Chapter 23
Maven
Thanks to replaying those late-night moments with Ben on endless repeat before finally succumbing to sleep, I was having second thoughts about our lunch with Tom and Ann.
It had seemed like a fine idea before, but after those kisses?
Ones I definitely wanted more of and which Ben seemed perfectly willing to share with me?
Somehow, it made lunch with Ben’s parents more intimidating.
But I loved his parents, and they’d shown nothing but warmth to me since I’d come back.
Maybe I just needed to get out of my own head.
The sight of Ben’s truck pulling up to my mom’s had me shoving my jumbled thoughts aside, and I headed out to meet him. When he saw me coming, Ben walked around to the passenger side of the truck and waited for me.
“Hey,” he said when I reached him, appearing slightly uncertain how to proceed after last night.
I tucked my hair behind my ear and gave a timid smile. “Hey.”
He opened the door and helped me in. Where the seatbelt came out of the frame, he pulled it down until it locked before pulling it upward again and wriggling it with his other hand.
With a click, it released. “That’s the trick.
” He handed me the buckle. “Pull down, secure it, then wiggle it while pulling up.”
I took hold of it momentarily, then allowed the seatbelt to retract. “Thanks, but I’d prefer to sit in the middle seat next to you.”
Ben’s shoulders relaxed, his smile making it clear he didn’t oppose in the slightest. Once he’d climbed in next to me and started the truck, he took hold of my hand, interlocking our fingers. How did such a simple gesture make me feel so completely giddy?
Ann was on the back porch when we drove up.
She came at me with extended arms before my feet touched the ground.
“Maven.” After a hug, she brought a hand to my cheek and looked at me with a smile that caused an unexpected welling of emotions to rise in my chest. It appeared she’d missed me as much as I’d missed her. “I’m so glad you came.”
“Thanks for having me.”
“Hello to you too, Mom,” Ben interjected, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. His timing was impeccable. Another moment or two under Ann’s concentrated attention, and I might be at risk of tears. This was not a promising start.
“It’s good to have you here, as well.” Ann smiled up at him before looping her arm through both of ours and leading us toward the house. “I hope you’re both hungry.”
Tom welcomed me with another hug. It was so full of warmth and love that I tucked the memory away, right along with my welcome from Ann. I could pull them out again on those hard days that would inevitably come when this was all over.
The four of us were soon sitting around the table, eating and reminiscing and laughing so much my cheeks ached.
Tom retold the story of my big catch to Ann, for probably the hundredth time, and he didn’t leave out my favorite part—how Ben had hooked a ten-incher right after me that had needed to be released because of how small it was.
Ben leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed, pretending to be insulted by the whole conversation. “I’ll have you know, Maven just memorialized that fish of mine on a pumpkin.”
Tom’s eyes flashed with humor. “Do you have a picture?”
I pulled one up and handed him my phone.
He laughed a deep, full laugh. “I don’t know. This fish might be a little bigger than yours, Ben.”
It was impossible not to join in on Tom’s laughter.
“You’ll have to send us that one,” Ann said as she looked at it. “We’ll print it and put it on the fridge.”
“Here’s an interesting fact,” Ben said, leaning forward and sending me a pointed look. “Maven’s really good at climbing trees.”
Ann and Tom shared a puzzled glance, but I knew exactly what Ben was about to share. I gave a subtle shake of my head, my eyes threatening the severest of consequences if he told them.
He smirked. “That’s it. I just thought you both should know.”
Tom’s expression mirrored his son’s. “I thought you were about to share how Maven used to climb up the tree by your window to sneak into your room at night.”
Now it was me and Ben sharing a look. A hot blush settled onto my cheeks, but Ben chuckled, clearly not the least bit concerned. “You knew about that?” he asked.
“I’m a farmer. I’m outside before the sun. I saw her slip out a handful of times.”
I covered my heated cheeks. “It was just when my mom was working nights and Carson was away at school. I didn’t like being home by myself.”
“That’s why we had our boys share a room for so long,” Tom said with a smile. “It helps ’em stay accountable. Though it was a good thing Tate wasn’t sneaking girls in.” He flicked his chin toward Ben. “That one sleeps like a log.”
“Sleeps like a log and sounds like a lumberjack,” Ann said with a laugh.
“I don’t snore that bad.” Ben’s concerned gaze fell on me. “Do I?”
I tucked my lips in. “Your snoring is one thing I don’t miss about you.”
Ben shook his head, wrapping his arm around my back, then wiggling his fingers into my side. I shot toward him instinctively, pleading with him through my giggles to stop. His fingers stilled, but his hand remained on my back.
Ann and Tom were watching us, unable to control the intensity of their smiles.
“Oh, you two haven’t changed a bit.” Ann stood to gather the plates, causing Tom to stand too. He grabbed the pile from his wife, and she smiled at him before turning back to us. “Can I get you two some dessert? I have pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting.”
“That sounds delicious,” I said.
While she dished it up, my gaze returned to Ben.
He’d changed plenty, and I knew I had too.
We’d both grown up and made lives for ourselves—lives apart from each other.
But when I was with him, it didn’t feel that way.
It felt like no time had passed at all. That we were still just two kids in love.
The buzzing of a saw and the smell of freshly cut lumber inundated my senses when I stepped through the workshop doors with Ben at my side.
The inside looked as different as the outside did, even more so.
Instead of a cluttered space filled to the brim with an eclectic assortment of half-built cabinets like it had once been, a collection of neatly organized workstations were thoughtfully placed around the massive area.
The far side seemed to be a holding area of finished cabinets, doors, and furniture.
Everything had a place. Just like Ben preferred.
Ben was watching me for my reaction, and I don’t think I disappointed him. “It’s amazing, Ben.” I moved farther into the shop, turning as I took it all in.
The sawing stopped, allowing the music drifting through the space to be heard. Classical music. An orchestra playing Claude Debussy’s La Mer. The second movement: Jeux de vagues.
I pointed upward to the speakers where the sound was coming from. “Do you often work to Play of the Waves?”
“All the time,” a man with light brown hair, a square face, and a friendly smile said as he approached us.
“Well, not this song in particular, but songs like it. The boss says classical music is good for our minds and helps us concentrate.” He put a hand to his mouth, blocking it from Ben’s view. “We change it when he’s not here.”
I laughed. “Right? Who in their right mind likes classical music?”
“This guy,” he said as Ben stepped to my side. “It’s either that or country.”
I glanced up at Ben, unable to hide my amazement. “Is that true? You listen to classical music?”
“I blame you entirely.” Ben winked at me before turning to his employee. “Maven, this is Boone, my head carpenter.”
It took me a minute to come back from the loop I was stuck in involving Ben and his preference for classical music. And that wink.
“Maven?” Boone said, his grin widening. “So this is the wife? She’s a heck of a lot prettier than you let on, boss.”
Ben sent me an apologetic look. “Sorry about him. Boone here was raised in a barn.”
“Literally.” Boone nodded, clearly proud of the fact. “Eleven kids in my family and only three bedrooms. Unless it was too cold, us boys slept in the hayloft.”
Ben glanced around. “Did Josh and Alex end up going to the Hiltman job?”
Boone nodded. “Lars called and said they needed extra hands if they were going to finish by the end of the day. I hope it’s okay I sent them.
I know we have the Anderson job starting tomorrow, but we’re nearly done with everything except two corner cabinets.
I should be able to get those finished before leaving today. ”
Ben rested his hand on Boone’s shoulder. “What would I do without you?”
“I don’t think you’ll have to find out,” Boone said with a laugh. His gaze shifted to me. “Most bosses don’t move into a fifth wheel so their employee’s family can live in their house.”
My curious gaze landed on Ben. That’s why he wasn’t living in his old house? Because Boone’s family had needed it? In truth, I was hardly surprised.
“I’m glad it worked out,” Ben said. “The trailer suits Finn and me just fine for now.” He took hold of my hand, like it was once again the most natural thing in the world. “I’m going to take Maven inside and introduce her to Whitney. Let me know if you need any help with those cabinets.”
“Will do, boss.” Boone sent me a wave. “It was great to meet you, Maven.”
“The pleasure was mine.”
We headed back outside into the cloudy fall day. The sort of day ideal for cuddling up and reading a good book with a cup of cocoa. Though, with my hand in Ben’s, I actually preferred being right here.
“Boone’s wife is pregnant, and she has three little ones at home,” Ben said, as if an explanation was required for why he’d moved out of his house for them.
“He’d been commuting nearly an hour to work each direction, so that meant two extra hours a day away from his family.
And since I’m…” he paused briefly. “Well, the timing worked out perfectly.”