by Zoe Ann Wood
She gave him a small smile. “Yeah. That’s not the worst part, though. One of them took my purse, but the other went for my violin case.” Her voice trembled slightly. “I don’t know why, but the only thing I could think of was, ‘Not my violin. This is my life.’ And I held on to it so hard the man broke two fingers on my left hand as he tried to pull it away from me.”
She laughed, the sound harsh and shaky. “Of course, if I’d let go, it would have been better. The instrument was replaceable. It turns out my fingers were more valuable. One of the fractures was complicated, and they had to put a screw in.”
Holding out her left hand, she stretched the fingers out. Without thinking, Ben took her hand and turned it over between his palms. A small scar marred the knuckle of her index finger, but there were no other markings to show what had happened.
Jade’s palm was so warm and soft in his, only the tips of her fingers were callused over from violin strings. Ben studied them, thumbing one after another. These were the real proof of her hard work.
At her gasp, he looked up. Jade was staring down at their hands, her lush mouth parted slightly, and he wanted to kiss her so badly, his heartbeat sped up in anticipation. But he couldn’t—he couldn’t ruin this moment. She was finally opening up to him, and there was no way he was going to wreck it by giving in to his instinct.
“How long did it take you to heal?” he asked instead, still keeping a hold on her.
Jade’s fingers clenched around his hand. “Almost a full year. I was functional pretty fast, but for violin playing, fine motor skills are crucial. I was on leave from the orchestra, so they’d had to find someone to replace me. My mobility was just not perfect enough.” Her throat worked as she swallowed. “And I was scared of going out at night,” she whispered.
Ben moved slowly, giving her plenty of time to retreat if she wanted to. He shuffled closer to her on the wide seat of his truck and leaned over the center console to pull her into a hug. She went with it and slid her arms around him, under his jacket, fisting his sweater tight. He brought her to his chest and held on, his chin resting on top of her head. She smelled great, and he felt almost guilty for noticing how soft her body was against his; this was supposed to be a comforting hug.
The moment she released him, he let her move back, missing the feel of her already.
“Thanks,” she croaked, then cleared her throat. “I needed that.”
Ben grinned. “Anytime.”
Silence stretched between them, sort of awkward but not entirely unpleasant.
“So, is this why you returned to Hidden Hollows?” he asked at last. “Because you lost your job and wanted a safer town to live in?”
“Wow, thanks for putting it bluntly,” she retorted, though she didn’t really seem affronted. “No, actually, I quit. My mobility is back now, and I could have returned to Nashville if I wanted to.”
“But you don’t?” Ben pushed.
She glanced out the window toward her dark house. “I don’t know. This place kind of grows on you.” Then she rubbed her forehead. “Of course, now I might have to leave it for another reason. My position at the high school is being cut back, so I’ll have to find another job. And there aren’t many job opportunities for a concert violinist in Hidden Hollows.”
“Yeah.” Ben’s mind worked furiously. “So, you’re leaving soon?”
Why did the thought of that fill him with panic if he was the one who was planning on leaving in just a couple of months?
“I have no idea,” Jade said. “There’s a chance I’ll get to audition for an orchestra in Asheville. It’s not a permanent position, and it certainly wouldn’t be full-time. So I’m not sure how it’ll all turn out.”
She was on the cusp of a change, just like him. She’d have to decide whether she wished to remain in Hidden Hollows or not, and for some reason, Ben had to hold back his urge to convince her to stay. Before he blurted out anything crazy, he needed to decide on a course for himself. And make sure that Jade was actually interested in pursuing whatever this was between them.
And was he interested in pursuing it?
Ben stared at Jade, suddenly certain of the answer. Yes, he wanted to see whether the old attraction between them was still there. The crush he’d had on her in high school was morphing into something more mature, more defined, and he thought Jade felt the same. She might not be on the same page as him—she’d bolted from her house like a startled deer earlier that day—but she returned his hug just now, so maybe she was just slow getting there. In any case, Ben wanted to find out.
As though Jade heard his thoughts, she put her hand on the door handle. “Okay, thanks for the ride,” she said and pushed the door open. Then she paused and sent a shy look his way. “And, you know, for the talk and the hug.”
Ben grinned. “Like I said, you’re welcome anytime. See you, Jade.”
She hopped down from the truck and gave him a little wave. Ben waited until she was safe behind the door before leaving—not that anything preyed on her in this small town. Then he parked the car beside his trailer and sat in his folding chair in the dark, looking up at the crescent moon that was half-hidden by the clouds.
Stars peeked through the gaps, and Ben thought that this wasn’t the worst view in the world. It wouldn’t be hard to see himself settling here, buying a nice house and renovating it, or maybe starting from scratch for once. Or maybe he could keep this house and fill it with a big family.
He stared at the looming Victorian, imagining small kids sitting on the porch steps, licking popsicles. There’d be at least one dog, too. And a certain dark-haired beauty who played the violin so well, his soul wept every time he heard her.
Ben dragged a palm over his face. He was getting ahead of himself. He should ask Jade out on a date first, see if she was even interested. The dogs and the kids would come much later.
If he had her by his side, he wouldn’t mind settling down at all. And wouldn’t that make his father happy? The itinerant lifestyle Ben had led until then was fun, but he’d come to realize that he was missing friends. And family, not that he had many family members left. Remaining here would be good for him, but he was worried that he’d miss the road, the challenge of starting over in a new place every couple of months.
He sighed and pushed himself up from the chair. He had a lot of work to complete tomorrow, including sourcing the timber for Jade’s fence. And she’d likely wake him up at the crack of dawn with another heart-rending piece of music.
Ben grinned. He was already looking forward to it.
13
Jade
By five p.m. the following day, Jade’s nerves were severely frayed, so she was making pumpkin bread. It was the ultimate comfort bake, filling her house with a delicious aroma and easy enough to make that she didn’t really have to pay attention to it. Which was great, because her mind was a thousand miles away.
She’d just received a call from her mother, and it hadn’t gone well. When her parents had moved to Florida, they’d settled in their neighborhood, making friends with all the locals and participating in various events. That meant more gossiping opportunities for her mother and new chess buddies for her father, so they were both happy as clams.
It also meant that Jade had to listen to her mother’s litany of facts on their neighbor’s daughter, Clarissa, who was making six figures as a lifestyle blogger in Miami. Why couldn’t Jade find a profitable career where she was invited to fancy influencer conferences? Why did she leave Nashville in the first place? And why did she have to teach music at a small high school instead of playing on stage like she used to?
It had taken all of Jade’s patience to get through that whiny conversation without snapping at her mother. She was happy for Clarissa, who seemed to have her life all figured out, but Jade would rather claw her eyes out than bare her intimate life to strangers on the internet. And she didn’t even think of telling her mother that her job was in jeopardy. She’d keep that close to her chest until she
was sure of her next step.
The call had come on top of her difficult conversation with her jazz band kids—she’d had to tell them that the funding was being cut and that she’d do her best to keep teaching them. Julie, her favorite student, burst into tears, claiming that she would never get into the New England Conservatory, the school she’d set her sights on, without Jade’s guidance. It had taken Jade the better part of an hour to calm down the sensitive teenager, and she promised her private lessons if that was what it took.
Then she called the artistic director from Asheville during her lunch break and arranged for an audition the following week. All in all, she was a nervous wreck, and pumpkin bread was the perfect way to self-medicate.
When the loaf was cooling on the rack, however, Jade realized it was too large for her to eat alone. She could freeze half for another rainy day…or she could take some to Ben.
She discarded the idea at first—it was too obvious, too cliché, to go over to his trailer, bearing baked goods. This was the twenty-first century, after all. But the longer the loaf sat there, spreading its mouth-watering aroma around her kitchen, the more Jade wanted to share it with him.
He’d been so nice to her the previous evening. That hug had been excellent. She should have known he’d be a great hugger with that broad chest and strong arms. He’d comforted her in a moment when she’d desperately needed it and listened to her with great attention. He’d even gone out of his way to disturb her as little as possible, and had used her shower while she was at work. He was a good person, and she wanted to do something nice for him.
That decided it. Grabbing a plastic container, she cut the still-warm loaf in half and covered it with a clean kitchen towel. Then she shoved her feet into the rubber boots waiting by the back door and strode toward his property before she changed her mind.
But when she arrived at the fence, she found she couldn’t squeeze through the gap between the posts anymore. There weren’t any gaps to be seen. She stared at the fixed section of the fence in wonder. Ben must have worked through the entire morning to get so much done. Jade turned to the road and did a detour around the fence, entering his yard via the driveway. She didn’t hear any noise coming from the house, so she headed for the trailer instead. If Ben wasn’t home, she’d leave the pumpkin bread there for him to find, hoping some enterprising animal wouldn’t get to it first.
The grass was wet from last night’s rain, and she was glad she put on her boots. She rounded the house and found Ben sitting on the steps of his trailer with a cup of coffee clutched between his hands. He seemed tired but content to be enjoying the autumn sunshine.
“Hey,” he greeted her, straightening.
“Hi,” Jade replied. “I saw the fence. You work fast.”
His crooked grin suddenly turned playful. “I thought of stretching out the task so I’d get more showers out of our deal,” he said. “But I got the feeling you didn’t want me in your house yesterday, so I thought I’d hurry up and be done with it.”
He said it without any real rancor in his voice—he was teasing her. But Jade still cringed at his words.
“I’m so sorry about that,” she said honestly. “Look, an apology gift.”
She thrust the pumpkin bread at him. Ben set down his cup and took it from her, then lifted the edge of the tea towel and sniffed.
“Wow, pumpkin.” His gray eyes glittered. “Thank you.”
Jade tugged at the hem of her sweater. “It’s no big deal.” She didn’t know where to look, but she needed to get the real apology out. “I didn’t mean to run out on you. It’s just… You made me nervous.”
Ben studied her in that infuriatingly calm way he had about him. “I make you nervous?”
A flush started at Jade’s neck, working its way up to her cheeks. Ben’s intense gaze warmed her entire body, and though she was anxious, the sensation wasn’t altogether unpleasant. No, she wished she knew what she was doing, but she liked this. She was enjoying Ben’s company, and she wanted more.
“Yeah,” she said at last, lifting her chin. “You do.”
Maybe honesty was the best policy. Or maybe Ben would see right through her and reject her. The possibility was terrifying—it had been a long time since she’d put herself out there in such a blatant way.
He stared at her a moment longer, then asked, “Would you like a tour of the house?”
Jade hadn’t expected this, but she agreed anyway. She’d been curious about his renovation work, and as he led her to the front porch, she walked close enough to him that their hands brushed accidentally. A current of anticipation shot through her, and judging by Ben’s heated look, he felt it as well.
Still, he took her through the house, showed her the bedrooms, and explained how he’d envisioned the kitchen. The work he’d already completed was amazing, all neat lines and fresh materials, and she could see the new image of the house slowly taking shape around them.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed.
Ben grinned at her, his eyes shining with pride. It was clear how much he loved his work, and he was good at it. The sheer competence needed to completely redo a house like this was inspiring.
They returned to his trailer, where they’d left the pumpkin bread cooling on his small countertop in the kitchenette. Jade reluctantly took a step back—she’d intruded enough on his time, and it hadn’t been her intention to take up half his afternoon. She’d only wanted to drop off the pumpkin bread for him.
“Do you want some coffee and a slice of this?” Ben asked.
The invitation was simple, and he could have meant it in an entirely friendly way. If Ben wasn’t her former crush, if her heart didn’t speed up every time he was near, this would have been a completely different situation. Now, however, Jade could only nod because words escaped her. Ben’s expression went from intense to something more intimate, and she felt heat rising in her cheeks again.
She glanced at the two lawn chairs in front of the trailer, but Ben’s words stopped her.
“They’re wet,” he said. “I forgot to bring them inside yesterday. You can sit here.”
He pointed at the steps of the trailer, then left her to fetch her a cup of coffee. Jade perched on the edge of the step, hugging her knees as she waited for him. A minute later, he appeared behind her and lowered himself next to her. Their sides were flush with each other, and the warmth of him was sheer torture. Jade wanted to lean into him, absorb that heat through her skin, and just get as close as possible…
“This is delicious,” Ben said around a mouthful of pumpkin bread.
Jade realized he was holding out her cup and plate, so she took them quickly to cover her embarrassment. He wasn’t freaking out like her, which probably meant she’d misinterpreted his cues. He was her neighbor, for crying out loud. There was no need to make a fool of herself over him.
Ben worked his way through the slice of pumpkin bread, then set down the empty plate. Jade wordlessly offered him her piece—she was too worked up to eat—and he finished that too. Then he turned to her, and Jade’s breath caught in her throat.
“This was amazing,” Ben said, his voice a quiet rumble. “Thank you.”
Jade nodded, staring up at him with no idea what to say. She was caught by his silvery gaze, and she couldn’t have moved away if she wanted to. But she didn’t want that. Her entire being ached to be closer to Ben, to feel those lips on hers, to feel his strong arms close around her.
Ben searched her eyes for a moment, then slowly dipped his head and kissed her. Jade kept her eyes wide open, unwilling to miss this, uncertain whether it was really happening. Or was it a product of her overactive imagination? But no, Ben grinned at her, slanted his head to the side, and pressed his lips to hers again, and this time, her eyelids fluttered closed on their own.
Oh man, he knew how to kiss. His lips tasted of coffee and sugar, and he cupped her cheek with one rough, warm palm, lifting her chin to change the angle of their kiss. Jade pressed her hands to his c
hest first, then slid them back to clutch at the nape of his neck, where she speared her fingers into his hair. It was soft and thick, and when she pulled lightly, trying to get closer to him, Ben made a tortured sound in his throat that spurred her on.
Ben broke the kiss, and Jade stared at him, elation and shock mixing inside her. This was fantastic, and she regretted that they hadn’t worked out as teenagers: she could have been enjoying his kisses for the past decade. Or maybe he would have ruined her for all boys to come, and she would never have found anyone like him.
She wanted more of his kisses now, again and again. Ben must have sensed something about her intent from her expression because he laughed and traced her lips with the pad of his thumb before pressing a hard, quick kiss to her mouth.
“I want to take you out on a date,” he said.
His voice was a little rough, and Jade felt his heartbeat through his shirt, where her palm was still pressed to his chest.
“Okay,” she whispered. “I’d like that.”
“Yeah?”
Ben’s smile was so happy she couldn’t help but grin right back. This man. He was amazing, and whatever happened between them in the past didn’t even matter.
“Yes,” she replied. “When?”
“I’ll make a reservation and let you know.” He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
They remained on the steps of his trailer until the sun disappeared behind the trees, and the evening turned too cold for sitting outside in just their sweaters.
“Thank you for the pumpkin bread,” he said as he hugged her goodbye.
She squeezed him tight, then looked up at him. “I promise I won’t run away again if you come to shower while I’m at home.”
Something hot and wicked lit up his eyes, and Jade’s heartbeat kicked up a notch at the way he looked at her. He kissed her again, his arm a steel band at her back, his other hand cupping her chin in that absolutely perfect way that she loved.