Page 89 of Doc Rock
She wanted to do her current job. She wanted to play music. But most of all, she wanted Ford.
“I’m grabbing a burger. Do you want one?”This time, she didn’t run away from him.
“Sie, are you alright? About earlier I?—”
Mai cut him off, not yet ready tohearhis rejection of her, even though sheknewit wasinevitable.
“Ford, it’s okay. I understand.”She let her eyes meet his, and for a moment, got lost in them. Then she tore her gaze away.“Come on. Let’s go andgetsome food.”
Chapter 32
Ford
Ford followed Sie back into the noisy bar, bitterly regretting pulling away. He should have kissed her. He shouldn’t have been so aware of all the eyes in the pub that were staring at him and the people who had been subtly lifting their mobile phones to take photos and videos of him sitting so close to Sie.
He should have said fuck it and kissed her. But the last thing he wanted was for the public to put two and two together and work out that Sie was now a doctor in Burra Creek. She wore the wig for a reason. She didn’t want people toknowwho she was.
If they were seen kissing and the photos got out, people would start digging into Sie’s past, and he was sure someone would compare pictures of her then and now and reach the conclusion that Sie and Dr Maisie Jones were one and the same.
Ford walked behind her to the bar, aware of the eyes in the pub that followed him, and at least one person was filming.Shit, he should leave now before they dug into Sie.
He caught her up.“Sie.”
She didn’t stop walking.
“Sie. I?—”
“Ford!”A drunken man seemed to come out of nowhere and was now blocking his path.
He debated for a moment shoving the man out of his way, butknewthat Donnie would be pissed off with him if he started a brawl.
“Hey, mate,”he said affably, falling into his public persona, even as Sie got further away from him.
“Oh wow.It isyou! I told Warren,”he lifted up his pint and pointed to a table of equally ruddy-faced men,“thatit wasyou. He told me I was a drunken idiot.”
“What can I say, mate. Not an idiot.”Ford’s gaze darted around, looking for a way to politely extract himself without drawing attention to Sie.
Shit,therewere more people now filming him.
Ford closed his eyes in a slow blink, knowing he was going to regret what he was about to say.“Did you want a selfie?”
The drunken man’s face broadened into a grin.“Absolutely. They,”he gestured again to his friends with his drink, sloshing beer on the floor,“said I shouldn’t disturb you. That you were on a date.”
“It’s fine.”Ford smiled tightly.
“That’s what I told them. I told them that you weren’t on a date with a wannabe rock chick who wears bottle-thick glasses.”
Ford’s back stiffened as the man described Sie.
“No. I told them Ford would have a supermodel on his arm. Not a woman who is so short youcouldput her in your pocket.”He guffawed at his own joke.
“Right,”Ford said neutrally. His fist was clenched at his side. He was so close to punching this stupid bastard in the face.
“You always have a fit woman,”the other man droned.
FordcouldseeSie ordering at the bar. His shoulders sagged a little in relief when she was served with two drinks. He’d thought she might not want to have dinner with him now, but she'd bought him a drink.
“How is Abigail? Isn’t she your girlfriend?”The man’s voice was loud, and hesawSie stiffen when his ex-girlfriend was mentioned.
