Chapter Sixteen #2
“I know, I know. Like I said it’s probably just me being silly.
I have to tell you something though, you say people don’t act like that around here.
But I’m afraid we have. We were all guilty of not being very welcoming to Angel.
In fact, most of us gave her the cold shoulder.
I know I did, and then when I talked to her I felt guilty about it.
She thought she was coming to this nice welcoming, small-town community, and yet, instead of being welcomed, she was treated as an outsider or worse an intruder. ”
Charlotte sighed. “I want to feel really bad about that, but a little part of me is grateful. I already know it was only because people were looking out for Ben and me.”
Lily nodded. “We were. I just wish it wasn’t at Angel’s expense.”
“Me too. Thanks for telling me.”
“No problem. Now, get going or you’re going to be late for your meeting with Holly.”
~ ~ ~
Ben looked up at the sound of a knock on his office door. “Hey, Nate. Come on in. What can I do for you?”
“Actually, it’s more a case of what I can do for you. I just got off the phone with Lily, and she wanted to know when we can invite you and Charlotte over for dinner.”
Ben smiled. For the last couple of years now he’d watched his friends return to the lake, pair off, and settle down.
All the couples invited each other over for dinner.
He was often invited and always welcome, but he’d always felt like something of a spare part.
Being there as one of the gang was very different from being there as one half of a couple.
Nate didn’t know it, but he’d just extended Ben the first invitation to step into what he hoped would be his new life with Charlotte.
Nate smiled back at him. “I take it, from the look on your face, you like that idea?”
Ben nodded. “More than you know, bud.”
Nate grinned. “I feel that something of significance is going on here, but you’ll have to forgive me, I have no clue what it is.”
Ben laughed. “Don’t worry about it, it’s just me being a dork. All you need to know is that yes, please, I’d love that.”
“Great. I don’t think we’ll be able to fit it in this week, but is there a night that works for you next week?”
Ben thought about it, mentally running through his schedule. “Would Wednesday work for you?”
“Yep. That sounds good to me. Looks like we’ve got ourselves a date.”
“I’ll look forward to it. I’ll bring the wine.”
Nate grinned. “In that case, I’ll look forward to it, too. And I’ll see you on Saturday night, right? At Giuseppe’s, for Gabe’s stag night.”
“Yep, I’ll be there. If I don’t see you before, I’ll see you then.”
Once Nate had gone, Ben picked up his phone. Charlie had been on his mind all morning. She was out visiting potential clients. He smiled, loving that her potential clients were their friends. He dialed her number, hoping to catch her between appointments and see how she was getting on.
“Hey, how are you doing this morning?”
“I’m great, it’s business as usual around here. Busy, but that’s nothing new. I wanted to see how your day’s going. How are you getting on?”
“Wonderfully so far. I spent the morning with Lily and now I’m on my way over to see Holly.
I’m excited about what we can do for the riding stables.
And I love that I now get to go on to a new and different challenge with Holly.
She said she already has a website up and running and I’m interested to see what she’s set up.
Retail websites can really help a business if they’re done right.
Though, if they are not, they can be a waste of time.
I’m hoping the site is good so that all we need to focus on is getting traffic to it. ”
Ben smiled to himself. “I love that you’re so engaged with what you do.
I remember when we were kids and you didn’t know what you wanted to do.
It makes me happy that you found something you enjoy and it’s even better that it gets you out and about working with and helping all our friends.
You know, when you get a minute I’d like for us to sit down and see what ideas you might have for the resort. ”
“Wow. I wasn’t sure if you’d want me to get involved.”
“Why not? It’s what we always talked about, isn’t it?”
“It was, yeah. And I’d love to. I’d love to think that I could help you grow the place, be a part of it.”
“You know only too well how happy that would make me.”
“I do, but I think it’s like us sleeping together. It’s something we both want, but once we go there we’re making a decision, a commitment, you know?”
Ben nodded to himself. “I do know. And I don’t want to rush you or anything, but I think, what I’m saying is I’m ready to do that. I want to make that commitment. I hope you do too.”
She was quiet for a long moment and he started to worry. Maybe she wasn’t ready. Maybe he wanted too much too soon.
“I do.”
He couldn’t help the smile that broke out on his face. “And while we’re talking about commitments, I have to be honest and say I’m hoping to hear you say those two words someday soon, too.”
He could hear the smile in her voice when she answered. “I’m hoping for that too, Ben. You know it’s still what I want.”
His heart felt like it might explode in his chest. He hadn’t known for sure, all this taking it slowly, all her concerns that perhaps he should get to know Angel better, had had him worried, more worried it seemed, than he’d acknowledged—even to himself, judging by the relief he felt now.
“We’ll get there, Charlie.”
“I believe we will. We were in such a hurry when we were kids. I think that’s why it feels important not to rush in madly now, but I think we’re back on the same track we were on. The track that leads to the life we were supposed to live.”
Ben closed his eyes against the sting of tears, but these were happy tears. The tears he’d feared he would never shed.