by Hanna Hart
“If you’re asking if I like you, it’s never been a question of that,” she finally said.
Bennett finally exhaled as the relief washed over him. “No?” he asked.
“I’ve always liked you, Bennett,” she smiled. “When we’re together, it’s like…”
“Fireworks.”
“But it’s never been about our chemistry,” she shrugged. “It’s that no matter what we do, nothing between us changes. What makes you think our problems are going to be any different this time?”
“Third time’s the charm,” he teased, but he meant every word of it.
“Bennett, I’m serious. I have Ember now, and that ties me down even more than before.”
“I know that,” he said. “Believe me, I know. Take a chance on us. It’ll be different this time.”
“I have exactly zero reasons to believe that,” she laughed, but there was nothing funny about it. “Past behavior is the biggest predictor of future behavior, and our past behavior says that we’ll never work. We just…we just don’t work.”
“I think we can. We just haven’t had the right circumstances before,” he said. “Don’t you want it to work?”
“Yes,” she admitted. “You must know that I do.”
Bennett didn’t know if it was the warmth of her hand in his or the way she was looking at him with her big doe eyes, but he had to kiss her then. He ran a hand up the side of her face, cupping her cheek in his palm and leaned down, rocking their cabin as he pressed his lips against hers.
June’s whole body stiffened then seemed to sink into his as her mouth moved in perfect time with his kisses.
The humid, summer kiss was the perfect reunion.
When their lips parted, June opened her eyes and gave him a sleepy, satisfied stare. “Don’t make me regret this,” she said, then smiled.
“I won’t,” he said. “I promise.”
Chapter Ten
June
Isn’t life better together?
This had become Bennett Brooks’ mantra ever since he and June had rekindled their romance.
If there were a beautiful summer rain, he’d say, “Isn’t life better together?”
When they ordered pizza and the chef accidentally added double cheese—"Isn’t life better together?”
And this day, when June was getting ready for work and he pressed her up against her closet door and started attacking her with kisses, he pulled back from her mouth, moved his lips close to her ear, and whispered, “Isn’t life better together?”
“I plead the fifth,” she said before leaning back in to get another taste of his mouth.
She said this as a tease, but June’s answer was inevitably always yes. Life was better now that Bennett was back in her life.
“Mm, Bennett,” she breathed, pulling away from him. She set a hand on his chest and cooed, “I have to go to work.”
“Don’t go,” he said, slipping a hand down her side.
“I have to go,” she giggled.
“Stay,” he said, leaning in for another kiss.
“Bennett,” June said. She set a finger on his mouth and shook her head.
“I don’t want to miss a moment of you here,” he said, and his words filled her body with warmth.
“I can’t call in sick. Danielle will kill me,” she said, pulling away from him.
“Okay, okay,” he said and reluctantly let her go. He sat on her bed and watched as she fixed her hair in her vanity with a thoughtful expression on his face.
“I was thinking about something.”
“What were you thinking?” she said, catching his gaze in her mirror.
“I was thinking maybe you and Ember would come back to the ranch with me for a couple of weeks.”
“No. I don’t think so,” she said quickly. “She just started school. I can’t pull her out a week later.”
September and October were June’s favorite months in Texas. The weather was still hot, but they had all of the benefits of the beautiful fall leaves beginning to change.
But September also meant Ember had started the first grade.
June hadn’t meant to be one of those mothers who cried dropping her daughter off at school or reminiscing about how only yesterday, Ember was just a baby in her arms—but she did all of those very stereotypical things and more on Ember’s first day of school.
Her daughter had spent the summer nervously anticipating the beginning of school and worrying about making friends, but as it turned out, she fit right in.
June never had any doubts. After all, June took right after her Bennett—friendly, likable, social.
“Come on, please?” Bennett pleaded, drawing his words out like a child. “She’d love it, and I would love it, too. I want to show you guys around. If you’re worried about school, I could get her a tutor while she’s in Montana. She won’t miss a thing, I promise.”
“You must really want me to come with you,” she snorted.
“I want you both,” he corrected.
“Maybe,” she said.
“That’s a yes!”
“It’s a maybe!” she laughed.
Bennett jumped off the bed and came up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her softly on the cheek.
“Okay, okay,” she relented. “It’s a yes.”
As soon as she said the words, she felt a bubble of nerves boil up in her stomach. Was she making the right decision?
She couldn’t believe she was agreeing to set foot back in Montana after everything that happened between them.
She couldn’t deny the lovestruck feeling she got whenever she was in the same room with him, but there was a small part of her that wondered what in the world she thought she was doing dredging up the past with him—especially with Ember.
Before, she was so angry with Bennett and so done with the stress of their relationship that when she found out she was pregnant, she decided not to tell him. He didn’t want to be in her life, and she didn’t want him to get back together with her out of pity after he found out she was pregnant.
Then she started seeing Lincoln, and he was more than happy to play the role of a happy young family with her.
But now there was no real reason to lie to Bennett, especially if they were both serious about being together.
And if they were serious about each other, how were they supposed to manage living in two different states?
No doubt, he wanted her to come back to the Montana ranch, in part, to try and sell her on the idea of coming out there.
The physical distance had always been an issue between them, and June didn’t know what she possibly hoped would change this time. If anything, she had more standing in her way of leaving than ever before. She had Ember and her new school, plus help from her sister for babysitting. Then there was Lincoln to consider. Biological or not, he was the father that Ember knew and as far as the law was concerned, he was her legal parent and had rights to her.
But if the relationship seemed like it was in vain, why couldn’t June stop thinking about Montana?
She pictured what life would be like with Bennett. She had already looked up good schools for Ember and went on the Brookside Ranch website countless times, trying to remember what it was like to live wild.
Bennett had a big house there in the country, not far from the ranch property. She remembered it had its own game room that they would spend countless hours playing pool and listening to music. He had a pool, which Ember would love, and a big yard she could run around and play in.
She thought about Ember at the ranch and how much fun she would have with the wildlife, how she would grow up with a wide variety of social experiences.
Of course, there was also the money to think about.
June didn’t want to be shallow. She would never be with someone strictly for their status or income, but she couldn’t ignore the fact that Bennett was part of a billion-dollar company. He wouldn’t have to worry about money for the rest of his life
, which meant Ember would never have to worry about where to go to school or how she was going to get by.
And most important of all, June couldn’t help the rush of emotion she felt for Bennett. Every time she was near him, she could feel a rush of excitement in her lower stomach. It was a physical feeling, like having butterflies. She felt as though she had somehow swallowed the embodiment of love itself and it was buried in her body, only ignited when she was in his presence.
As smitten as June was with Bennett, she sensed that Ember was just as enamored. The girl lit up a room when he was around. She had endless things to say, facts to share, and games to play with Bennett.
June had a rule about Ember making friends. She had to meet the friends and their parents first before Ember was allowed to go over and play. Adorably, Ember had recently asked June if she needed to go to Bennett’s parents’ house to “meet his mommy and daddy.”
That weekend, June worked double shifts since they had two morning and two evening weddings, meaning by Sunday morning before work, she was beyond exhausted.
“Can I play with Bennett today?” Ember asked as she scooped her cereal into her mouth.
“I think Bennett has work to do. You’re gonna stay here and play with Aunt Megan and your cousin, okay?”
Ember hung her head in the sad way kids do and blew out a winded, “O-kaaay.”
“But I am glad you like Bennett. You do like him, right?” June asked.
“He’s fun! He plays with horses and knows all about every dog ever.”
“Every dog ever? Wow! He knows a lot!” June giggled.
“Yeah, he’s cool.”
“Good, good,” she said with a nod. June bit her lip and twisted her fingers together nervously. “You know, Bennett used to be close with mommy back before she had you.”
“Did you guys kiss?” Ember asked in a sing-song voice.
“Ember!”
“Don’t lie!” Ember dared.
June’s eyes went skyward, and she could feel the blush crossing her cheeks as she said, “We were very close friends.”
“You kissed!”
June laughed and shook her head, ignoring the comment. “And now that he’s back in Texas, we’re gonna be spending more time together. Is that okay, do you think?”
“Yeah. We should go to adventure land!”
“I think that can be arranged,” June smiled.
“Is he going to move in?”
“No,” she said. “What gives you that idea, sweetie?”
“He’s just here all the time, so maybe he can just move in,” Ember said with a shrug. “I will make room for his stuffed animals if he wants. He can have my drawer.”
“That is very sweet,” June giggled. “I will make sure he knows he can bring as many stuffed animals over as he wants. But no, he won’t be moving in.”
“I hope he stays here forever!”
June nodded. “So do I, babe. So do I.”
But Bennett wouldn’t stay. It was a fact she thought about during her nine-hour work shift that evening. She thought about Bennett and his smile, she thought about his body and the familiar way he held her. She always felt like when he looked at her, he looked at her. His eyes were completely captured by her.
She spent her shift mixing drinks with Danielle and, in between guests, raving about how well things were going with Bennett. She felt like a teenager again, looking for ways to drop his name into the conversation—and Danielle couldn’t get enough.
“Girl, I have never seen you this happy before,” Danielle said radiantly.
And then it occurred to June that no, she had never been this happy before. Not with Lincoln and not even in her two prior tries with Bennett. Everything felt right now. And if everything felt right, then she owed it to herself and her future to do everything she could to make their relationship a success this time.
“How was your visit?” June asked Megan as she relieved her from her babysitting duties later that night.
“Great!” Megan smiled. “She was full of energy tonight.”
“Oh, no, I hope she didn’t give you too much trouble.”
“Nah,” her sister waved her off. “No matter how hyper that kid is, she’s always out like a light by nine.”
“Thank you so much for watching her,” June said.
She often tried to pay her sister for babysitting, but Megan would never take the money. “I love spending time with my niece,” she would say.
“So,” Megan began hesitantly while she slipped into her flip-flops at the front door.
“So?” June repeated in the same tone.
“Is there anything you want to tell me?” her sister said.
“Your new hair looks adorable?” June said cutely, gesturing toward her sister’s fresh blonde hair.
Megan raised her brows. “Anything about Bennett Brooks?”
“Why?”
“Why?” Megan laughed. “Because Ember can’t stop talking about him, that’s why. She talks about him more than she talks about puppies, and June? That is a lot.”
June smiled unsurely. “Well, they’ve hit it off.”
“They’ve hit it off, or you have hit it off?”
There was that ball of nerves again. June straightened and held her hand on the door frame. “Me and Bennett always hit it off.”
“And it always ends in heartbreak. Why are you doing this to yourself?” Megan said and picked her sleeping daughter, Zendra, up off of the couch. “You are seeing him again, aren’t you?”
“I don’t know,” June said, rolling her shoulder in an obvious lie. “We’re just hanging out, seeing where it goes.”
“Seeing where it goes?” Megan whispered aggressively. “You know where it goes. We’ve been through this. Stop the reruns. Stop the madness!”
Both of them let out an amused breath, then Megan’s face tensed. “I’m serious. Where do you see this going?”
June swallowed nervously. She’d spent the entire weekend thinking about that very question, and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to say the answer out loud.
“I see it going to Montana, honestly,” she said, testing the words out.
Megan’s face fell. She blinked in surprise and said, “You’re kidding?”
“If things get serious and I want a future with him, I know what has to happen. I have to be the one to change this time. He can’t leave Montana, and I can leave Texas.”
“Is that right? You think you can leave me behind?” Megan teased. “What about Ember? What about school?”
“I heard this crazy rumor that there are schools in Montana, too,” she said with a wink.
“You just met reunited, and now you’re talking about moving across the country for him? Don’t leave me,” her sister whined playfully.
Her sister hoisted Zendra up into her arms and studied June’s face carefully. Her lighthearted expression suddenly fell, and she gave a knowing smile.
“Oh no,” Megan said.
“What?”
“You’re in love with him!”
June blushed. She could hardly deny it.
“It’s only been a couple of weeks!” her sister said with quiet surprise.
“I know. But I feel like all of these feelings I had for him are rushing back to the surface. I feel so much love coursing through me, it’s overwhelming.”
“You sound like a teenage girl,” Megan snorted.
“I sound like the girl I was when I first met Bennett,” she paused. “That’s how I know it’s love.”
Chapter Eleven
Bennett
“You’re about to be really happy,” June said, grinning as she pulled Bennett’s hand into hers.
The two of them went out for a late movie, a sci-fi thriller that was far too cheesy for their liking. But it wasn’t a complete waste. The two got to eat popcorn and mock the film for an hour and a half, which was arguably more fun than if they had enjoyed the film.
They were now sitting in the parking lot of th
e theater in Bennett’s car.
“What am I going to be happy about?” he asked excitedly.
“I took a month off work and Ember’s officially out of school,” she stated matter-of-factly, then burst into giggles as she said, “So, long as you promise she’s going to have a tutor when we get there, then we’re coming to Montana!”
“For a whole month!” he cheered. “Then it’s all really happening.”
“Just imagine with me, if you will,” she said, extending her hand out toward the dashboard. “You and I wake up at your place, I go down and fix you a nice, strong coffee. I come up and crawl into your bed. Your parents aren’t there. We don’t have to sneak around in your car to kiss. In fact, we don’t have to worry about anything except what adventure we’re going to have that day.”
He reached across the center console and ran a hand up the side of her face. “You’re reading my mind,” he whispered and then met her lips, pulling her into a deep kiss.
“I can’t wait,” she said.
“We’re lucky, you know.”
She perked up. “Why’s that?”
“It’s not every day you get to rewrite the wrongs of the past, is it? We have a chance to start over and make this what it was supposed to be.”
“It’s just one visit,” she laughed.
“A long visit. And one of many, I hope,” he whispered, kissing her again.
“I’m kind of nervous,” she admitted bashfully.
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I have this tingling throughout my whole body
“You should see somebody about that,” he teased, and she bat her hand lightly against his chest.
“I’m serious,” she played. “There have only been a couple of moments in my life where I’ve felt like this, and it’s always before something really big happens. Once, when my sister beat cancer, then again when I found out I was pregnant. When I had Ember and then again when I saw you at the Lipkin.”