I sing under my breath as I have the worst voice in the world. After the processional, we start to file out of the pews. I follow my mom, nodding and smiling at people I know. We shuffle down the main aisle, the process slow-going as people will be pausing to shake hands and say a few words with our priest at the doors.
Keeping my head down so as not to run over my mom, I consider Jorie’s proposal. Maybe getting drunk today isn’t such a bad idea. It could temporarily obliterate Benjamin from my mind. Or it could make me stupid enough to drunk call him.
Ugh. Not a good idea.
And then, for some reason, I know I must look up. I raise my head, scanning the back pews, and right there… in the last row on the end, Benjamin sits and stares.
He’s dressed in a tan suit with a pale blue shirt. Hair slicked back rather than his mussed look, beard perfectly trimmed.
Benjamin.
Sitting in an actual house of God. I’m surprised he hasn’t burst into flames over the abhorrence I’m sure he’s feeling to be in here.
When he smiles, my heart trips. He gives a slight jerk of his head toward the exit, a silent request I meet him outside. I nod in return.
Standing with cane in hand, he merges into the shuffling crowd ahead of me and I lose sight of him.
Eager to see what he’s doing here, I give a tiny nudge to my mom’s back, urging her to move faster. Of course she can’t, and she whips around to glare. I duck my head, giving her a submissive apology.
Practically bouncing from foot to foot as we make our way out of church, a million thoughts run through my head.
He’s here to proclaim his love.
Or give me a pair of panties I’d mistakenly left at his place.
No, he wouldn’t come to church to do that.
Would he?
I mean… maybe to thumb his nose at God?
Ugh… why can’t these people hurry?
And then, my parents are shaking hands with the priest. I’m almost free. I resist the urge to push them past Father Gaul, then I’m right in front of him. His kind blue eyes rest on my stitches, and he brings his hand to the top of my head.
He murmurs a short prayer, then says, “I’ve been praying for you, my child.”
“Thank you, Father Gaul,” I say softly, then turn away from him, but my mother blocks my way.
Going to my tiptoes, I scan the crowd below the dozen or so steps leading out of the church. I can’t see Benjamin anywhere.
Maybe he was a figment of my imagination. Or someone who looked like Benjamin.
The people in the crowd are moving a little more freely, crisscrossing my line of sight and moving left and right to the two parking lots on either side of the church.
And then… like God parting the Red Sea for Moses, a path parts and I finally see him.
Across the street, leaning against his Audi that’s parked there.
It’s a damn Sixteen Candles moment. He’s even got his hands tucked into his pocket, pulling one out to hesitantly wave.
I resist the dorky move to look around as if it’s not me he’s here for, because I know better than that. Putting my hand on my mom’s shoulder, I lean into her. “I’m going to skip lunch today.”
She turns to me. “Are you feeling okay?”
I nod toward Benjamin. “Yes.”
Her eyes slide across the street to take him in. She’s my mom, so her lips flatten and she glares at him before saying, “His apology better be good.”
“Might not be an apology at all,” I say.
“If that’s the case, call me and I’ll set your brothers on him. They’ll teach him a lesson.”
I snort, then lean in to give her a kiss. “Call you later, Mamá. Love you.”
“Love you too,” she replies.
Taking a deep breath, I stare at Benjamin. He doesn’t move to me, but rather waves me over to him. I note he doesn’t have his cane now so he must have put it in the car, which must mean he doesn’t plan on staying long.
Oh shit… this is probably a final breakup meeting.
My stomach turns with dread as I make my way down the steps. I stop for several cars before I’m able to cross the street.
Smiling, he pushes off the Audi.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“There’s someone I want you to meet,” he replies. I’m dumbfounded, thinking this is beyond weird.
Benjamin takes my hand and leads me around the back of his car to the passenger side. The front window rolls down and I stare at a woman who, while I’ve never seen a picture of her, I know she’s Benjamin’s mom. She was flying in this morning for a visit, which is something I’d managed to put out of my mind until just now.
I smooth my hair down in a nervous gesture. Benjamin’s hand goes to my lower back, urging me forward just a bit closer as if assuring me she won’t bite. His mom smiles broadly, then sticks a hand out the window. “Hi, Elena… it’s so wonderful to meet you.”
Of course, I take her hand, but my smile falters. I’m faltering. “Nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Hewitt.”
She waves a hand. “Please… call me Kathy.”
Not able to contain my confusion anymore, I just ask Benjamin point blank, “What’s going on here?”
His mother smiles before the window slowly rolls up to give us privacy. Benjamin looks a little discombobulated as he glances over the top of his car back to the church.
“That was weird,” he says softly, giving a nod at the chapel. “Sitting in church.”
“Not your thing,” I remind him. “I get it.”
“It could be my thing,” he replies, eyes on me. “With you, that is.”
I shake my head, brows furrowed. “I’m sorry… I feel like I’m in the twilight zone. Yesterday, I got the distinct impression we were over, and now you show up at my church with your mom.”
Benjamin chuckles as he points a finger at the passenger window behind which his mother sits. “That’s sort of my grand gesture.”
I frown in further confusion. “Grand gesture?”
He gives me a sheepish smile and a tiny shrug. “I thought introducing you to my mother would show you how serious I am.”
“Serious about what?” I ask, although I’m starting to clue in at this point.
“About you,” he replies, hand going to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. His eyes roam over my face. “I wanted to show you I wasn’t afraid to move forward. To build on what we already have. Make a life together.”
My head swims from the implications of those words. He seems so sure, yet… he’s flaked out on me because of his fears twice now.
“That’s a big turnaround from yesterday,” I say.
He shakes his head. “Not really. I knew what my choices were, and I just had to make the decision. Go forward or backward. It was pretty simple once I really thought about it.”
“Simple?” I ask with a wry smile.
“Yeah,” he replies, his hands coming to my waist to draw me closer. My hands rest on his arms, and I tip my head back to look up at him. “My love for you simply outweighed my fears.”
“Love?” My voice is so faint I can barely hear it, but, fortunately, he does.
He nods, his eyes solemnly locked onto mine. “Yeah… I love you, Elena. So incredibly deeply. I can’t let you just walk out of my life. In fact, I’ve been thinking, and I’m fairly sure God put you in my path for a reason.”
“What’s that?” I whisper.
“So I can live again,” he says. “Love again. It’s a gift that’s been handed to me, and I can’t ignore it. So please put me out of my misery and tell me I still have a chance with you. I haven’t irrevocably ruined things, right?”
My smile is coy as I shake my head, stepping in closer. I bring my hands up to touch the nape of his neck, then go to my tiptoes to put my face as close to his as I can. “I love you, too.”
“Thank fuck,” he mutters just before kissing me. A sweet, soul-stealing kiss that’s filled with so much promis
e my heart flutters in response.
He pulls back. “I’m in it for good, Elena. I promise.”
I give him my own pledge in return. “I’m right there with you. Always.”
Benjamin grins, rubbing his nose alongside mine. When I have his eyes again, he nods at the car. “Ideally, I’d love to whisk you back to your place or mine to seal this all with orgasms, but I got Mom along for the ride. I was thinking of treating you ladies to a five-star lunch. Can you break plans with your family today?”
“They’ll totally understand,” I say, making a note to text Jorie as soon as I get into the car.
“Then your chariot awaits,” he says as he opens the back door with a flourish.
“I can get in the backseat,” Kathy immediately says, but I’m already sliding in.
“No way,” I say as I reach for the seat belt. “I’m good back here.”
Benjamin watches me for just a moment, making sure my legs are in. He mouths the words to me again.
I love you.
I silently give them back. As he shuts the door, the last thing I see is a satisfied grin on his face.
Kathy turns in her seat. “Okay… start talking. Tell me all about yourself.”
We’re chatting away like old friends by the time Benjamin rounds the car and gets into the driver’s side to whisk us off to lunch. He doesn’t interrupt or say a word, just drives with that same satisfied smile on his face.
EPILOGUE
Elena
I force the last bite of steak in my mouth because I’m so stuffed I don’t think I can manage this last bite, but it’s so damn good I must. I chew slowly, savoring the flavor. Benjamin spared no expense on celebrating our four-month anniversary, and it’s beyond ridiculously cute he wants to celebrate it. He brought me to CUT by Wolfgang Puck, and my eyes bugged out of my head at the prices. It’s been a bit of an adjustment accepting I’m dating someone who thinks nothing of feeding me a sixty-five-dollar bone-in filet while he dines on the one-hundred-and-thirty-dollar porterhouse.
“They have the most amazing chocolate torte for dessert here,” he says as he watches me swallow my last bite of food, forearms crossed on the table.
“I can’t,” I say as I wipe my mouth, placing my napkin back on my lap. “I’ll actually explode if I eat another bite of food, and that would be very ugly. Totally ruin the mood for what I have planned for you later this evening.”
“And what’s that?” he asks with great interest, leaning forward just a bit.
I wag my finger at him. “It’s a surprise, but I promise you’ll be barking like a dog when I’m done with you.”
Benjamin wrinkles his nose. “Not sure I’m all that interested now.”
“Screaming my name out to the neighbors?” I suggest instead.
“Now that has merit,” he replies with a laugh as he pushes up from the table. “Excuse me a moment, though… I’ll be right back.”
“Take your time, babe,” I reply. I watch him only a moment as he walks away. His limp is still there, but he’s been going out more and more without his cane. He’s been working on strengthening his leg at the gym, and he’s suffering less pain with weight bearing.
Not that it matters to me. He’s sexy with or without the cane—limp or no limp.
While Benjamin’s gone, I continue to sip at my red wine and surf my phone. I shoot a quick text to Jorie to check in on her. Her pregnancy is going smoothly, and she looks so utterly adorable with her baby bump that I can’t stop buying cute, tight dresses for her that showcase my new goddaughter who will be arriving in a few months’ time.
“Well, don’t you look ravishing tonight?” a male voice says from across the table. It sounds vaguely familiar. After my head pops up, I blink in surprise at August Greenfield sitting across from me. I haven’t seen him since the night in the Wicked Horse when I’d almost had a threesome with him and Cage.
Of course, Benjamin and I rarely go to the Wicked Horse. He gave up his membership. If we’re feeling especially frisky, he’ll pay the onetime fee and I’ll use the special membership Jorie got me. But we’ve been maybe three times since he introduced me to his mom and things changed for the better.
August sits in Benjamin’s chair, giving me a wickedly handsome grin, both dimples popping. I just cock an eyebrow, wondering what his game is.
“This is where you say back to me, ‘Gee, August… you look mighty fine yourself’.” His eyes sparkle with mischief.
“You’re all right,” I say with a smirk, crossing my arms over my chest. “Funny how you waited until Benjamin was gone before you came to say hello.”
“Well, my interest isn’t in Benjamin,” he drawls.
“Well,” I reply tartly. “It better not be in me, because my only interest is in Benjamin.”
August crosses his hands over his heart, jerking like I’d just shot an arrow there. “Ouch, that hurts.”
I snort. “No, it doesn’t.”
“I thought we really had a connection, Elena,” he says with a pout.
“Your face is going to have a connection with my fist if you don’t get out of my chair,” Benjamin says as he comes up behind August. But he doesn’t say it with any real menace. It’s almost an idle promise.
Smirking, I nod toward Benjamin. “I’d do what he says. He’s also a hair puller.”
August throws his head back and laughs, easily vacating Benjamin’s chair. To my surprise, he thrusts his hand at Benjamin, who hesitantly takes it.
He glances between Benjamin and me as he shakes his hand. “Actually… I saw the two of you over here having dinner, so I just wanted to come over to congratulate you. That night in the Wicked Horse, I sort of figured Elena had gone permanently off the market.”
Benjamin growls low, and August rushes to clarify, “I didn’t mean off the “meat” market so to speak. I meant as far as relationships go.”
Benjamin rolls his eyes, unbuttons his suit jacket to sit in his chair, and pointedly ignores August.
I give him a sweet smile. “Well, it’s nice seeing you again, but—”
August holds his hands up in surrender, a deep laugh following it. “I get it… I’m intruding.”
“Yes, you are,” Benjamin mutters.
“Best of luck to both of you,” August says. With an evil glint in his eyes, he murmurs right to me, “But if you ever dump this guy, Elena… you know where to find me.”
Benjamin growls again. August snorts before retreating quickly. I pick my napkin up to pretend to wipe my mouth again, but really, I’m stifling a laugh.
“Funny guy,” Benjamin mutters as he watches me, a slight lift to one corner of his mouth.
“Men are so weird… the little games you play. People think women are the only ones who do that stuff, but men are just as bad.”
A waiter approaches, a white plate in hand, and sits a chocolate torte down in front of me. I’m so full I can’t even look at the damn thing.
I shake my head, my gaze going across the table. “I told you I’m stuffed.”
The waiter brandishes two spoons, sitting one beside the plate and handing another to a grinning Benjamin. “I think I can manage to eat enough of this for the both of us.”
“Have at it,” I say with a laugh.
We chat, and I sip my wine. Benjamin takes small bites of the torte, reaching across the table each time rather than just pulling the plate his way. Every other bite or so, he remarks how good it is and that I should try some.
I merely shake my head to decline each time.
Finally, he gives me a look of mild annoyance. “You’re not making this easy.”
“Making what easy?” I ask.
“Can you at least look at the plate?”
“Huh?” I say with a frown, then dip my head to see what he’s talking about.
On the plate is a demolished torte, one lonely bite left behind with some crumbs. What I had failed to notice when the plate was set down was there was elegant cursive writing in chocolate ar
ound the edge of the white china.
Will you marry me?
I snap my head up to look at Benjamin, mouth dropping open. He’s smiling, holding up a black velvet box.
He opens it, and my mouth drops open even wider as I take in the massive teardrop-shaped diamond twinkling so fiercely in the candlelight I’m almost blinded.
“Oh my God,” I murmur, one hand fluttering to the base of my throat.
“I thought we agreed God doesn’t have a direct hand in playing with our lives like this,” Benjamin chides. He and I have had deep discussions about God, divinity, and what His purpose in our lives is. He even goes to church with me most Sundays, though he sometimes likes to just be lazy and stay home, which is okay, too.
My heart swells at his pointed reminder our God is very mysterious in his ways, and that the ring glistening in front of me only has to do with the man holding the box.
Because he loves me and wants to marry me.
The realization is shocking. I mean, we’d grown so close over the last few months. We’ve integrated our lives permanently as he bought a home about halfway in between Vegas and Henderson. We moved in together quickly, and we’ve been sharing our dreams for the future together.
But we’d never outright discussed marriage, so this is an incredible surprise to me.
“Elena,” he says, and I drag my gaze from the diamond to him. “No one ever starts out their adult lives thinking they’ll be married twice. But I’ve learned our lives may have phases, which can include more than one type of love. You know how I feel about April and Cassidy. You’ve patiently listened to me talk about them over these past months. You’ve given me a safe environment to do so, always encouraging me to never forget what I had with them.”
This is true. I’d even demanded Benjamin pull his photos of them out and place them around our house, so he never forgets or diminishes their memories again.
“But while I’ll always cherish them, they are my past and you are my future. It’s going to be a long, beautiful future together. One I hope is filled with children, and, one day, grandchildren. I want to grow old with you. Share all of life’s grand adventures with you. I love you more than anything in this world or beyond, and I’m begging you to please make me the happiest man alive by agreeing to marry me.”
Wicked Angel Page 20