Chapter 45
“You’re going to be good for your aunt Grace and uncle Levi, right?” Benjamin knelt in front of Max, zipping up the boy’s sweatshirt.
Max nodded eagerly, and Benjamin glanced over his shoulder and out the large French doors to make sure that Summer was still sitting on the deck, her back to the cabin as she watched the waves and sipped her coffee.
“I know you will.” Benjamin pulled the boy into a hug, then stood to open the front door, where Grace and Levi stood, grinning.
“Does she know?” Grace peered past him.
Benjamin shook his head. “Not a clue.”
Since it was the off season, Grace and Levi had been free to spend some time with Benjamin and Max and Summer yesterday. They’d hiked and picked apples and shopped and gotten ice cream at the Chocolate Chicken and even met some of Grace and Levi’s friends. Then they’d stayed up late playing board games and talking.
But today, Grace and Levi were helping Benjamin with a different plan.
Grace reached for Max’s hand. “Come on, Max. Do you like horses?”
Max’s eyes lit up. “Boy oh boy! Really? Horses?”
“Lots of horses.” Levi took the bag Benjamin held out to him, and the three of them started down the driveway toward the main bed and breakfast where Grace and Levi lived.
Grace turned and called over her shoulder, “You two have fun.”
“We will.” A whole day—and night—alone with his wife? How could he not enjoy that?
But as Benjamin made his way through the house to the deck, a wave of uncertainty swept over him. Would Summer enjoy it? Over the past few days, it had felt like she was finally, finally letting go of whatever barriers she’d put up between them ever since their wedding day. But what if now that they were alone, she built them higher than ever?
Then you’ll break them down again, one step at a time, he told himself as he opened the door and stepped outside. A bank of clouds had built over the lake, but a shaft of sunlight managed to break its way through and seemed to shine right on Summer, stealing Benjamin’s breath.
Thank you for her, Lord.
A brisk wind blew in from the lake, covering the sound of Benjamin’s footsteps as he crossed the deck and stopped behind Summer’s chair. He let his hands come to rest on her shoulders, and she leaned back into him, as if she’d been waiting for just this moment. Benjamin let out a breath.
“Is Max ready?”
“Uh. Sort of.” Fresh nerves tore through Benjamin, and his heart crashed in his ears, louder than the waves against the shore.
Summer turned to him with a puzzled smile. “What does that mean?”
“It means he’s ready, but he’s not here.”
Alarm crossed Summer’s face, and Benjamin realized he should have phrased that differently. “I mean, he’s with Grace and Levi.”
“Oh. Sorry.” Summer scrambled to her feet. “I didn’t mean to keep everyone waiting.”
“You’re not keeping anyone waiting. They’re taking him for the day.”
Summer blinked at him, brow furrowed. “We can’t ask them to do that.”
Benjamin shook his head. “I didn’t. It was Grace’s idea. She thought maybe we’d like to have a— A honeymoon.”
“Oh.” Summer’s mouth opened, and her cheeks went pinker than they already were from the wind.
“I thought we could go mini golfing,” he added quickly, before she could think he was expecting anything she wasn’t ready for. “And take a walk on the beach. Maybe climb a lighthouse. Honestly, I don’t care what we do. As long as we’re together.”
Slowly, Summer’s lips stretched into a smile. “That sounds nice.”
“Yeah?” Benjamin stepped closer, sliding his arms around her.
“Yeah.” Summer lifted her face, and he brought his lips to hers in a kiss that was wild and free, like the tugging of the wind at his shirt or the surging of the waves on the shore below.