CHAPTER ELEVEN
Ben pulled the SUV to a stop in front of Amelia’s apartment. It was a small, boxy, three-story building that looked like it housed maybe twelve apartments. It was plain but looked well maintained, with flowers planted all along the front of it.
Picking up his phone, he sent a text to Amelia to let her know that he was there. However, he had no intention of just sitting in the car to wait for her.
He had left Luca at the estate, though not without some debate.
Somehow, he’d convinced the bodyguard that he could do this drive without his presence.
It meant that he was carrying a gun, which didn’t thrill him, but it was a concession he was willing to make to be able to drive the short distance to Amelia’s alone.
Getting out of the SUV, Ben made his way across the grass to the sidewalk that led to the front door. The door was locked, so he just waited on the step outside for Amelia to appear.
When she stepped out of the door, he smiled, his heart warming at the sight of her.
“Hey,” she said when she spotted him.
“Hey.” Ben moved a step closer, his gaze sweeping over her. “You look beautiful.”
Her eyes widened, and a blush turned her cheeks a light pink. “Uh, thank you.”
He wondered if she thought he was just being polite. If she’d protested the compliment, he would have assured her that definitely wasn’t the case.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
She nodded, and Ben guided her to the SUV, opening the passenger door for her before walking around to the driver's side. As they pulled away from the apartment building, he glanced at her profile, noticing how the golden hour light caught the highlights in her hair.
He was pleased that she had accepted his invitation, even though he suspected she might be feeling some apprehension about going to the estate.
"Thanks for agreeing to come to dinner," he said, turning his attention back to the road. "My mom was happy when I told her you'd be joining us."
"She was?" Amelia's voice held a note of surprise.
"Of course. She's always liked you," Ben said as he navigated the familiar streets of Serenity.
"I think she liked me because I wasn't trying to get you to do anything crazy,"
Amelia said, gazing out the window as they passed through town.
Ben laughed. "True. She did appreciate that about you."
The drive to the estate took them through the outskirts of Serenity and past fields that stretched toward the mountains in the distance. Ben found himself stealing glances at Amelia whenever they came to a stop.
The sundress she wore suited her, bringing out the blue in her eyes. There was a softness to her now that hadn't been there when she'd been training. The sharp edges of the athlete had given way to gentle curves, but she was no less beautiful to him.
"I hope you're feeling okay today," Ben said as they approached the entrance to the estate. "I know you mentioned that some days are harder than others."
"Today's been manageable," she replied, her fingers lightly tapping against her purse. "I took some pain medication before you arrived, so hopefully, I’ll be fine for dinner."
The fact that she needed medication just to get through a dinner made his chest tighten. Though she’d explained her health situation to him the previous day, the reality hadn’t really sunk in yet.
Ben looked at her with new understanding.
He'd been struggling to reconcile the image of the driven athlete he'd once known with the woman beside him now.
Her revelation about needing medication just to attend a dinner made the reality of her condition hit home in a way her explanation hadn't quite managed yesterday.
"I'm sorry it's so difficult," he said softly.
Amelia shrugged, her gaze fixed on the approaching gates of the estate. "It's just part of my life now. I've had to adapt."
As they approached the security gate, Ben slowed the SUV and rolled down his window. The guard recognized him immediately and waved them through with a friendly salute.
"Does that ever get old?" Amelia asked, gesturing toward the guard booth. "Having security everywhere you go?"
"Honestly? I barely notice it anymore," Ben admitted. "It's been part of my life for as long as I can remember.”
“You don’t have a bodyguard with you now.”
“I managed to convince Luca that it wasn’t a safety risk for me to pick you up on my own,” Ben said, then touched the holster he wore under a lightweight sports coat. “But I am armed. Just in case.”
“I remember that you used to shoot as a teenager.”
“Yep. Jude made sure that I was very proficient with weapons.”
Ben smoothly guided the SUV into the large parking pad at the back of the house. Though they had a large front entrance, they rarely used it, and he didn’t want Amelia to be intimidated by that formality.
The back entrance was used by family and friends, so it was only right that she enter there with him.
As they reached the back door, Ben opened it, then lightly touched her back to guide her through it. The aroma of the meal being prepared hung tantalizingly in the air.
He led her through the mudroom into the wide hallway beyond. The murmur of voices could be heard in the distance, and Ben figured his family was gathered in the living room while they waited for dinner to be served.
When they stepped into the entrance to the living room, everyone there turned to face them.
TJ immediately got up from where he’d been kneeling in front of the coffee table, Lego pieces spread out in front of him. He approached them with a broad smile.
“Hi, Uncle Ben.” He lifted his hand for a high five, which Ben gave without hesitation.
“This is Amelia,” Ben said.
TJ looked at her for a long minute, his head tilted to the side. “You were at Aunt Annie’s the other night.”
“Yes, I was.”
“And you’re Uncle Cole’s niece?”
“I am,” Amelia said with a nod. “My mom is his older sister.”
“Cool!” With that, TJ returned to the coffee table.
The adults in the room converged on them, offering welcoming smiles. Well, most of them offered smiles. Julian and Jude were their usual reserved selves, shaking Amelia’s hand but not offering the exuberant hugs their wives had.
“I’m so glad you could join us tonight, Amelia,” his mom said, approaching them with graceful steps. Her smile was warm as she leaned forward to brush her cheek against Amelia’s. “You are very welcome here.”
Amelia cast Ben a quick glance before she said, “Thank you so much for having me.”
“How have you been doing, my dear?” his dad asked as he joined his wife.
“I’m doing… well, thank you,” Amelia said, clearly not sure how honest she should be. “And how are you?”
“Better than I was,” he told her. “Grateful to still be here.”
“As I’m sure your family is as well.”
“I hope so,” his dad said with a wink.
“I’m glad you’re still here, Grandpa,” Dani said as she joined them, slipping her hand into her grandfather’s. She was Angie and Jude’s oldest, a year younger than TJ.
His dad bent and pressed a kiss to her dark hair. “Thank you, my darling.”
Ben loved seeing his dad interact with his grandchildren. He frequently helped TJ with a Lego project, colored in adult coloring books with Dani, who declared the kids’ ones to be too babyish, and read stories with the little ones.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Burke. Dinner is served.”
At Connie’s announcement, everyone made their way out of the living room. Ben offered his elbow to Amelia, who, after a moment’s hesitation, took it.
In the dining room, the table was at its largest size to accommodate everyone comfortably.
“Ben, you and Amelia come sit beside me,” his mom instructed as she took her seat to his dad’s right.
Julian sat at the opposite end of the table with his kids seated between him and Kiara. Jude and Angie sat on the other side of the table with their kids.
“Julian, will you please say grace?” his dad asked.
Ben was still amazed whenever his older brother prayed, because ten years ago, praying would have been the last thing Julian would have wanted to do.
Ben was grateful for the chang. Now all the adults in the family were believers, and that brought him a large measure of peace.
Once the prayer had been said, they began to pass the food around the table.
“This looks amazing,” Ben said as he held the platter of brisket for Amelia. “Does Connie have a smoker?”
“She does,” his mom said. “And she makes the best brisket around.”
Amelia didn’t talk much as they filled their plates, but then his mom turned to her as they began to eat.
“So, Ben says you work at the church?”
“Yes. I work part-time there,” she said. “I share the job with another woman. She does mornings because she needs her afternoons free to pick up her grandchildren from school, and then she watches them until her daughter is done with work. Since I prefer to work later in the day, it suits us both.”
“That’s a blessing then,” his mom said with a smile.
Ben had already explained to his parents a bit about why she didn’t work full time, and he was glad his mom didn’t pursue questioning about that.
“Could Cole and Annie not make it tonight?” Ben asked.
“No. I invited them, but Annie said that since Cole’s been so tied up with the clinics, she’s been trying to keep their evenings free to spend time together as a family.”
"That makes sense," Ben said, reaching for his water glass. "Those clinics likely take a lot out of him. He probably shouldn’t have scheduled so many for this summer."
“Except you can’t tell him that,” Angie said. “Annie said he’s determined to pack as much in as he can. Plus, it means he’s home for the summer.”
Amelia seemed to relax a bit as the conversation flowed around her. She didn’t engage in any of it, but she responded when something was directed to her.
“Is Amelia your girlfriend, Uncle Ben?” Dani asked, tilting her head as her gaze went from him to Amelia, then back to him.