Chapter 9 #2
A dozen of Autumn Ridge’s most seasoned residents were seated at a cluster of tables inside.
Their confused expressions shifted to shock when their eyes settled on us.
Two of them placed their hands over their hearts and several others watched on with gaping mouths.
In hindsight, this hadn’t been my best idea.
The mere sight of Ben and me together again might be enough to cause some sort of irreparable harm to this age demographic.
I took a hesitant step over the threshold and gave a small wave.
The Ednas sat at the center table, their husbands seated on each side of them.
Edna Gilbert removed her glasses, wiped them, and put them back on, as if her eyes were deceiving her. “Is that Maven Price and Bennett Walker?”
“It most certainly is,” Edna Bloomberg said, excitement radiating from her. “What in heaven’s name are the two of you doing here? And together, at that?”
“We came to play bingo.” I sounded overly cheery.
“You came to play?” The Ednas—as we affectionately called the two of them collectively, or Edna B and Edna G, individually—said in near unison.
Edna G was petite with hair that had been dyed a whitish yellow, while Edna B was heavyset with dark eyes and hair, but they were one and the same when it came to basically everything else.
“Actually,” Ben said, making my gaze shoot to him, “I was hoping I could be the caller. Unless someone else has claimed the honor?”
Edna B pushed the metal cage toward the edge of the table closest to Ben. “Please do. You have such a nice, strong voice.”
Ben grabbed the bingo cage and moved it to the only table of the four that didn’t have anyone seated at it.
“I’ll be your assistant,” I said, realizing with four people per table, there really wasn’t much of a place for me.
“I don’t think so.” Ben’s smirk was infuriating. “You were just saying how excited you were to play, and we all know how much you love good, friendly competition. Why don’t we squeeze in a chair for you right there, between the Ednas?”
“Oh yes, dear.” Edna G scooted her chair toward her husband. “Come sit by us.”
Edna B was already standing, retrieving a chair for me and placing a bingo card on the table along with a big fat marker. “Here you are, Maven.”
With one brief but potent scowl in Ben’s direction, I situated myself between Autumn Ridge’s most accomplished gossips.
Ben’s eyes roved over the nodding players. “Don’t think just because I’m new to this, you can pull anything over on me. I’ve got my eyes on all of you.” He pointed at Mr. Curtis, who already looked like he was half asleep. “Especially you, Larry.”
Everyone laughed. Besides me. I was still trying to figure out how I was sitting here between the Ednas while Ben was calling bingo numbers and charming the room.
Had I lost my touch? This was not how I envisioned any of this going.
Well, honestly, I didn’t actually envision any of this.
I thought leveraging the Ednas would be the thing to change Ben’s mind. Clearly, I had misjudged the situation.
With a clanking rumble, Ben turned the handle of the cage until a ball came down the track. He held it out for everyone to see. “N-36.” Two people stamped their cards with their dot markers before he spun again. “B-4.”
Edna G placed a dot on her board and leaned over. “When did you and Bennett start speaking again?”
“Only recently,” I said with a tight smile.
“Are you back together?” Edna B whispered, drawing close at my other side.
“No!” I shook my head to make sure they both clearly understood my response.
The Ednas shared a disappointed glance.
“B-7,” Ben called.
“Oh. Look, dear, you have that one,” Edna B said while Edna G pointed at the square.
Apparently, these two women could carry out an interrogation while simultaneously keeping their eyes on my board. I marked the space with a large green dot.
“So,” Edna B continued when another number had been called and she verified that none of the three of us had it. “If you aren’t a couple, what are the two of you doing together?”
Did I really want the Ednas to know the truth? And consequently, all of Autumn Ridge?
“I-27”
My gaze flicked toward Ben, having a grand old time calling numbers.
Yep. I wanted them to know.
And after our interaction at Keller’s, rumors about Ben and me would start regardless, so I might as well explain the situation.
“We’re getting a divorce.”
The Ednas’ eyes widened.
“Again?” Edna G asked.
Edna B’s expression was aglow at the possible scandal. “Did the two of you secretly get married a second time?”
“We didn’t get married secretly the first time,” I corrected, though I knew it didn’t matter what I said.
The Ednas had assessed the facts and made their conclusion.
“But we recently found out our divorce was never finalized. To expedite the process, we are undergoing a court-ordered reconciliation period. Which is why we are currently spending time together.”
“What about Colin?” Edna G asked, marking whatever number Ben had just called on my board for me.
Oh, yeah. No one in Autumn Ridge knew Colin and I had broken up. “We aren’t together anymore.”
“Because you and Bennett are still married?”
“No. Because of…” My words trailed off. I didn’t know how to put into words what had happened. “It just didn’t work out.”
“So you and Bennett aren’t hoping to reconcile?” Edna B asked. I sort of felt like I was observing a match of ping-pong with how quickly my attention was shifting from side to side.
“Nope. Not even a little.”
The Ednas frowned in unison.
“That’s a shame,” Edna G said. “You made such a lovely couple.”
Edna B nodded her agreement. “And it’s not like the two of you are getting any younger either.”
Ben held up another ball. “G-46.”
“Hey, look at that. I have G-46.” I placed another green dot on my card, eager for a distraction.
It wasn’t the first time the Ednas had mentioned my drying-well status, and I had no desire to linger on the subject.
I was only thirty. People had kids well into their forties these days.
And it wasn’t like being a professional violinist was excessively conducive to family life.
Most of my performances were at night, and every weekend was typically packed.
Until recently, that is. Thankfully, I had a few things booked for November, but unless a friend or the theater called me to be a sub, my October was entirely empty.
No one hired a musician a few days before an event that had been in the works for months, possibly longer.
Edna B marked her board with the most recent number. “So how long will you be staying in Autumn Ridge?”
“With how things are currently going, there’s a good chance I’ll be here through the end of October.”
Ben’s gaze met mine. Exactly like I’d suspected, he was keeping tabs on our conversation almost as well as the Ednas were keeping tabs on our bingo boards. And I didn’t think he’d liked what he’d heard. Not that I’d actually meant it. He just needed to think I did.
“I assume you’ll stay with your mom?” Edna G asked, leaving the unasked part dangling in the air—I’d stay with my mom because staying with Ben was completely out of the question.
I stilled.
Or was it?
My mind caught hold of the idea, allowing it to take shape.
It was crazy, but I was desperate. Sure, there was a slight risk, but if I kept my objective in mind—to drive Ben crazy enough that he’d request to change our divorce case to New York—my taking over his space could vastly speed up the process.
I doubted he’d make it through the weekend with my constant bombardment.
“With Carson and Penny at my mom’s”—I spoke loud enough that Ben wouldn’t miss a word—“Ben offered to let me stay at his place. We are technically still married, after all, so he said it was the least he could do. Especially since I was the one who left New York to be here.”
Ben’s jaw slackened, and he lowered the bingo ball he held to his side. He would appear less shocked had I pulled a twenty-four-inch trout from my pocket and slapped him across the face with it.
“Is that so?” Edna B asked. The Ednas both set their rumor-hungry eyes on him to verify the delicious information I’d just handed them.
He could potentially deny the claim, but I knew he wouldn’t. Ben was a gentleman through and through, and he’d be darned if that stalwart reputation of his was tarnished.
The muscles in Ben’s jaws clenched. “Like Maven said, it’s the least I could do.”
The Ednas clasped their hands in front of their chests, sharing a gleeful look at Ben’s reluctant acknowledgment.
Maybe I hadn’t lost my touch after all.