes, I wished that I had a boss who told me I had to get to work instead of wallowing in self-pity. I did not want to be a guest spot on this podcast, but I had already said yes.

I closed the door to my bedroom, dropped into my desk chair and pulled up the video call request.

I put my headphones on and tried to ignore the way that everything still smelled like Kansas. Like her. Like the room we shared in the house we lived in.

Rhythmic tones trilled as the call connected.

Blair Dalton’s bright smile filled the screen as her video feed appeared next to mine. “Hi, Ryan!”

“Hey, how’s it going?” I said, hoping we could get the perfunctory greetings out of the way and just get down to business.

“I’m doing well. I hope you are too,” she said as she adjusted her microphone. “Thank you for jumping into this episode so quickly. I know your schedule has to be bananas, so I’m extremely grateful that you were willing to fill in.”

“No worries. I’m plenty familiar with the chaos of staying on a production schedule.”

“Tell me about it,” Blair said with a laugh. “It’s mayhem ninety percent of the time. When your name came across my desk, I looked you up and knew I had to get you on the show.”

“Can I ask where the tip came from?” I asked, guessing it was a producer who was aware of my show.

“Ophelia Kensington reached out with your information.”

. . . I didn’t know any Ophelias.

“I had one of her clients on my first show years ago. Since then, we’ve done a rebrand and have a new show concept.”

“Who was the client, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Whitney West. The romance author.”

Huh. So I just happened to get a guest spot on one of the hottest podcasts out right now, thanks to Whitney’s assistant.

That didn’t scream “meddling Willow” at all . . .

“I’m glad you reached out. I’m looking forward to chatting.”

Blair went through the interview rundown, going through all the questions she would ask to make sure they weren’t intrusive or off-limits.

The recording icon flashed on screen as she read through the segment introduction, rolling through the highlights of what I do, my podcast and programs, and accolades.

For the first time, hearing a comprehensive list of my accomplishments made me feel hollow.

In my heart of hearts, I knew I was making a difference. I kept a folder full of wedding invitations, baby announcements, and personal letters to remind me why I did what I did.

Being single never bothered me until I met the woman I was supposed to spend my life with, and couldn’t.

The accolades were simply coats of paint on an otherwise empty box. She had been the treasure I held.

“Thanks for coming on today, Ryan,” Blair said with a beaming smile.

Right. The podcast was recording. I hoped I hadn’t been making any weird faces as I put on the version of Ryan Ford that paid the bills.

“Thanks for having me,” I said.

“Let’s get right into it. Tell me how you came up with The Ford Method, and why it works.”

I ignored the pang in my gut and let out an easygoing laugh.

“I’m only telling you this part because she brags about it.

But my mother, who is an incredible parent and person, inspired The Ford Method.

When I was young, I lost my father and she lost her husband.

When she started dating again, she was looking for a partner, but all the people she dated were looking for someone to take care of them.

Some of them were too embarrassed to admit that they didn’t know how to make it through the basics of life.

Some didn’t care to try and learn. The BetterYou program was actually the first piece of the puzzle I came up with.

I partnered with my mom to create resources to teach people what they didn’t know in a shame-free environment.

It’s hard to add value to a relationship when you’re not doing anything to better yourself.

It’s not just for people looking to get relationship-ready.

It’s useful for new homeowners, young people living on their own for the first time, or kids and teens who may not have safe adults to ask for help. ”

“That’s incredible,” Blair said.

“Once people feel like they are in a place in their lives where a relationship would benefit them and a partner, The Ford Method is waiting for them. It’s a twelve-week framework that gives people the tools to create deep emotional connections with a partner.

As humans, we crave emotional connection, but it can be hard to know where to start.

The Ford Method isn’t just for men. It’s full of step-by-step guidance and easy prompts that work for any kind of partnership, and doesn’t put a financial burden on participants.

Love shouldn’t be exclusive to people who have enough money to throw around to make it happen. ”

“What’s your success rate?” Blair pressed.

“A business manager would probably tell me I’m an idiot, but I don’t require participants to identify themselves if they don’t want to, or give follow-up information to know if it worked.

Privacy is a fleeting resource. What I can tell you is that each user receives a unique discount code when they finish the program.

It’s for them to share with others who might find The Ford Method useful.

As of last year, ninety-four percent of new program purchases were made using a referral code.

I think word of mouth speaks for itself. ”

“That’s incredible,” Blair said. “I think my husband and I could have used something like The Ford Method when we were reconciling our marriage. Tell me a little about your personal coaching? What drew you to venture into that?”

“I love that you mentioned reconciling with your husband, because that’s a huge part of what I do.

Life gets hard. It’s stressful. There are stressors that come out of nowhere that can rip a relationship apart.

I love relationship coaching because I can come alongside couples or an individual and give them practical advice and encouragement.

I’m not a therapist or a psychologist. I don’t claim to be.

I’m also not a judge. I’m an objective friend who cares deeply about your relationship.

I will do my best to call you out when you need it, encourage you, provide practical steps to foster connection, and point you to reputable professional resources if they’re needed. ”

“I think we could all use a friend like that,” she said. “Relationships are hard work.”

“The word I constantly repeat throughout the twelve week Ford Method program is ‘intentional.’ Like anything you pursue in life, you have to be intentional about relationships. Luck is finding your person. Anyone can be lucky. But you have to be ready to seize the opportunity. You have to be ready for that single moment of serendipity.” I laughed.

“When I was younger, my mother would say, ‘Get yourself right’ when I was misbehaving. The BetterYou program helps people get themselves right. It helps them get to a place where, when luck happens, they can receive it. The Ford Method helps them nurture that connection into something long-lasting. And when they need more advice, I’m ready to talk. ”

Blair’s smile turned devilish. “For the viewers and listeners tuning in, before Ryan and I started recording, we went through the rundown. What I’m about to ask has been given his stamp of approval, so keep your comments about me ambushing him to yourselves.”

I knew exactly what was coming.

“Let’s go back to a few months ago when you had a very public confrontation with romance author Willow Winslet, and you challenged her to test out The Ford Method. That’s quite the throw-down. What made you make that dare?”

I just shook my head. “It wasn’t a dare. I was chasing luck.”

Blair’s eyebrows lifted.

“Willow and I ran into each other the night before that panel. I had never believed in love at first sight until that moment.” My heart seized.

“Seeing her on the stage the next day was the biggest stroke of luck I’ll probably ever have in this lifetime.

I would have done anything to get five more minutes with her, including but not limited to challenging her in public. ”

Blair laughed. “So, you’re saying it wasn’t a publicity stunt?”

“It wasn’t a publicity stunt. She and I are both very competitive. It actually took quite a bit of convincing and a very expensive flower arrangement to get her on board with it after the conference.”

“Your twelve weeks are up. Give us the Cliff’s notes. How did it go?”

I took a deep breath. “I had all these big plans of how I was going to pull out all the stops and make her fall in love. And then someone very important to her passed away unexpectedly. We did a 1,500-mile road trip after knowing each other for only a week, then spent two and a half months in her hometown in Kansas.”

Blair’s eyes widened in shock. “That’s pretty intense.”

“Life happens when you least expect it. You have to roll with the punches. Sometimes those punches land and knock you out. She needed someone in her corner, and I was honored to be that one.”

“Where are you two now? Still together? Figuring things out? Madly in love?”

I forced a light laugh to ease the tension I felt inside. Because I didn’t have an answer.

“For the last few months, I got to be in her orbit while she wrote her next book. She’s brilliant. The one thing that she repeated over and over again when I asked about what she was writing was that romance novels are required to have a happily ever after. If they don’t, it’s not a romance.”

Blair nodded.

“But sometimes a story can’t be told in just one book. My story with Willow isn’t over yet. So, for now, I’ll have to leave everyone listening on a cliffhanger.”