CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Where are you headed, son?”
Ben turned to see his dad approaching from the direction of his office. “I’m going to see if I can convince Amelia to go out for dinner with me.”
“So, is this interest in her just as a friend? Or is it something more?”
“I’d like it to be something more,” Ben said, deciding to be completely honest. “But I’m not sure how she feels.”
“Why wouldn’t she want to be with you?” his dad asked with a frown. “I’m sure she knows you’re a great guy. However, she did already break up with you once, so you might be fighting a losing battle.”
“Thanks for the reminder, Dad,” Ben said. “But the reason for why things couldn’t work between us several years ago, is no longer an issue, so I’m hoping she might want to give us another shot.”
“You do realize that she probably won’t leave Serenity.”
Ben chuckled. “I am aware.”
“So, can I put in that call to my architect?”
“Let’s just hold off for a bit,” Ben said. “There’s no need to rush.”
“You’re not getting any younger, son,” his dad told him.
Ben laughed again. “I’m not that old, though technically you are correct.”
“Have you heard if she’s gotten any results from her tests?”
“Not yet, but I imagine she’ll hear something in the next week or so. I’m praying it’s soon for her peace of mind.”
“Waiting for results is always difficult,” his dad said.
“I think that’s why she hasn’t told her family about the tests. She didn’t want them to be anxious while waiting for the results.”
“It’s good she has you then, son,” his dad said. “So she’s not completely on her own.”
Ben hoped that Amelia felt the same way. He still wasn’t sure what was going on in her mind these days. He hadn’t seen her since Sunday, though they’d exchanged a few text messages.
Because there were no clinics that week, he hadn’t gone to the church. But now he really wanted to see Amelia and not just communicate with text messages.
He’d seen how worn out she’d been on Sunday, and he’d kicked himself for suggesting the walk when he’d realized how daunting the stairs were for her when they got back to the apartment building.
It had given him a huge insight into the state of her health that he’d known in theory but hadn’t really seen play out.
It broke his heart to see her struggling so much physically, when at one time in her life, she’d been able to jump off the ice and do three rotations before landing smoothly on one leg.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t tackle her health issues the same way she’d tackled a new skating program or a new skill. Her body wouldn’t support her efforts anymore. In fact, it seemed to be working against her.
Ben's thoughts kept returning to how Amelia had looked at him when he'd told her he'd always be there to carry her if she needed it. The flash of vulnerability in her eyes had been quickly replaced by something that looked like fear before she'd turned away.
He knew she was afraid of being a burden, but he wished she could understand that being there for her wasn't a burden to him at all. It was a privilege.
"You look deep in thought," his dad said.
"I'm just thinking about what I might say to convince her to have dinner with me tonight." Ben checked his watch. "I should probably get going.”
“Make sure you take Luca with you.”
Ben had been hoping that he wouldn’t need to have the bodyguard accompany him, but he also knew it wasn’t an argument he could win with his dad. Security would always be the thing he stood strong on.
After saying goodbye to his dad, he left the house and headed to a nearby building. When Ben didn’t need Luca, the bodyguard was in the security office, helping with the overall security of the estate.
“Hey there, Ben,” Jude said when he walked into the building. “What’s up?”
“I need Luca,” he said. “I’m heading to the church, and Dad is insisting that I take him.”
A grin flitted across Jude’s face. “I’m surprised that you didn’t just grab the SUV and go.”
“I’m not looking to upset Dad,” he said. “Especially not after his heart attack. Besides, Luca would also give me grief if I left without him.”
“What are you doing at the school?”
“I’m hoping to convince Amelia to go out for dinner with me.”
“Don’t you mean us, since Luca will be with you?” Jude asked with a chuckle.
“Ha.”
Luca approached them from the office where the security around the estate was constantly being monitored. “Are we going somewhere?”
“Yep. Into Serenity to have some dinner. Hopefully, with Amelia.”
“You don’t know yet if she’s going with you?” Jude asked.
“I figured I might have a better chance of convincing her to go if I issued my invitation in person.”
“Relying on the Burke charm and good looks, huh?” Jude said.
“It’s about all I have to work with,” Ben said with a shrug.
That got a chuckle out of Jude. “Pretty sure the women of New York City would say differently.”
“I’m not interested in women who want me for my money,” Ben said. “And surprisingly enough, Amelia has never been drawn in by that.”
“She proved that by breaking up with you once already.”
“Thanks for the reminder.”
“Well, I do hope it all goes well for you.”
“You and me both.” Ben turned to Luca. “Ready?”
“As ever.”
After Luca grabbed the keys for one of the SUVs, they left the security building and climbed into the vehicle.
“Did you want to stop somewhere for flowers or something?” Luca asked as he drove the SUV through the front gate with a wave for the guard.
“Flowers…” Ben considered it for a moment. “Yes. I want flowers. I hope the florist shop in town is still open.”
“I think it closes at five,” Luca said.
“Did you check it out for some reason?”
“I figured you might need flowers sooner or later,” Luca said. “So I checked into a couple of places in town.”
“It’s like you’re two steps ahead of me,” he said. “Since you’re so far out in front, do you know if she’s going to go to dinner with me?”
Luca chuckled. “I figure it pays to be aware of what you might want or need.”
“If Amelia likes the flowers, I’ll tell her it was your idea.”
“No need for that,” Luca said with a wave of his hand.
Once they crossed the Serenity city limits, Luca guided them down Main Street, then pulled in at an angle to park. The two of them made their way a short distance down the sidewalk to the small florist shop.
As they walked in, the woman behind the counter greeted them with a smile. “How can I help you two fine gentlemen?”
“I need a bouquet,” Ben said. “The best you have.”
The woman’s brows lifted slightly. “Might be a bit pricey.”
“That’s fine,” he told her. “Price is no object.”
“Tell me a bit about the person it’s for. What type of flowers they like.”
“She’s a very determined woman. Strong. She has faced some struggles lately, but she’s pushing through. I’m not sure that she has a favorite flower, but she’s artistic. So something with lots of color, I think. Bright.”
“Let me see what I can put together.” The woman walked over to a large glass cooler and stood there for a moment before she opened the door and began to gather a variety of flowers.
Ben watched as she moved with practiced efficiency, selecting vibrant blossoms in shades of orange, yellow, and pink. Her hands worked quickly, gathering stems of different heights and textures.
"Gerbera daisies for cheerfulness," she explained as she added several bright, open-faced flowers. "Some sunflowers for strength and admiration. Then this ranunculus for charm and attractiveness." She selected a few more varieties, explaining each one's meaning as she worked.
Once she finished gathering the flowers, she moved to a workstation where she arranged them with sprigs of greenery and tiny white flowers, creating a bouquet that was simultaneously wild and elegant. She secured it all with a length of raffia, then wrapped the stems in brown paper.
"This will definitely make a statement," she said, handing it to Ben. "It says you admire her strength and find joy in her presence."
Ben couldn't help but smile at the accuracy of that sentiment. "It's perfect. Thank you."
After paying for the bouquet and a crystal vase, since he wasn’t sure if Amelia had one, they left the shop and made their way back to the SUV. Ben cradled the bouquet carefully, not wanting to damage any of the delicate blooms.
His pulse quickened as they neared the church. Luca found a parking spot close to the entrance, and Ben stepped out, carefully holding the bouquet.
The afternoon sun warmed his face as he surveyed the parking lot. Amelia’s car was still there, so even though they’d made a stop, they hadn’t missed her.
"Do you want me to wait here?" Luca asked, leaning against the SUV.
"Yeah. If you don’t mind.”
Ben walked toward the side entrance that led into the area by the church offices. The weight of the bouquet solid in his hands as he pulled open the door and stepped inside.
“Ben?”
He spotted Amelia coming toward him, the strap of her purse over her shoulder. It looked like he’d caught her just in time.
Her gaze fell immediately on the bouquet and then back to him. “Did I… Did I know you were coming?”
“Not unless you can read my mind or have someone following me.”
“No, to both.”
“Well, I’m here to see if you’d like to grab dinner.” He held out the flowers. “Oh. These are for you.”
“They’re beautiful,” she said as she took them with a smile, her blue eyes shining. “Thank you.”
“So, how about dinner?” he asked, then held up his hand. “Only say yes if you really feel up to it and want to. I didn’t bring the flowers to coerce you into going. I just thought you deserved something beautiful.”
She bent her head to take a sniff of them. “As long as we don’t go anywhere fancy, I’m up for dinner.”
“I’d rather not do fast food, but if you’re okay with the diner again, we could go there.”
“The diner is fine,” she said. “Never had a bad meal there.”
“Perfect. How about we go back to your place so you can put the flowers in the vase with some water?”
“Okay.”