by Paula Mowery
Later, Ben sat in the den with his parents. “I really appreciate all you two have done helping me with the kids. Hopefully, things will change after next week.” He sighed.
“Son, we’ve loved every minute,” his father said.
His mother put down her book. “With the two of them all the way across the country, I missed a lot. I’m getting the opportunity to catch up.”
“I really don’t know how to thank you.” Ben ran his fingers through his hair.
His mother scooted closer and laid her hand over his. “Honey, you’ve done a good job.” She patted his hand. “They’re good kids.” Her voice trailed off, packed with emotion.
He placed his other hand over hers. “I can’t take the credit, Mom.” He swallowed at the lump in his throat. “Alyssa was a wonderful mother.” His wife’s name caused a familiar ache throughout his body.
“That reminds me, son.” His father cleared his throat. “Alyssa’s parents called earlier this evening.”
Ben’s eyes widened. “Oh?”
“I told them they would have to catch you another time.”
Ben nodded. “I probably need to call them. I want to make sure Avery and Dakota still have contact with them.”
Even though Alyssa’s parents had never been quite fond of Ben, making sure his children interacted with their other grandparents was the right thing to do.
* * *
Jenna plopped onto the couch beside Shawna. She hugged a throw pillow to her chest. “I don’t know what I should do.” She traced the pillow’s design with her finger.
“What did your parents say?”
Jenna sighed. “They left the decision up to me.”
“When is the surgery?” Shawna pulled her legs up onto the couch and wrapped her arms around them.
She shook her head. “It’s not scheduled yet. A good friend who is a nurse suggested Mom get a second opinion.”
Shawna nodded.
Jenna laid her hand on Shawna’s arm and gazed her into her eyes. “I have to go.”
Shawna patted Jenna’s hand. “Of course. You’ll need to alert the pastor. Have you talked to him yet?”
“Yes. Ben was right. The pastor was really understanding.”
Shawna’s brows rose, and she tilted her head. “Ben?”
Jenna covered her eyes with one hand and shook her head. “He stopped me.” She dropped her hand.
Shawna’s brow wrinkled. “I don’t get it. Stopped you at church?”
Jenna bit her lower lip and then launched into the story of Officer Ben pulling her over.
Shawna giggled and shook her head.
“What?” Jenna shoved Shawna’s arm.
“Looked handsome in his uniform, huh?”
Jenna fought with all her might to stop a grin from turning up her mouth. She lost. She rolled her eyes dramatically.
He did look handsome, but he always did. He also seemed concerned for her. Don’t read too much into it. He probably treats everyone that way.
* * *
Jenna scurried as fast as possible in her high heels toward the church entrance. Several families milled about, already taking in all of the special artwork the children had prepared for the Open House.
“Miss Jenna.” A small voice echoed from behind.
Jenna spun around to Ben’s sparkling blue eyes. She grinned and quickly diverted her gaze to Avery. “Hello.” She bent to the little girl’s eye level. “And how are you this evening?”
“Really good. Daddy says after this we can get ice cream. Do you like ice cream?” Avery’s big blue eyes could melt hearts.
“Yes, I do like ice cream.” Jenna leaned closer and lowered her voice. “My favorite is chocolate. How about you?”
Avery cupped her hand beside her mouth. “I like the rainbow kind. It makes your tongue red and blue.”
“Not to mention your face, hands, and clothes.” Ben grinned and winked.
Jenna’s stomach flipped. She turned her attention back to Avery. “I may have to try that sometime.”
The little girl glanced at her father. “We should take her with us. Can we Daddy? Pleeeeease.” Her lashes fluttered.
Ben looked from his daughter into Jenna’s eyes. “We’d love to have you join us.”
Jenna’s mouth opened but nothing came out.
Avery grabbed her hand. “Come on, puleeese.”
Jenna grinned and squeezed Avery’s hand. “I’d like that too, but I’ll have to wait until the end of the Open House. Not sure your daddy will want to do that. Maybe another time.”
“No, we’ll wait for you.”
Jenna met his gaze.
Avery jumped. “Yay.” She dropped Jenna’s hand and tugged at her daddy’s hand. “Come on, Daddy. I wanna show you my pictures.”
“Okay, okay.” Ben glanced at Jenna over his shoulder as they walked away. “We’ll be back for you in a bit.”
Jenna nodded.
She could use that ice cream right now to cool the heat creeping up her neck. A towel would be nice to swab her sweaty palms. Good grief. She was acting like a teenager with her first crush. She was past those years. But the first crush could be true. No one had ever made her feel the way Ben Jacobsen did with his mere presence.
* * *
Ben grinned and followed Avery to her preschool classroom. His daughter deserved ice cream for her impromptu performance. Going for ice cream with Jenna seemed innocent enough. Not a date. But this would be more than just a “bumping into her” kind of conversation. Avery would be there to make sure no awkward lull might occur.
Still, his stomach felt a bit queasy. He rolled his eyes. As a waiter and a policeman, he had no problem interacting. But this was Jenna.
* * *
Jenna stared out the window of her office, reliving her ice cream outing with Ben and Avery. She needed to be careful or she could fall hard for this man. Who was she kidding? If she was honest with herself, she had already fallen.
She groaned. She should back up. Ben probably didn’t even see her that way.
Her cell phone vibrated in her skirt pocket and she jumped. “Hey, Dad.”
“Sweetheart, is this a good time?”
“Sure. What’s up?” She shuffled a few papers into her file box.
“Your mother’s surgery has been scheduled for October fourteenth.”
Jenna spun her chair to look at the calendar on the side wall. Two weeks. She picked up a pen, circled the date, and wrote Mom in the box. “I’ll be there.”
“You don’t have to come. We know you’ve just started your new job.”
“Dad, I want to be there. I’ve already mentioned something to the pastor.”
That afternoon, Jenna stood at the church door as children were picked up by their parents. She enjoyed that post. It afforded her many hugs from the children.
During a lull, her mind wandered back to her mother’s surgery. How would this all turn out? If her mother didn’t fare well, Jenna could never leave her and return to Myrtle Beach.
A light touch to her elbow jolted her from her reverie. She shook her head.
“I’m sorry.”
Jenna’s gaze met blue eyes. She swallowed.
Ben tilted his head. “Are you okay?”
She closed her eyes for a second and nodded.
“You heard from your mother?” His voice was low.
“Yes. Her surgery is in two weeks.” Her chin quivered. “I have to go, but I don’t like the thought of leaving this.” She swept her hand in an arc. She bit her bottom lip.
Ben slid his hand from her elbow to her hand. He squeezed. “We don’t like the thought of you leaving either.”
At the touch of his hand to hers, a tingling sensation radiated through her. Jenna hoped he couldn’t detect the pounding of her heart.
His eyes lit up and widened. “Hey, what are you doing Friday night?”
“Um, I …”
“I’m not working, which is rare.” He grinned and Jenna’s heart flutter
ed. “Let me take you to dinner to cheer you up and get your mind off of it.”
She shifted her gaze down. The excitement rolling inside wanted to burst forth in a resounding yes, but she resisted.
“But if you already have plans…”
She shook her head and looked back into his eyes. “No…no, I don’t already have plans. Thank you. That would be great.” She smiled, still mesmerized by those eyes until something bumped her leg and grabbed on. She smiled down at Avery, giving her a side hug as best she could with the girl still clamped to her leg.
Ben scooped Avery into his arms and carried her toward the exit.
Jenna waved to them both as they drove off. She let out a breath and fanned her face with her hand. Suddenly, her cheeks were quite warm.
CHAPTER SIX
Ben lay on his back in the bed, arms folded under his head. He grinned. He had two days to plan for Friday night. The kids were taken care of—he’d already spoken to his parents.
His cell phone vibrated on the nightstand. Alyssa’s parents. He’d been meaning to contact them. “Hi, I’m glad you’re calling.”
“Ben, we’re planning to make a visit this weekend.” Alyssa’s mother spoke in her prim way. “We will arrive Friday morning. Will we be able to spend time with the children?”
He was conveniently left out of the plan, but he remembered his plan for Friday night. “That will work out perfectly. I have plans Friday evening.”
“Oh? Will you be working?” Her tone came across accusing rather than questioning.
“No, for once, I don’t have to work Friday night. I’m escorting a lady to dinner.”
“I see.” Her voice was low with an edge of judgment.
Ben didn’t need her approval to go out on a date. What did it matter? She and Alyssa’s father would prefer to see Avery and Dakota alone. They had never been fond of Ben even when their daughter was alive. Obviously, nothing had changed.
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He determined not to allow them to taint his evening with Jenna.
* * *
Friday evening, Ben exchanged strained pleasantries with Alyssa’s parents and then excused himself. He was glad he’d chosen casual dining for this evening, allowing Jenna and him the opportunity to get to know each other.
By the time he parked and approached Jenna’s apartment door, his hands were clammy. He chuckled and shook his head—like high school all over again.
He pressed the doorbell. The door opened to a smiling Jenna. Her light brown hair fell across her shoulders and her chocolate eyes glistened. She turned and glanced over her shoulder. “I’m going now, Shawna. I’ll lock the door.”
“Okay. Have fun.”
He could barely make out her reply.
Jenna whirled back around and stepped beside him. As she secured the door, he caught a whiff of her—a faint yet smooth vanilla. He was staring. He blinked a couple of times in an attempt to break the spell she already had him under.
* * *
Jenna smiled across the table at Ben, rolling her straw between her fingers. Conversation had been stilted since they sat down at the restaurant booth. Thinking back to dates with Peter, her experiences in this area were limited. She rarely carried on a conversation with Peter since communicating was difficult when competing with his cell phone.
“Jenna.” Ben’s voice was soft, and he leaned toward her.
She snapped from her thoughts. “Yes? I’m sorry.” She shook her head.
“You were somewhere else.”
She nodded and propped her forearms on the table. “Can I be honest?”
Ben nodded.
Jenna chuckled. “Funny thing to ask a police officer.”
His grin widened. “Please, tell me what you were thinking about.”
“I was thinking…I’m not very good at this date thing.” His sincere eyes pressed her on. She explained about Peter and their break-up.
“How could he ignore you like that?” Ben stopped and shook his head.
“I don’t know. But, this move saved me from making a terrible mistake.”
Ben’s eyes were still trained on hers.
“I could have married him and been miserable for the rest of my life.”
Ben slid his hand across the table and laid it atop hers. “I’m glad you moved here too.”
Jenna’s face grew suddenly warm. The moment was broken by the arrival of their food.
“Now that I’ve laid my pitiful past out, what about you?” She pointed her fork at him.
His eyes studied his plate in silence.
“Ben, I’m sorry.”
“No, no, you’re right.” He sat up straighter and flashed a smile.
Jenna sat totally engrossed in the story of Ben’s life.
He shrugged. “More than you wanted to know.”
“Not at all. Makes me sound pretty dull.” She propped her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her hand.
Ben smiled and shook his head. “Jenna Campbell, you are not even close to dull.”
She smiled back and bit at her lip.
The conversation came more freely afterwards. Jenna bared her heart, though a small ribbon of fear still clung to it.
How could a man who had traveled and had such adventures find interest in her? Still, here he was with her when he could be elsewhere.
* * *
Ben dropped Jenna back at her apartment with a load of reluctance. When she kissed his cheek, he wished for more time, but the hour was late.
He stared at his fidgeting feet and shoved his hands into his pant pockets. “Maybe we could do this again?” He looked to Jenna’s face for a reaction.
“I’d love to.”
He nodded vigorously. “Good.”
“Good.”
Ben moseyed toward his car and opened the door. He glanced back at Jenna and gave a slight wave. “Night.”
Jenna’s eyes sparkled even with the distance between them.
She grinned. “Night.”
He barely caught her whispered parting. Then she disappeared into her apartment.
Ben sank into the driver’s seat and sighed. “This is right. Isn’t it, Lord?”
* * *
Alyssa’s parents met him at the door, wearing stern expressions. Ben painted on a smile. “Mr. and Mrs. Anderson.” He nodded their way.
“The children are already in bed,” Mrs. Anderson snapped.
Ben looked past the couple to his own parents. His father shrugged. “It is past their bedtime, and I’m sure they were tired.”
Mr. Anderson crossed his arms over his chest. “Son, can you take care of those children properly with…everything you’re involved in?”
Ben gritted his teeth, slowing his response. He inhaled through his nose and let it out slowly, cooling his anger. “My children are well cared for, Mr. Anderson.” His eyes narrowed.
“I hope this is the best arrangement for Dakota and Avery.” Mrs. Anderson waved her arms indicating him, his parents, and the house.
Ben needed to end this confrontation before he lost control. He whirled around, opening the front door. “I think we’re all a little tired.”
Mrs. Anderson breathed a definitive “hmph” before stomping out with her husband following suit.
Ben closed the door and stared at his parents, dismayed. “What was that all about?”
His father sighed and shook his head.
* * *
Ben tiptoed into Dakota’s room. His son’s limbs splayed in all directions, one foot dangling over the edge of the bed. Ben stifled a laugh. He brushed a curl to the side and kissed the boy’s forehead.
He wandered to Avery’s room. In contrast to her brother, she lay rolled into a ball, bottom in the air. She clutched her worn, stuffed dog. Ben sighed and planted a kiss on her head.
He moseyed to his room, his thoughts on the confrontation with Alyssa’s parents. Was he doing the right thing? His children were cared for, weren’t they?
The An
dersons planned to return for the children tomorrow while Ben worked. Their attitude made him reconsider allowing them time with Dakota and Avery. But they would leave Sunday. Ben would swallow his anger for Alyssa’s sake. She would’ve wanted the kids to grow up knowing both sets of grandparents. He should give them some slack. They all still grieved the loss of Alyssa.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Jenna lay in bed Saturday morning, still sporting a smile. Maybe she could allow herself to fall for Ben Jacobsen. Their date proved to her he wasn’t simply being mannerly or nice.
She thought love was what she had experienced with Peter, but she was wrong. He was just safe and convenient. She shivered. How close she had come to settling for a life as Mrs. Callahan.
She stretched her arms overhead and glanced at the clock on her bedside table. Ten-thirty, Saturday morning. Shawna had grilled her well past midnight, desiring each morsel of her date divulged.
Her cell phone vibrated on the nightstand, jolting her. A text from the church secretary. Strange. She pursed her lips in thought. She sat up and read the text. Her stomach tightened at the message—she was to call immediately.
She crossed her legs and scrolled through numbers until she found Julia’s.
“Jenna, thanks for getting back to me. I didn’t want you to be caught off guard.”
Jenna’s pulse picked up. Had there been an accident? Was someone ill?
“Pastor Rick has left the church—actually everything. He’s left his wife and children as well. It seems he and another church member have been seeing each other, and now they’re gone.”
Jenna’s jaw dropped. Silence hung for several minutes. “Julia, I’m sorry. I’m in shock.”
“That’s the general consensus.”
Jenna ran her fingers through her tatted hair. “What can I do?”
“The staff needs to make sure the congregation knows they’re in good hands. Pastor Steve wonders if you might be available for a meeting this evening about seven.”
Pastor Steve was the associate pastor of Community Baptist Church. “Sure. At the church?”
“Yes, Steve’s office.”