Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 321

Chapter 321: Pick your battles wisely
Ford closed his eyes for a moment, fatigued physically and emotionally.

“I have a question,” Grandpa mused.

“Go right ahead,” Ford shrugged. “I don’t think I have anything else to hide.”

“Why not just tell us? Before?” The old man cut a glance at the younger. “Why keep hiding it?”

“A lot of reasons,” Ford sighed. Grandpa was the easiest of the group for him to talk to, and not just because of the lessons the man had taught him during the journey. “Cowardice, for one. I thought Seth might kill me. Also, Mia’s reputation, I suppose. It was perfectly innocent, but as Seth demonstrated, not everyone would see it that way, and I didn’t want to make her seem…”

“We all know she’s not,” Grandpa interjected, and Ford nodded.

“I told her what I was doing, and she didn’t really tell me to stop, and didn’t tell anyone else,” Ford chewed the inside of his mouth. “I guess I was also afraid that if I told anyone else, it would have to stop.”

“And now it will,” Grandpa shifted in the saddle to face Ford a little better. “I’m not sure why you agreed to that so easily, with your claims that it helps her.”

“You think I would have won that argument?” Ford chuckled nervously. “No. Not against Seth. It was better not to try.”

“A wise man chooses his battles carefully,” The elder nodded, “but you seemed to choose no battles at all today. Made all the promises Seth demanded of you, with only one small caveat.”

“It was the only path I could see forward,” Ford ran one hand through his hair. He should be whittling. Carving away on a piece of wood might help vent his frustrations.

“Was it forward? Or are you just holding still?” Grandpa challenged.

“If I get in the way of the rescue mission, it won’t help anyone,” Ford countered. “And upsetting Seth any more than I already have would disrupt everything.”

“I can’t argue with that,” A heavy sigh punctuated the reply. “I just hate to see two young people thwarted in love.”

“No one said anything about love,” Ford eyed the shrewd man, who was obviously used to getting information in this roundabout way.

“I just did. And though you didn’t use the word, you did promise Seth not to pursue Mia until after this whole quest is over.”

“He asked me to promise that,” Ford defended himself.

“And you didn’t respond that you had no intention of ever pursuing her.”

“Given that I’ve been secretly holding her hand while she sleeps, I didn’t think such a declaration would go over well,” Ford swallowed, recognizing he was being cornered into declaring feelings, one way or another.

Grandpa harrumphed, “You said you had nothing else to hide.”

“Yes… I did say that,” Ford frowned. Seth hadn’t really extracted much more information out of him after Mia had walked away, he realized. Maybe because he didn’t actually want to know much more than he already did.

“So, how do you feel?” Grandpa left the question open enough that Ford could choose to interpret it how he wanted to. He could talk about being tired, or anxious, or something else totally unrelated, but…

“I’m not absolutely certain,” He answered honestly.

“You were certain enough to chase after her into danger,” Grandpa pointed out.

“What do you want me to say?” Ford frowned. “I never met my father. There weren’t a lot of married couples around the mines. I’m not entirely sure I know what love looks like, except watching you and your wife and Seth and his for the week I lived in your home. I know that as charming as your company is, I’d rather be with her.”

“After all this is over, what will you do?”

“I don’t know,” Ford’s shoulders drooped. “I haven’t decided anything, but I’ve also thought a lot about it…”

“Can you see a life for yourself without her?”

“No.” Ford swallowed. No matter what kind of future he imagined for himself, or where, Mia was always present in his imaginings.

“Hm,” Grandpa seemed strangely satisfied by the answer Ford gave, leaning back a little in his saddle and turning back forward.

Ford shrugged off the old man’s behavior, and reviewed the promises he’d made to Seth. He shouldn’t forget any of them and break his word…

Not to approach Mia while she slept, or even to be near her. Not to touch her–unless she touched him first. That was Ford’s caveat, which Grandpa had supported. Seth hadn’t liked that idea one bit but had conceded it was fair.

And the final promise, not to pursue her until after this entire matter was over.

“I have a question for you,” Ford suddenly announced, his voice low enough not to catch the attention of any others. Since Anaisa and Daniel both had the pack horses tied to their own mounts, back here was the most private conversation to be had during the journey.

“I probably have answers,” Grandpa responded, brightening. “How can I help you?”

“What does ‘pursuing’ mean?” He grimaced. “I mean, I know what it means, on the whole, but I’m fuzzy on… details. I don’t want to accidentally do something Seth will think counts.”

Grandpa chuckled as he looked over the younger man. “What Seth wants is for you not to do anything that has the goal of getting Mia to fall in love with you. Which, this entire trip could qualify under that heading, but he won’t send you away since we need you.”

“This entire trip?” Ford paled.

“Holding her hand would definitely qualify, unless maybe it was to pull her up as she fell off a cliff or something. Giving her flowers, or other gifts women like. Gestures of affection. That sort of thing. That’s what he’s most worried about.” Grandpa explained.

Ford nodded after a moment, looking ahead to where a perfect full braid hung down the graceful back of a woman who was in deep conversation with her stressed father.

“I should be able to manage that,” Ford smiled tightly.