Chapter 22 Lila
Lila
Several Months Later
The sun is dipping low, casting long shadows over the nearly finished park. The new water fountain gleams in the evening light, benches freshly painted, fairy lights already strung between the trees, waiting to be switched on tomorrow.
There’s just a few final things to do.
Right now, Ben is being bossed around like a rookie intern by my mother.
I spot him near the flower beds, looking deeply offended by a gardening trowel, his sleeves rolled up, expensive watch still on, as if he’s trying to maintain some level of dignity while on his knees in the dirt.
I bite back a laugh, walking over as Mum shakes her head at him.
“Benjamin, you are murdering that poor lavender plant.”
Ben sighs dramatically, wiping the back of his hand across his forehead like he’s been working the fields for hours instead of planting a few flowers. “With all due respect, Mrs Ng,” he says, voice painfully polite, “the plant is not dead. It’s merely… adjusting to my technique.”
Mum huffs, shaking her head. “For a man who can handle billion-pound deals, you have the delicate touch of a wrecking ball.”
Mum smacks his shoulder lightly with a gardening glove, muttering something in Cantonese that is not a compliment before turning to grab another plant.
I crouch beside Ben, smirking. “You know, if you just followed directions, she might go easier on you.”
He levels me with a flat look. “Lila, I could buy an entire landscaping company and have them redo this entire park overnight. Instead, I am here, in the dirt, receiving a performance review from your mother.” He exhales, running a hand through his slightly mussed hair.
“If this isn’t love, I don’t know what is. ”
Damn it, my heart squeezes.
I brush my fingers over his, squeezing lightly. “You’re doing great, babe.”
He glances at the plant, then back at me, deadpan. “Liar.”
I bite my lip to keep from laughing. “No, really. You’ve got that rugged, hardworking man aesthetic going on. Very sexy. Dirt-streaked forearms? Rolled-up sleeves? It’s doing things for me.”
He quirks a brow, clearly not buying it, but more than happy to play along. “Oh? So all it takes is a little manual labour and suddenly I’m your fantasy?”
I lean in slightly, my voice dropping just enough to make his eyes darken. “Mmm. Maybe. Though I usually prefer men who know what they’re doing with their hands.”
His grip on the trowel tightens, and I swear I see his jaw clench.
“Oh, sweetheart.” He shifts, suddenly much closer than he needs to be, his voice low, smooth, dangerous. “You and I both know my hands aren’t the problem.”
Heat flares low in my stomach, but before I can fire back, Mum calls from the other side of the herb garden. “Lila, stop distracting him,” she says, exasperated. “That poor plant has suffered enough.”
I smirk, still holding Ben’s gaze. “Right. Wouldn’t want to overwhelm him.”
Ben exhales, rubbing a hand over his face like he’s deeply regretting every life choice that led him to this moment. Then, without missing a beat, he mutters, “If your mother wasn’t standing right there, I’d have you on this ground right now, dirt be damned.”
Heat flashes through me, my smirk faltering for half a second before I regain my composure. I tilt my head, dragging my fingers slowly down his arm, my voice all sugar and sin. “Oh? Here I thought you hated manual labour.”
His grip tightens on the trowel, his gaze dark, hungry. “There’s one kind I happen to be very, very good at.”
A flush creeps up my neck, but before I can reply, Mum clears her throat again. Louder this time. “Benjamin. Less talking, more planting.”
I bite back a laugh, stepping away and patting his shoulder with faux sympathy. “Better get to work, babe. Can’t have my mum thinking you’re all talk and no action.”
His eyes flash with a promise. “Oh, sweetheart. When we get home, we’ll see who’s all talk.”
***
The park is alive with laughter, music, and the hum of conversation. The fairy lights glow softly against the evening sky, illuminating the newly restored fountain as water cascades elegantly into the basin. Everywhere I look, there’s life.
Children race across the grass, weaving between groups of people, their excited shrieks blending with the soft melodies of the live band.
Thomas’s bakery has set up a stall, filling the air with the scent of warm bread and pastries, while Clara’s salon is running a mini beauty booth, painting the little girls’ nails with glittery polish that catches the light.
This place has never felt more alive.
Right in the middle of it? Ben.
He’s deep in conversation with the mayor, his dark jeans hugging his frame just right, a crisp button-down with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, the top two buttons undone.
Relaxed. Effortless. He belongs here. His stance is relaxed, his smile genuine, and for the first time, he’s not just an outsider looking in. He’s part of this.
I watch as Maeve, who has become increasingly obsessed with bossing him around, marches up to him with a clipboard in hand.
“Benjamin,” she says crisply, adjusting her dress up glasses. “Are you enjoying the event?”
Ben blinks, his expression shifting from mild amusement to wary curiosity. “Uh… yes?”
She nods, scanning her clipboard. “Good. Because I’m going to need you to help serve the desserts in precisely twenty minutes.”
His brows lift, a slow smirk tugging at his lips. “I—what?”
Maeve doesn’t even blink. “You helped save this park, didn’t you? You’re part of this community now, aren’t you?”
I press a hand over my mouth to smother my laughter, watching as Ben visibly weighs his options.
Finally, he exhales, playing along, utterly charmed despite himself. “Fine. But if I do this, you promise to give me a ten-minute break afterward?”
Maeve taps her pen against the clipboard, considering. “Five.”
Ben tilts his head, eyes narrowing in mock offence. “Seven.”
She squints up at him, her tiny frame somehow managing to look intimidating. “Six.”
Ben sighs, shaking his head, his lips twitching. “Deal.”
Maeve nods approvingly, then immediately pivots, her mission far from over. She turns on her heel and zeroes in on Marcus, who has just taken a sip of his drink, completely unaware that he’s about to be recruited.
Ten minutes later, Marcus comes back with Maeve, perched on Marcus’s shoulders, looking like a queen surveying her kingdom.
Ben spots them at the same time as I do, raising a brow as Marcus trudges toward us, one arm bracing Maeve’s leg while the other wipes sweat from his brow.
Marcus stops right in front of Ben and levels him with a look.
“Your turn.”
Ben blinks. “What?”
Maeve grins down from her throne, waving. “Benjamin, I request a shoulder ride!”
Ben coughs, shifting slightly. “I—uh—”
Marcus doesn’t wait for an answer. He grips Maeve’s waist, lifting her off his shoulders like she weighs nothing, and deposits her straight into Ben’s arms.
Ben catches her on instinct, looking comically stunned as Maeve settles herself in like she’s just upgraded to a better ride.
Marcus rolls his shoulders out, sighing in relief. “I like you, Ashcroft, but if you try to give this one a corporate job in ten years, I will personally end you.”
Ben huffs a laugh, adjusting Maeve slightly before glancing at Marcus. “Noted.”
Marcus watches him for a beat, then extends his hand. Ben grips it, firm and steady. A silent truce. An understanding. A real welcome.
“I mean it, though. You did good here. The town’s better for it.”
Ben inclines his head. “Appreciate that.”
Marcus smirks, shaking his head. “Though if you ever get tired of spreadsheets, I might have some real work for you.”
Ben shrugs. “I’ll pass. I hate manual labour.”
Marcus chuckles, glancing at Maeve, who is now patting Ben’s head like a pet. “Good luck with that one.”
Ben sighs. “I’m already regretting this.”
Maeve straightens up, gripping his shoulders like she’s preparing for battle. “Away! Horsy!”
Before Ben can argue, Olivia appears, looking exasperated, shaking her head as she steps up beside Marcus. “I am so sorry.”
Ben raises a brow. “For what, exactly?”
Olivia gestures vaguely at Maeve, who is now dramatically pointing into the distance like she’s commanding an army. “She accidentally watched an episode of Judge Judy last week, and now she thinks she’s a high-powered authority figure.”
Marcus snorts. “Accidentally?”
Olivia rubs her temples. “I was watching it. She wandered in, got way too into it, and now she walks around saying things like, ‘I will be making my ruling shortly’ and ‘You are in contempt!’”
Ben grins, completely charmed despite himself. He looks up at Maeve. “So what’s the verdict, your honour?”
Maeve nods seriously, tapping her chin. “Verdict is… you are a very slow horse. Move it.”
Ben lets out a long-suffering sigh, adjusting his grip on her before jogging forward, making her shriek with laughter.
Marcus watches him go, shaking his head. “That poor bastard. He never stood a chance.”
Olivia crosses her arms, smirking. “Nope. He’s officially one of us now.”
The night flows seamlessly, the celebration carrying on as champagne flutes are passed around. My mum gives a toast, people cheer, and the sound of clinking glasses fills the air.
I grab a flute. Willow does the same, and Olivia downs hers immediately.
But Sophie?
Sophie accepts hers, then pauses, glancing at it for just a second too long.
Before she can react, Marcus is already at her side with Maeve, taking the glass from her and replacing it with a fresh one from the bar.
Sophie narrows her eyes up at Marcus, but before Sophie can talk, Maeve claps her hands together, beaming. “Because Auntie Sophie can’t drink alcohol anymore!”
The entire table goes still.
Sophie closes her eyes, exhales sharply. “Marcus.”
Olivia gasps so hard I think she might inhale her entire drink. Willow’s jaw drops.
“You’re PREGNANT?!” Willow practically screeches, grabbing Sophie’s arm like she’s about to shake the truth out of her.
Sophie groans, rubbing her temples. “Well. There goes my plan of telling you all like normal people.”
“I KNEW it!” Olivia practically bounces on the spot. “I had a feeling! Last week you turned down sushi. SUSHI, Sophie. I should have called it then!”
I give her a hug. “How far along are you?”
Sophie blushes. “Eleven weeks.”
Sophie shoots Marcus a glare. “This is your fault.”
Marcus arches a brow, completely unbothered. “Of course, it’s my fault. I did, after all, have unprotected sex with you. I feel like that’s where it all started.”
Sophie gapes at him. “Marcus!”
Marcus smirks, looping an arm around her waist and pulling her against him. “What? Actions have consequences, baby mama.”
Willow snorts into her champagne. “Wow. Romance is truly alive and well.”
We all dissolve into laughter, and I take a step back, watching them, watching this moment, this night.
Everything around me feels perfect.
My mum steps up beside me, watching the chaos unfold with a small smile. She pulls me aside, her gaze lingering on Ben, who’s still carrying Maeve while making casual conversation with the mayor.
Mum sighs, nudging me gently. “He fits here, you know.”
I glance over at Ben again, who’s already looking at me, like he knew I’d turn to find him.
“Yeah,” I whisper. “He does.”
She nods slowly, her expression softening. “He makes you happy.”
“He does,” I say quietly, warmth swelling in my chest.
Mum smiles, her hand squeezing my arm. “Good. That’s all that matters.”
She hesitates for a beat, then adds, “You know… I was worried about leaving. About the cafe. About you.”
I turn to her, but she’s already watching Ben again, her voice quieter now. “You’ve got Jess taking on more shifts, the cafe’s thriving… you’ve really built something special here. But part of me still feels guilty about going.”
I smile softly, nudging her. “Mum, you don’t need to worry about me. I’ll be fine. Honestly, everything’s running smoothly, and you’ve earned this. Go. Enjoy it. You’ve spent your whole life looking after everyone else, it’s your turn now.”
She hesitates, eyes glistening just a little. “It’s just… a round-the-world cruise. Me and the girls. I still can’t believe he did that.”
I laugh, my chest tightening with emotion. “Of course he did. You deserve it.”
She nods, her expression full of warmth and pride. “So do you.”
Maeve’s giggle cuts through the air as Ben lifts her higher, his deep chuckle following right behind.
Just like that, I know.