“I want one, Ethan,” Daisy said clearly, causing everyone around them to grow silent. They all knew that there was a history of health issues that could interfere with pregnancy. Marigold felt Ben tense against her as both their heads swiveled to look at the couple. She saw that everyone else had immediately done the same.
“John,” Lily teased. “That’s not a bad idea, is it? Rose is wonderful.”
“I’m not gonna lie, sweet wife. I love all the hard work and dedication you put into making a child,” John teased, causing Lily to roll her eyes as she flushed prettily. He just grinned proudly, his smile splitting his face.
“You know what I mean,” Lily stammered, taking Rose from John and propping the baby against her own shoulder protectively as if to hide from embarrassment.
“I do, darling,” John boasted arrogantly. “It’s time to go home, husband,’ is what I’m hearing from you.”
“You’re terrible.”
“And head over heels in love with you, my lovely wife.”
“See, Ethan? Would it be so bad?”
“I guess we need to go ahead and modify our wedding plans, don’t we?” Ethan said tenderly, kissing Daisy on the temple.
“Do you mind terribly?”
“I think I’m going to enjoy being your husband, sweetheart.”
Marigold couldn’t help but glance up at Ben, seeing such tender moments between the two couples as they discussed their futures together and wishes for a child. She wanted that comfort, that ease between her and Ben.
“Good thing she hasn’t got baby-fever yet, eh, Watson?” John ribbed, poking Ben in the waist.
Ben stared at Marigold; his dark eyes unfathomable as he swallowed hard. She quickly stepped away from him, feeling a massive amount of uncomfortable pressure that she was sure the other couples didn’t realize they were feeling or causing.
They’d only just now crossed the line and shared their first kiss. They’d been friends for so long, the fear was that being more would ruin things between them – and here John was pushing the cart up a steep hill before the horse!
Neither of them was ready to process where things would lead and they needed to talk about what moving from friends to romantic involvement would mean for them. She was so ecstatic at the spontaneous kiss, yet afraid, that she might end up losing the one person that had made her truly happy over the last several months… but, then again, what if taking this step lead to finding her soulmate?
Loving someone certainly didn’t mean babies… yet. There was a certain process to all of this and Marigold got the distinct feeling that they were being shoved together repeatedly.
Wasn’t it John and Lily that told her about Ben?
Now, fate was here and presenting yet another opportunity for them to take the plunge into a relationship. He’d kissed her. Either one of them could act upon it or retreat backwards until they somehow circled around to them being a couple once again.
There was more to John and Lily than Marigold realized, if they were truly setting the two of them up. It was a little alarming that the realization seemed to hit both of them at the same time. It was as if every time they were together, sparks flew between her and Ben – and each time, one of them backed away.
Who would it be this time? Her? Afraid to ruin a good thing with a friend? Would it be him? Because of whatever hidden demons held him back?
Marigold swallowed hard and saw Ben’s expression mirrored her own. There was no sign of retreat in his eyes and she was done backing away. This was something she’d dreamed about for so long – and now it was finally happening.
“Let’s go,” Ben said quietly, extending his arm towards her.
Marigold nodded quietly, feeling her cheeks blush as she knew the other couples were watching them in silent surprise and delight. She didn’t answer Ben, only placed her hand in his and followed him as he led her out of the hospital.
Chapter 12
They walked silently towards the parking lot. Ben quietly dug keys out of his pocket and Marigold saw he was driving the minivan she’d remembered seeing in front of her shop long ago.
“When I saw that van, I assumed you were married and had children. You don’t, do you?” she asked suddenly, as the thought struck her painfully.
“No!” he blurted out, looking surprised at her question. “I’m not married and I don’t have any kids. This is my father’s van that he loans me when I fly into town.”
“Ahh, ok. It’s your dad’s. Yes, that makes sense.”
“Marigold, I can tell you for a fact that if I was married, I would never ever kiss another person.”
“I just wondered if that was why you kept pulling back from me all this time,” she admitted shyly. “I mean, I had asked you to kiss me back in Alaska and…”
She stood there stunned as Ben grasped her by the shoulders, crushing her lips against his once again. She melted against him there in the parking lot as they stood between the Dodge Caravan and an old Pontiac beside them.
“What was that for?” she whispered softly, as he leaned down and tenderly pressed his lips to hers once again.
“I’m making up for lost time,” Ben uttered, smoothing her hair away from her face. “Is your car in the parking lot?”
“Yeah, I should probably go get in it…”
“Or you could trust that I will bring you back after we have dinner tonight with my parents,” he said shyly. “Would you mind meeting my family?”
“I’d love to meet your parents,” Marigold breathed, feeling like they’d finally broken through a wall. “I bet they are really sweet people, but I should really probably wear something nice. I just got off work and I’m in jeans.”
“You look lovely and my parents will adore you,” Ben countered, opening the passenger side front door for her. Marigold nodded and got inside, buckling up.
They rode in silence for a while as she kept stealing glances at him. The man reminded her of a silent, quiet lake. You never knew what was hidden beneath the depths and the appearance was infinitely beautiful and serene.
“You know John and Lily mean well,” Marigold stammered, feeling like an idiot to be bringing up the baby-thing again all of a sudden. “They are just really happy and believe everyone should…”
“Would you like children some day?”
“Eventually,” she admitted, surprised that he’d asked her. “Would you?”
“Eventually,” he said quietly, a smile touching his face as he drove. His dark eyes glanced at her for a brief second before turning to watch the road again.
“Can I say something?” Marigold blurted out and without waiting for an answer, she continued. “Is it just me or does it feel so awkward between us that everyone is trying to encourage us into a relationship? I mean, I like you a lot – I think I have from the beginning, but we are doing things all out of order and I wonder if we should just start over from scratch.”
“I really like you a lot, too,” Ben said, pulling into a long driveway and putting the shifter into park before turning to look at her. “I’m not concerned with a certain order of things, but I’m more scared that I’m going to ruin things.”
“Ruin things how?”
“By being stupid or making a terrible mistake.”
“Ben,” Marigold said with a smile, holding out her hand towards him. He clasped hers in his, pulling it to his lips and kissing the back of her hand like some knight in shining armor. “Mistakes are only opportunities to change and grow. No one is perfect and we all make mistakes.”
“I just don’t want to… my dad is there,” he said suddenly, looking past her shoulder. “Come meet them.”
Marigold unbuckled and by the time she went to open her door, Ben was standing there, holding it, looking a little nervous. She smiled brightly at him and nodded.
“Mom, Dad, I hope you don’t mind that I brought a guest for dinner?” she heard him ask, realizing that this was an impulsive gesture from him.
The thought warmed
her heart as she realized he’d taken an unplanned step, and that was so out of character from the guy she had gotten to know over time. Ben was methodical. His plans had plans… and he never strayed from them or broke the rules.
The older couple was watching her curiously, smiling and waving her to the door from the carport that was attached to the house. Marigold felt her pulse quicken as she felt like she was being scrutinized by warm, caring eyes who were curious about the strange woman with their son.
“You know your friends are always welcome.”
“Especially one as lovely as this young lady. Come on in, honey. My name is Abigail and this is Jeffery. Jeff, go turn the burgers on the grill and quick gawking. Ben, go with your father. Your young lady and I will set the table.”
“It’s very nice to meet you Abigail – my name is Marigold.”
“Oh, I like that,” she said, smiling at her and frowning at Ben. “Ben, go on now! I can’t talk about you if you are standing right there!”
Marigold couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her as he turned to walk away. She caught the proud smile on his face as he glanced over his shoulder at her.
“What can I help you with, Abigail? I hear you have blackberries?” she said easily, linking her arm with his mother’s effortlessly in friendship. Smiling directly at Ben, she waved as he disappeared under the arbor to join his dad.
“Oh, yes. I love my blackberries and from what I hear, you’ve got a green thumb, too?”
“Ben told you about me?”
“Honey, you are all he talks about when he’s here,” she said gently, smiling at her. “He’s quite smitten, but the skittish type. His father, Jeffery, dawdled and heehawed around for almost six years before he finally asked me to marry him. They are good men, just a little slow on the uptake sometimes cause they are so ate up with worrying about every little detail. Am I right?”
“Mrs. Watson, Abigail – I think there’s some mistake,” Marigold stammered nervously. “Ben and I are only friends.”
“Pshaw, child. I’ve seen that look in his eyes and you need to just give him a little shove so it’s not six years for you, too. Trust me on this.”
Marigold smiled nervously at the authoritative tone in Abigail’s voice. Poor Ben was probably railroaded by his mother more than once, growing up, out of sheer love. She wanted what was best for her son and heaven help the person that crossed her. Several plates were thrust her way as Abigail waved her finger towards the table.
“I’ll get the macaroni salad and chips. My Ben loves a good burger when he comes home.”
“Is this the flooring that Ben put down?”
“He told you about that, did he? He’s such a good man taking care of his daddy and me like that. Jeffery had thrown out his back and Ben came home at the drop of a hat to help us out. I’m glad you are here for dinner, sweetie. It will be good to get to know my future-daughter-in-law.”
“MOM!”
Ben stood there, holding a plate of burgers covered with melted cheese and staring at his mother in utter shock. He glanced at Marigold with an almost apologetic look to his eyes
“Jeez, Abigail,” Jeffery said, staring at his wife in horror. “Will you just stop it? You’ve bossed me about for thirty years and I love it, but will you let Ben do his own thing?”
Marigold smiled at Ben, holding back laughter at seeing his expression. No wonder he kept pulling back, his world seemed to be full of strong people trying to help him.
“Abigail, I’m sure you’ll be the first to know when we reach that point in our lives,” Marigold said smoothly. “Where are the glasses and I’ll get us something to drink?”
“Look at her, a girl after my own heart! Honey, they are in the cabinet above the stove. The cokes are in the fridge. Jeffery, let Ben put the plate down. It’s probably getting hot. Ben, go wash your hands and show your girl where the restroom is. Land sakes, you’d think we didn’t have manners,” Abigail went on and on, fussing with napkins as she readied the table.
Ben grabbed Marigold by the elbow and rushed her out of the room, down a small hallway, before flipping on the bathroom light. He thrust Marigold inside the tiny bathroom, shutting the door behind him looking mortified and shocked at how everything was unraveling before him.
“Marigold, I am so sorry! My mother just…”
He looked completely bumfuddled, embarrassed, and shell-shocked. It was sweet to have such a composed man taken down by his own mother.
“Shhh,” she said with a smile, shaking her head negatively and pressing her finger on his lips. Those gorgeous lips that she’d kissed not too long ago and suddenly couldn’t focus on anything else. Pulling her finger away, she felt herself blushing with embarrassment.
“She’s wonderful and looking out for you.”
“She’s pushy as could be and I guess I forgot how much so,” Ben admitted, his voice a little husky as he whispered to her. She wasn’t sure if he was trying to keep from being heard, or if her touch affected him. She glanced up at him to see that it was a little of both. His dark eyes were watching her, but there was an adorable sheepish smile on his face, where one corner of his lip was upturned in a delectable way.
“Ben, truthfully, it’s okay. She’s sweet.”
Marigold’s breath caught in her chest as she realized just how snug the little bathroom was for them. They were alone, the door was locked, and she felt so drawn to him in that moment. It had to be the same for him. She could see it in his deep brown eyes as he looked at her.
Ben hesitated for only the briefest moment and then slowly lowered his lips towards hers. It seemed to take forever, like he was giving her a chance to back away. There was no way she was moving from this very spot! she thought wildly as her heart hammered against her chest. He paused just before her lips and she could feel his breath against hers.
“I just don’t want to push things for us,” he whispered.
“Maybe sometimes we need a little push.”
“Maybe I go slow because I want to savor this feeling growing inside of me,” Ben countered, caressing his bottom lip barely against hers and waiting. Marigold felt her body melt at the sweet caress. Her hands came up and grasped at his arms uncontrollably because if the wall wasn’t at her back, she’d have turned into J-ello on the linoleum right then and there.
“And maybe I happen to like the way you take your time,” she whispered as he brushed his lip against hers again and smiled, causing her to gasp in response as his hands pulled her closer to him. Ohhhhh, gosh, the man could kiss!
“Ben?”
“Yes, love,” he whispered.
The endearment meant everything and it was the first time he’d ever used it. Marigold couldn’t help the hitch to her breath as she struggled to keep from bodily throwing herself at him . This was magical and she didn’t want it to end. He was wreaking havoc with her senses and knew it was doing the same for him. The way his body responded was telling. His arms were trembling under her hands, his breath was coming in small shallow beats. She knew if she took his pulse, it would be fluttering at ninety miles a minute – just like hers.
“Kiss me,” she breathed against his lips, running her hands up his arms and lacing her fingers in his hair. She needed relief from this overwhelming tension and simply couldn’t take it a moment longer. He was toying with her and she was done playing.
“Please.”
She felt him slowly drop kisses along her nose, her jaw, and cheeks, savoring the promising sensations that were racing through her at the simple, sweet caresses. Ben pulled back, his dark eyes hot with passion. As his lips finally made contact with hers, they both sighed aloud in sheer pleasure, before they jumped guiltily apart at the sound of a loud knock on the bathroom door.
The moment was over.
“Ben, you two almost done in there?”
Marigold smothered a near hysterical laugh as Ben buried his head against her shoulder to hide his own embarrassed chuckle. Both of them were shaking so much from
pent up emotions. Ben took a step back, mouthing, ‘I’m sorry’ to her. Marigold shook it off, stepping to the side so she could wash her hands.
“Ben? Petunia?”
“It’s Marigold – and we’ll be right out,” Marigold said wryly in a singsong voice as Ben rolled his eyes. She flicked her fingertips at him, spraying him with water playfully as he grabbed her wrists.
“Behave,” she teased softly.
“I’ll have to for now,” he admitted in a scant whisper, his dark eyes full of promise. “She’ll only knock again if we don’t come out soon.”
The rest of the evening was better than anything Marigold could have ever expected. Ben’s parents were no different than any others. Their whole world centered around their son, whom no matter the age, would always be treated as such. It was kind of sweet and endearing to see such rapt attention paid to him and how embarrassed he got by their overwhelming love for him. They regaled her with stories of how he misbehaved when he was a boy and how proud they were of what he did.
Paladin, who’d been silent, had taken a spot right beside Marigold, unabashedly pleading for scraps with his tongue as a reminder that he was there, waiting patiently. The large dog was like a silent wraith, always there but sometimes never seen. She’d somehow gotten used to the large dog and didn’t jump as the cold nose nudged her hand hopefully.
Marigold pulled off a piece of hamburger and slipped it to the dog, seeing Ben’s eyebrow raise loftily as he watched her. She smiled innocently, feeling the dog lick her hand in appreciation and searching for yet another bite.
It was like she just ‘fit’ among the Watson family in this moment.
Dessert was a fresh blackberry cobbler from Abigail’s garden. When she was about to protest at the large serving because she was stuffed from dinner, Abigail simply smiled. She leaned down and kissed Marigold on the head affectionately, surprising her. The woman treated her like she was one of her own children. She handed Marigold the bowl of warm cobbler topped with cool whip, regardless. It was like she had been accepted and there was no arguing with the queen.
Remember Dreams Page 9