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I’d never been with a man, romantic or otherwise, who was so willing to share the spotlight with me, even when he fully deserved for it to be shining on him.
And not only was Ford kind to me—he treated everyone we spoke to with equal respect, whether it was a caterer passing out hors d’oeuvres or one of his major donors. I’d wondered if he’d been trained by Tallie herself, but I was starting to discover... this was just Ford. The only place he was acting was in our relationship.
“Ford, Mia,” someone said behind us. I recognized the voice instantly and turned to greet Ford’s dad, Gray, with a genuine smile on my face. There was a pretty, older woman on his arm in a simple black gown matching Gray’s black suit.
“Gray,” I said, accepting his offer for a quick hug. Then he smiled at the woman next to him. “This is my friend, Aggie.”
She smiled at me, her eyes crinkling warmly in the corners. “Nice to meet you, Mia. I’m a big fan of your work.”
My lips parted. “Is that so?”
She nodded. “My cousin lives in the town where GI bought the tire plants, and it’s been great for their family. She said the raise last year made a big difference for them.”
Warmth spread through my chest, and I almost got choked up.Thiswas why I did what I did. Not to get approval from board members who never stepped foot outside the city—but to make a difference in the lives of real people. Like the ones the Andersen sisters served.
“Thank you for saying that, Aggie,” I finally replied. “You made my whole night.”
Ford squeezed my side supportively, and I smiled up at him to see his genuine look of admiration.
“You all must be so proud of Ford too,” I commented. “What he’s created from scratch is simply amazing.”
Gray’s eyes shined as he nodded. “I didn’t have much money after we lost Maya. I wish...” His voice broke.
Ford let go of me for a moment to hug his dad. “I know,” he said gently.
Aggie and I exchanged a knowing look before the pair broke apart. Gray wiped at his eyes and said, “I’m proud of you, son. We’ll let you mingle.” He held his arm out for Aggie, and she easily slipped her arm through his.
As they walked away, Ford and I watched. “What’s the deal with them?” I asked him. They acted more familiar than just friends.
He leaned close to me, like he was sharing a secret. “Dad goes to the same diner every day for lunch, where she works. They’vebeen ‘just friends’ for years now. I think he’s afraid to start over after Mom. And she’s so much younger than him...”
“You’re younger than me,” I commented with a smile. “No one seems to mind.”
“How much younger—” He broke off his line of questioning. “Wait, I know better.”
I laughed, loving his old-school manners. My parents would definitely approve of him—if this were real. “I looked you up online. I’m just over ten years older than you.”
He gave me a devious smile. “Cougar.”
I had to toss my head back and laugh at that. “I suppose I am.”
He grinned in response before yet another donor came to chat with him.
Although I would have been comfortable to mingle on my own—as I’d done for hundreds of work events over the years—the only time Ford left my side was when he had to address his guests.
I sat at a table with his dad and Aggie, sipping a glass of sweet white wine while he approached the microphone.
There wasn’t a hint of shake to his voice as he began speaking. “Everyone, thank you so much for coming to the third annual Ford’s Friends gala...” He shared some stats about the charity and who they’d been able to serve so far and then his lofty goals for the future of the organization. It was wild to think he’d have dedicated therapists in every county of Texas within a few years, but deep down I knew he could do it. “Thank you all for coming and for your dedication to helping children,” he continued. “Speaking from experience, a good grief counselor can make a world of difference and change the course of someone’s life when they need it most.”
I pictured Ford as a young child, losing his mom and feeling lost. Gray, who sat on the other side of Aggie, would have beentwenty years younger when it all happened—left alone with five young boys to raise on his own. My heart went out to them.
Aggie covered Gray’s hand with hers on the table.
I was glad they had each other.
Ford concluded his speech by saying that he was personally matching all donations made that evening and stepped off the stage. The program manager spoke next, sharing more stories of children and families who the charity had helped, followed by one of the grief counselors who shared how much she enjoyed working with Ford and the families in need. More people were crying than had dry eyes by the end of it.
And when the night was over, I saw Ford in an entirely different light. He wasn’t just a football player; he was a humanitarian.