by Karen Pokras
As if on cue, the waiter appeared. Ben ordered a bottle of wine and asked for a few more minutes before ordering their food.
“I was thinking after dinner, we could go for a walk along the river. How does that sound to you?” he asked.
“I think that’s a great idea,” Holly said, wondering how he knew that was one of her favorite activities. It was one of those things Jared had always thought was a waste of time—probably because it didn’t involve booze. “Before we know it, the path will be covered with snow. We might as well take advantage of the nice weather while we still have it.”
The waiter returned with their wine and proceeded to fill their glasses.
“Thank you,” she said and watched as he walked away.
“To first kisses,” Ben said, clinking his glass against Holly’s.
“And baseball cards,” she added.
~~~
“I couldn’t think of a more perfect second first date,” Ben said as they strolled by the water, holding hands as they walked.
“Second first date?” Holly asked.
“Well, yes. Technically, our first first date was the Soph Hop.”
“Wouldn’t that make this our second date?”
“No,” he said, curling his lips up. “Too much time has passed. The general rule of thumb is that a second date has to occur within a week—two weeks top. We’ve got a ten year lag here. Our clock reset ages ago.”
Holly stopped walking. “You’ve put way too much thought into this,” she said.
“Oh, you have no idea. You’re pretty much all I’ve thought about since the wedding.”
“Can I tell you something?” she asked. There was just enough light from the moon for her to see a shimmer in his eyes.
“Of course.”
“I’ve had a hard time getting you off my mind as well,” she confessed.
Leaning in close, she could feel his warm breath on her face. The reflection of the stars danced on the water behind them. “I’ve been dreaming of this moment,” he told her, caressing her cheek lightly, his eyes peering deep into her, his stare going straight to her heart, as he moved even closer. “There’s nothing keeping us apart anymore,” he whispered.
“Nothing,” she whispered back, feeling the softness of his lips touch hers.
Chapter 29
“You don’t think this is strange?” Holly asked, as she reached for the key her sister kept hidden above the doorframe before letting themselves in.
Ben placed the basket and blanket he’d been carrying on the floor and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in.
“No,” he said, alternating his kisses between her lips and her neck, sending shivers down her spine.
Releasing her slowly, he spread out the blanket on the floor of Tessa’s studio apartment.
“She texted me this morning and said she’d be gone until midnight,” he said.
Holly took a deep breath, still trying to regulate her heartbeat from the feel of Ben’s lips on her. “That’s what I mean. That she set this up with you.”
Tessa had texted her as well. In addition to letting her know she’d be out late, Tessa also told her, rather crudely, which side of her bed squeaked the least. Holly wondered if she shared this information with Ben as well.
Ben sat on the blanket and began unloading the basket: several containers of food, wine, plates, glasses, and utensils—he’d thought of everything. She grabbed a couple of pillows off the couch and sat down next to him.
“It’s not strange. She’s sort of become my confidant I guess, at least where you’re concerned. I had mentioned I wanted to take you on a picnic but it’s too chilly, and she came up with this idea. I think it’s romantic. She wouldn’t have suggested it if it wasn’t okay. I want to make you happy, that’s all.”
“You do, very.”
Ben opened the bottle of wine, poured some into each of their glasses, and set them on the coffee table.
“First things, first.” He took her hands. “You look beautiful, as always.”
She shook her head and laughed. “There’s that smooth talker again.”
Staring at her with puppy dog eyes, he shrugged his shoulders. “One of these days you’re going to believe me.”
She reached over and took a sip of her wine, then leaned into his body as he dished out the rest of the meal.
“I wish every night could be like this,” he said, placing a plate of chicken and pasta on the blanket in front of her.
Nodding, she felt happier and more content than she had in years. “Life doesn’t get any better than this. How did we get so lucky?”
“It wasn’t luck,” Ben said, nuzzling her hair. “It was fate.”
Holly turned around to look at him. “You have been talking to my sister a lot, haven’t you? So, what else do the two of you talk about?”
“Well, now if I told you, she wouldn’t be my confidant anymore, would she? But I’m curious as to why you’re asking. Do you have secrets I need to unravel?” Looking at Holly with a mischievous grin he grabbed her around the waist, leaning her back. “Hmm, perhaps a good tickling will get them out of you.”
“No, please,” she begged, giggling. “No tickles. Anything but tickles.”
“Anything?”
“No!” She slapped his hands away, still laughing. “But I do promise to share all my secrets.”
“I suppose that will have to do for now. As long as you promise I can still do this.” Leaning down, he found her parted lips, giving her a long sensual kiss.
“Yes,” she whispered, trying to catch her breath, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, “I promise.”
~~~
“Good morning, beautiful.”
Holly pushed the covers aside, shivered when her bare feet touched the cold floor, and walked to her window. There was a fresh coat of snow on the ground. The first of the season. School would most likely have a delayed opening today while they cleared the roads.
“Good morning, yourself,” she said into her phone.
By the time they finished their meal last night it was half past midnight. With no sign of her sister, Holly got up to check her phone.
Won’t be home anytime soon. Lockup when you leave and don’t forget … stay to the left.
She shook her head and snickered. When Holly finally arrived back home thirty minutes later, her father was half-asleep waiting for her on the sofa with the excuse he hadn’t realized what time it was and must have dozed off watching the news. Holly couldn’t help but notice the television wasn’t on. She smiled at him, gave him a kiss goodnight on the cheek, and walked up to her room, where she drifted off to sleep with visions of Ben’s sparkling eyes gazing at her.
“I miss you already,” he said. “When can I see you again?”
“Well … how about tonight?” Holly asked, grinning.
Ben groaned. “I don’t know if I can wait that long.”
Chapter 30
Holly zipped her dress and twisted around to see herself better in the mirror. She could still pass for a college student at almost twenty-six years old, even if she felt much older. At least she thought so.
“Is that what you’re wearing?” Tessa asked, her tone making it sound like she’d been digging through the dumpster behind the local charity store.
“Um, no?” Sighing, Holly unzipped her dress and pulled it back over her head. “What should I wear? I don’t exactly have a wardrobe for going to a nightclub.”
Tessa flipped through the clothes in Holly’s closet. “Bland, boring, basic… Seriously? This is all for work. Where are your fun clothes? Didn’t you keep any stuff from college?”
“You’re looking at it. I wasn’t really a nightclub kind of girl.”
“Okay, fine,” Tessa said, pulling out a purple blouse and black skirt. “Here, I suppose this will work, but try to hike the skirt up a little if you can, and maybe leave a few buttons on your shirt open.”
“We’re going to a nightclub, not a s
trip club,” Holly said. “Besides, I’m meeting Ben there. I’d like to look nice, not trashy.”
“He stopped texting me to cry over you, by the way. The last one I got was to thank me for letting you guys use my apartment. I guess that means things are going well?”
Holly smiled. It had only been a week since Thanksgiving, but she couldn’t believe how happy Ben made her. They’d had a date every night since their river walk. Now that she was living at home again, it was a true courtship, something she never really had before. Ben came to her house, sat with her dad as he waited for her to finish getting ready, and dropped her off at the end of their date. It helped that her parents adored him.
“Yes,” she said, “it’s going great.”
“And perhaps, that also means your little sister was correct about him and that whole fate thing?”
Holly rolled her eyes. “Yes, Tessa. You were right. We were meant to be together.”
“Hold on” she said, grabbing her phone and pressing a button. She held it up to Holly’s mouth. “Can you say that again, only try to enunciate a little more clearly this time.”
“I said,” she began. “I think it’s time we got going. I told Ben we’d meet him there at nine.” Crinkling her nose at Tessa, she walked out her bedroom door.
~~~
The club was dark and smoky—as most college haunts were—despite the laws that no longer allowed smoking inside these types of establishments. At least the floor in this place wasn’t as sticky as the last one they’d gone to. Holly grabbed two beers and met her sister across the room at a small table.
“Is Ben here yet?” Tessa yelled over the music.
“I don’t see him,” she shouted back.
“So how’s it going at Mom and Dad’s?”
“It’s weird being back at home, but I know it’s only temporary. I’ll start apartment hunting soon.”
“Have you been in contact with Jared at all?”
“No. He’s left a couple of messages and texts, but I’m not interested in the same old excuses. Now that he’s got my old car, I’ve been able to tell when he’s not home. I’ve been going over on my way home from school when he’s not around to pick stuff up. I guess that gift actually wound up working out after all.” Holly laughed. “Anyway, I’ve got everything out now, so I have no need to go back. Last trip I made, I left the apartment keys on the coffee table.”
“You should’ve tied them to his balls. Oh, yeah, he doesn’t have any, I forgot.”
“You have the mouth of a truck driver.”
Tessa lifted her beer and clinked her sister’s bottle.
“Hey, I thought that was you!” the familiar voice said, slapping Holly a little too sharply on the back.
She turned around in disbelief. “Dan? What are you doing here?”
“I know,” he said. “I get that all the time. But even us principals like to loosen up and unwind every now and again.” He did an odd hip thing and attempted to moon-dance backwards halfway across the dance floor, bumping into several groups of people.
“Is he drunk?” Tessa whispered loud enough for Holly to hear.
She shrugged, as he made his way back over doing the same bizarre dance step.
“So um,” she began, “Tessa, this is Dan, the principal at my school. Dan, this is my sister, Tessa.”
“Ah, another Haines sister. It’s very nice to meet you. Are you also a math wizard?”
“Ew, no. I’m a theater major. Well, theater production, I mean.”
“Oh, really? You should come to our talent show. It’s going to be quite a performance … especially the opening act. Isn’t that right, Holly?” He elbowed her so hard, she nearly fell off her stool.
“Mmmm hmmm,” she replied, straightening herself back up.
“Yes,” Tessa said, laughing, “I’ve heard about this math rap the two of you are doing. Sounds … intriguing.”
“Well, your sister here is the mastermind behind it. I’m just along for the ride.” Throwing his arm around Holly’s shoulder, he leaned across the table to get closer to Tessa, flattening Holly’s face into the tabletop, and added, “She’s pretty amazing.”
She tried to sit back up, but was stuck.
“So I’ve heard.” Tessa continued to chuckle.
“Come on!” Dan yelled, pulling Holly back up and off her seat. “Let’s go find Alex and show off some of our dance moves.”
Yanking her off her chair, he swung her around, right into Ben’s arms.
“Fancy meeting you here,” he said, catching her.
“Thank you,” she whispered as she gave him a kiss. “Ben, you remember Dan, don’t you?”
“Yes, of course, nice to see you again.”
Smiling wide, Dan punched Holly in the shoulder. “A kiss, huh? I see what’s going on here.” He winked. “When did this all start?”
“Dan, honey,” Alex said, coming up from behind and holding on to his arm. “I think we need to get you some water.” He looked over to Holly and Ben. “Believe it or not, this is from just one beer.”
“Okay, sweet-ums,” Dan said, tracing Alex’s chest with his finger, “but then, I really want to dance.”
Forty minutes later, and without any more alcohol in him, Dan seemed much more subdued, spending the entire time on the dance floor with Alex, Holly, and Ben, while Tessa, as usual, was holding court in the corner with a group of cute college boys.
“What a workout,” Holly said as they headed back to their table.
“How about something cold to drink?” Ben asked.
“A beer would be great, thanks,” she replied.
Within minutes, he returned with three bottles for Holly, Alex, and himself, and another glass of ice water for Dan.
“I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun,” Dan said, nodding his head along with the beat in the music. “Sorry if I was a little crazy earlier. I don’t usually drink. I have zero tolerance in case you couldn’t tell.”
“I hadn’t noticed,” Holly said, trying not to laugh. “I thought you said you come here all the time?”
“No,” he reminded her, “I said I like to unwind every now and again. That doesn’t mean I go out drinking. It’s actually my first time here. This was Alex’s idea. What about you?”
“I’ve never been here before either. This is one of my sister’s hangouts. Looks like tonight it’s getting taken over by us old folks.”
“Hey, who you calling old?” Alex asked. “I can go all night.” Getting off his stool, he continued to dance, throwing his arms in the air while twisting his hips. He stopped suddenly and doubled over. “I just need to rest for a minute. I think I might have pulled something. I am getting old, aren’t I? Shit.”
Dan patted him on the shoulder. “It’s okay darlin’ we’ll grow old together. We do need to go soon, though. It’s a school night, you know.”
Putting his arm around Holly’s waist, Ben leaned into her. “I guess you can’t call in sick tomorrow if you wake up too tired to go to work,” he told her. “Your boss will know you’re faking.”
“That’s right,” Dan said, getting up. “The gig is up. See you bright and early, Ms. Haines.”
“Yes, sir,” Holly replied, nodding, trying her best to keep a serious face, yet failing horribly.
Dan put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “I’m so glad to see you so happy. I hated how stressed and sad you were becoming before Thanksgiving.” He turned to Ben. “It warms my heart to see the two of you together like this … beaming.” He gave them both hugs. “Come on, Alex—we need to leave before I start bawling right here in the middle of this place.” Hugging them again, he waved as he and Alex disappeared through the crowd.
Chapter 31
“I know it’s only been a couple of weeks, but I can’t help but feel like I’ve met my soul mate, Ava. For the first time, I can honestly understand how you felt when you came home from college and were talking about Max—gushing, really. The way your eyes
lit up. I don’t know—I’ve never felt this way before.” Sitting at the desk in her bedroom, Holly looked at the doodled hearts she’d drawn on her memo pad back when she thought she and Ben weren’t meant to be. That all seemed like a million years ago now.
“You can’t see me smiling through the phone, but I am—an incredibly, huge, smile. Not just because I’m happy for you, but because I know Ben is such an amazing person. It runs in the family you know.”
“Yeah, yeah. The other day I was thinking about everything. Remember how after I broke up with Jared, I had that whole realization that I was never in love with him, but I was in love with the idea of him?”
“I do. It was very profound.”
“Well, that’s the thing. With Ben, the only thing that matters to me is spending time with him. I couldn’t care less if we get married. He is what’s important to me. Not that he may or may not be a vehicle to fulfill this crazy dream of mine.”
“You do see the irony there don’t you?” her sister asked. “The fact that you just used the word vehicle to describe Jared … you know, because he thought a car was what you wanted?”
“Oh, Ava,” Holly said, shaking her head, laughing. “Only you would make that connection.”
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist. Anyway, I’m so happy for you. Do you two have any romantic plans for your birthday on Saturday?”
“He’s taking me out for dinner. I was hoping we could spend the day together, but he’ll be stuck in a training seminar for most of the day.”
“I wish I could be there to celebrate with you. This living across the country is starting to get old.”
“Is everything okay?” Holly asked.
“Yes, yes, it’s fine. I guess I got a little spoiled being home so much this fall. I can’t wait to see you again on Christmas.”
“Me too. Take care of yourself, okay?”
“Promise. Love you.”