Chapter 32
“Look who finally decided to show up.” Simeon mocked lightly as Benjamin climbed out of his Gremlin at the head of the trail that wound through the foothills on the outskirts of River Falls. The actual trail race would be higher in the Smokies, but for training purposes, this one was close enough to town that they could all get to it on a regular basis.
“Give him a break.” Joseph grinned. “He’s a newlywed.”
Benjamin’s face heated as his brothers all laughed. He worked to force a laugh too.
“Remember when we were little,” Asher said, “and Mama made us sleep in the same bed on vacation because she was afraid you’d fall out otherwise? You swore you’d never share a bed with anyone when you grew up.” He chuckled. “I guess you got over that.”
“True.” Benjamin swallowed painfully and tried to keep a bright expression.
“To be fair,” Joseph cut in, “Summer probably doesn’t kick and snore as much as you do.”
Again Benjamin made himself laugh along with his brothers. He sure wished he knew how she slept. The way she’d felt pressed close against him in the dark hallway this morning—he wanted to feel that all night every night.
“All right. Let’s run.” Zeb fiddled with his fitness watch. “It’s going to get hot out here soon.”
The sun was peeking over the easternmost mountains, sending a spill of gold over the trees there, but in the foothills, everything was still cloaked in shadows. Even so, the air was already growing warm and sticky.
They all started off down the trail in a pack, but soon Joseph and Liam fell back, while Zeb and Asher pushed ahead. Benjamin could have joined them, but instead he kept pace with Simeon. His brother eyed him but didn’t say anything, and Benjamin didn’t either, instead focusing on the songs of the waking birds and the chatter of the squirrels. With every breath, he pulled in the earthy scent of the woods, and something close to peace settled over him.
Until Simeon asked, “Something you want to talk about?”
Benjamin concentrated on his footfalls. “Nothing in particular.”
Simeon gave him a side eye, clearly seeing through the lie, just as Benjamin had known he would. They ran in silence, their steady breaths mingling with the sounds of the forest.
“Can I ask you something?” Simeon finally cut into the quiet.
Benjamin’s only answer was an inhale and exhale.
Simeon apparently took that as a yes. “Is the reason you two got married so quickly to get guardianship of Max?”
Benjamin breathed in and out again, wrestling with himself. Simeon was a Christian counselor. But did that mean he’d understand or that he’d rebuke Benjamin, tell him he was crazy and stupid and young and impulsive?
“That’s part of the reason,” he finally said. He made himself look at Simeon to see his reaction, but there wasn’t one.
“But it’s not a fake marriage,” he added quickly. “It’s just as real as yours and Abigail’s or anyone else’s.”
“I believe you.” Simeon took a few more breaths, then asked, “How are things going?”
“Great. Really great,” Benjamin answered, maybe too quickly, because Simeon eyed him again.
But his brother nodded and let another quarter of a mile pass. Then he said, “Because it would be understandable if it took a while to adjust. I mean, that’s true even if you spend years planning for a wedding.”
Benjamin ran on, keeping a neutral expression. Was it possible his brother had deduced that he and Summer were living more like roommates than husband and wife?
“I guess what I’m saying,” Simeon added around deep breaths as they climbed a rise in the trail. “Is to be patient. She’s still grieving. And dealing with the stress of TJ’s estate and what’s going to happen to Max. Plus, y’all are young.”
Benjamin started to protest, but Simeon held up a hand. “I’m not saying it as an insult. It’s just a fact. I would guess marriage wasn’t on her mind any more than it was on yours. Wasn’t she dating someone else up until a few weeks ago?”
“He wasn’t the right guy for her,” Benjamin growled.
“I’m not saying he was.” Simeon’s voice remained calm. “Just that it’s a lot for one person to take in all of that change at once. So it wouldn’t really be a surprise if things were a little rocky at first.”
Benjamin thought about denying it again. But Simeon was too good at his job to buy it.
“So what do I do?” he asked finally.
Simeon seemed to be thinking, and Benjamin tried not to be impatient. If his brother had any ideas for how to fix his broken two-week-old marriage, he wanted to hear them.
After a while, Simeon said, “I imagine Summer feels a lot like Abigail did when she woke up and learned she was married to me—like she was dropped right into the middle of a relationship without building the foundation first. You might need to take things slowly. Start at the beginning.”
Benjamin considered that as he swiped at the sweat running into his eyes. “I can do that,” he said at last.