Chapter 8
Maven
I slowed my mom’s car as I neared the parking lot for Dust and with the upcoming fall festival, it would only become more apparent why so many people from all over Vermont, and even neighboring states, made visiting here a bucket list item.
“You are here,” I said, spotting Ben’s old Chevy parked in front of the hardware store. I should have thought about checking there. I snagged a spot nearby.
After a quick walk through the store, I stepped outside again, confused about where Ben could be.
The sweet smell wafting out of Keller’s next door was impossible to ignore.
I doubted Ben was inside the bakery—being a farm boy, he’d always been a protein-for-breakfast guy—but that didn’t mean I couldn’t grab a maple cinnamon sticky bun to eat while I searched for him.
The door to the bakery chimed when I opened it, and a darling girl with beautiful copper-red hair smiled at me from behind the counter.
She looked familiar, but I was having a difficult time placing her when her expression made it clear she’d already figured out who I was.
Then her gaze darted to the side, and I followed it to the smattering of tables for customers.
My heart plummeted when I saw Ben seated at one of them, his back mostly to me, with some gorgeous brunette. Her leaning posture and the location of her hands atop the table, closer to his body than hers, as well as her long crossed legs nearly pressed against his, told me all I needed to know.
Ben was on a date!
A wave of shock rolled through me. Quickly followed by a wave of exasperation.
Ben was forcing me through this reconciliation crap while simultaneously dating another woman?
I wondered what Judge Rost would make of the situation.
Since I knew my word held little credence with the judge, I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture as evidence.
Unfortunately, my phone wasn’t in silent mode, and the artificial click sound of the phone’s camera echoed through the small space.
The woman’s gaze fixed on me. “Did you just take a picture of us?”
Ben glanced over his shoulder to see who she was speaking to, and his mouth parted slightly. “Maven?”
I gave a good-mannered wave, conveniently ignoring the woman’s question. “Hey, Ben.”
Ben blinked, as if he still wasn’t certain if it was me. Then he stood and glanced at his friend. “Will you excuse me for a minute?”
The brunette woman’s gaze slid to me again, but she gave a hesitant nod.
I followed Ben outside. He glanced down the street in both directions before directing me down the alleyway between Keller’s and Berk’s Hardware. “What are you doing here?”
I leaned against the brick wall, attempting to appear impervious to what I’d just seen, and gestured over my shoulder. “Strangely enough, I came to the bakery to get a sticky bun. But when I saw you inside, I had to say hello.”
“You took our picture.”
“You two just looked so cozy sitting there. I couldn’t resist.”
Ben didn’t so much as crack a smile. He placed an arm on the wall next to me and leaned in, blocking us from the view of anyone passing by on the sidewalk. “What are you doing here in Autumn Ridge?”
“Oh. That.” I grinned up at him, ignoring the way my body reacted to his nearness. “Considering how our past few conversations have gone, I thought it would be best to have this next one in person.”
“You think, just because you show up here, I’m going to change my mind about taking our divorce to New York?”
“That is the hope.”
He shook his head. “Not happening.”
“Why?” I shot back. “Are you trying to make us both miserable?”
“And if I am?”
“Well, you’re doing a great job.”
His gaze did a quick, unimpressed once-over of me. “I’ve learned from the best.”
My mouth parted. “Oh, you don’t have even the slightest idea of how completely miserable I can make you.”
Ben laughed, but it was one of those ironic kinds, void of any humor. “Is that a threat?”
I barely resisted my tit-for-tat response. What was I doing? This butting-heads strategy never got us anywhere. “It doesn’t have to be.” I softened even more. “Ben, there’s no point dragging this out.”
“Maybe you’re wrong.”
The intensity in Ben’s brown eyes made me still, and I waited for his next words with a troublesome amount of focus.
He leaned in closer, making my skin prickle in anticipation. “Maven, this is likely our last chance”—his gaze moved to my lips, making my breath slow, before his eyes locked with mine again—“to make each other miserable.”
I flicked the back of my hand into his stomach, but he’d flexed his abs, clearly having expected it.
He laughed and pushed off the wall, then took a backward step, smiling like this conversation was over and he was the victor.
If only he knew what he was about to unleash.
“This has been fun, but I’d better get back inside.” He paused, pointing at me with a lazy sideways hand, his thumb extended. “But while you’re in town, we should probably get one of those shared experiences over with. Text me?”
“You’re going to regret this, Ben,” I called after him.
He paused and shot me a cocky smile. “I don’t think I will.”
I didn’t even wait a full breath cycle after he disappeared around the corner to follow him. My philosophy had always been that there was no time like the present for retribution.
Through the bakery window, I watched Ben settle back into his chair before I entered again. He glanced over his shoulder, but I ignored him and stepped to the counter. First things first. I wasn’t leaving here empty-handed.
New York had some decent bakeries, but none compared to Keller’s, so I had to take advantage. And my family wouldn’t complain if I shared. “Can I get a dozen maple cinnamon sticky buns?”
“Of course.” While the young woman went to work filling the box of sticky buns, I again tried to place how I knew her.
Suddenly, an image surfaced of a little girl, several years younger than I was, with her same copper-red hair but in two braids, proudly displaying a big fat bullfrog at the Walkers’ creek.
“You’re Sadie Stevenson?”
The woman nodded, showing off her contagious smile. “You taught me to catch frogs.”
I glanced at Ben, then leaned over the counter toward her. “If you’re in need of some practice, let me know.”
Sadie’s eyes brightened, and she set the box of buns on the counter with a conspiratorial grin. “Are you going to put them in his boots again?”
I held my credit card over the reader, barely restraining my laughter. “A girl has to do what she can to get a boy’s attention.” Even if the attention I now wanted from Ben differed significantly from the kind I’d wanted when we were younger.
Which reminded me.
I tucked my card back into my phone case and patted the top of the box. “I’ll be right back for these.”
Sadie nodded, her gaze following me as I approached Ben.
Instead of pulling up a vacant chair to their table like I’d originally planned, I stepped behind Ben and wrapped my arms around his neck, leaning down next to his face like I’d done a million times.
Ben stiffened beneath my touch.
“Don’t stay too long,” I said before he could question me. “You know how I get jealous when you’re out with other women.”
The woman’s eyes widened, her gaze shifting to Ben.
I looked over at Ben, then back at Ben’s girlfriend, allowing my jaw to slacken in feigned offense. “Did he not tell you who I was?”
She shook her head.
“I haven’t had the chance yet,” Ben said, a warning in his tone.
Ha! Like I cared if he was upset. This was his fault. I released him and reached out my hand toward her, leaning over Ben in the process. “Maven Walker. I’m Ben’s wife.”
She stared at my hand, then looked back at Ben. “You two are married?”
He cleared his throat. “It’s a long story.”
Realizing I wasn’t getting a handshake, I dropped my hand to my side.
“It’s actually not that long. You see, we recently filed for divorce.
Again.” I placed my hands on Ben’s shoulders, refusing to acknowledge their added thickness.
“But this guy clearly isn’t ready to give up on us, so we are undergoing efforts for reconciliation. Aren’t we, Ben?”
Ben’s silence confirmed my story.
The woman oddly didn’t look thrilled for us. She stood. “I think I’ll head out. Thanks for the coffee, Bennett.”
I thought of giving an obnoxious farewell wave when she didn’t acknowledge me, but I’d accomplished my aim and there was no need to take it further than necessary. At least not at this point.
Ben hurried to his feet to follow, sending me a look that made it clear he wanted me to stay put.
Refusing to comply completely, I moseyed my way toward the counter, hoping I might catch snippets of the conversation through the door.
Unfortunately, their voices didn’t carry.
“Oh, look at that,” I said to Sadie, pointing at the board of town announcements like that was the reason I was standing there.
“The Ednas have a bingo game at the church?”
Sadie offered a timid smile, probably not convinced by my cover-up. “The first Thursday of every month—so today. I believe it starts at five.”
“Hmm.” Without meaning to, I glanced outside again.
I was well aware Ben had dated plenty of women since he’d returned to Autumn Ridge—people loved mentioning it when I came to visit—but this was the first woman I’d actually seen him with.
I was doing everything I could to fight off a massive bout of jealousy, but it was proving more difficult than I cared to admit.
It didn’t help that she was absolutely stunning with her long legs, high cheekbones, and fashionably pouty lips.
“Do you know her?” I asked, pulling my gaze from the two of them to grab my box of sticky buns.
“I’ve never seen her before.”
My smile hopefully conveyed that I was unbothered by the whole situation. “Well, she doesn’t look like someone who could catch a frog.”
Sadie gave a small laugh. “My thoughts exactly.”
The door chimed, and Ben stepped back inside, his gaze fixed on me.
I met his stare. “I hope your girlfriend wasn’t too disappointed with the news I shared.”
“She’s not my girlfriend.” Ben tossed a thumb over his shoulder to where they’d just been standing. The woman was gone. “She is one of the top realtors in this county and is a goldmine for client referrals. At least she had been.”
“Ah! So that’s how you get referrals these days. No wonder your business is doing so well.”
He dropped his chin. “We were having a cup of coffee.”
“Sadie?” I glanced behind me for backup. “Date or networking meeting?”
She gave an apologetic smile, and her cheeks pinked slightly. I felt bad for pulling her into this, but not bad enough to back down. “I also thought it was a date,” she admitted.
I sent her a grateful look before stepping up to Ben’s side. “Don’t forget, Bennett Walker, you are still a married man.” I lifted one hand to his chest, ready to lean hard into my current course. If he was going to be stubbornly irrational, I would not only meet him there, but I’d surpass him.
His eyes narrowed.
“In fact…” My gaze flicked to the board near the door. “I have something in mind for us to do tonight for our shared activity. Pick me up at quarter to five?”
“What are you up to, Maven?”
I grinned at him, dropping my hand. “Just following our court order.”
He appraised me a little longer. “I’ll be at your house at a quarter to five.”
“See you then.” With a farewell wave to Sadie, I hurried out the door with my box of sticky buns, my strategy to drive Ben crazy already taking form.