Come with Me (Let It Be Me #2)

by Tiara Bosh

  “Better to be sure,” he told her.

  He was still stroking her hair. Liz felt immobilized by his presence. She was telling herself not to hope, but she didn’t have the willpower to tell him off when he was right there in front of her.

  “Liz, there’s a lot I need to tell you, but I don’t want to stress you too much right now while you’re still recovering,” Ben said, “but I just need you to know something first.”

  Liz’s heart felt like it stopped beating. She was afraid to hear what he was going to say next. Her heart seemed tired from all the emotions for the past days.

  Ben traced her face, and it took all of Liz’s willpower to watch his face. He looked as nervous and worried as she felt.

  “I love you, Liz,” he declared, staring into her eyes.

  Ben’s declaration brought fresh tears to Liz’s eyes. She didn’t expect it – she didn’t dare to hope – but his words filled her heart.

  Ben leaned down to kiss her cheek.

  “I’m sorry if I wasn’t able to follow through with my promise to you,” he said contritely. “But I’m in if you’re in, Liz. I’ve already told Alex and Kayla. And you don’t have to worry about your work.”

  Liz nodded, suddenly feeling silly for not trusting him for a bit. She cried – mostly out of joy – but also from relief.

  “I love you, too,” she said. She gazed up at Ben and saw the relief that washed over him. “I’m sorry if I overreacted. I already knew I was in love with you, so I started hoping for something more. I was scared we weren’t on the same page. I should have just talked to you.”

  Ben shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I was a bit slow. I needed the push. I’m sorry if it reached that point.”

  They were quiet for a while.

  Liz tried to sit up, but felt some pain on her hip.

  “Hey, just lay back,” Ben said worriedly, guiding her to lie down gently. He brushed her hair away from her face, watching her.

  “On my way here I was thinking if it was because of me that you didn’t notice the thief,” he said.

  “Hey,” Liz said, shaking her head. “There’s no use having those thoughts. I’m okay.”

  “I’m very glad you are,” he said. “I couldn’t bear to lose you.”

  Ben leaned down to brush her lips with his. When Ben leaned back, Liz looked up at him with undisguised love and happiness.

  “I don’t know how I got so lucky to find you,” Ben said.

  Liz was warmed by his words. “Maybe we both got lucky,” she said, smiling shyly.

  “What time did you get here?” she asked him, checking the clock to see it was six in the morning.

  “A little after midnight,” he said.

  Liz’s eyes widened. “Were you able to sleep?”

  “Some,” he said.

  “You should get some rest,” she told him.

  “Maybe the nurses will allow me to lie next to you,” Ben said in a teasing voice.

  “Who said we need to ask permission?” Liz playfully said.

  Ben raised his eyebrows, heat evident in his eyes.

  “Ben!” Liz exclaimed, laughing. “I was just kidding! We’ll make up for the lost time, okay?”

  Ben grinned, nodding. He held on to Liz’s hand.

  Liz suddenly remembered.

  “How will it be in RHS?” she asked as an afterthought.

  “I’m going to step back and become a consultant like Alex and give you and Henry more sovereignty in the operations.”

  Liz frowned. “I don’t want to take it away from you.” Even if RHS was named after Alex’s parents, she knew that Alex and Ben had equal emotional stakes in the foundation. She knew he was already sad being not as hands-on with the foundation. She didn’t want to make it any worse for him.

  “You’re not,” Ben assured, taking her hand. “I actually feel better that I’m sharing the dream with someone I love.”

  “Thank you,” she said, tearing up again. She knew that could be one of the most generous gifts he can give her.

  “Hey, don’t cry anymore,” he said, leaning down to kiss her cheek. He sat back down on the armchair, holding on to her hand.

  “Just a lot of emotions from the past couple of days,” she said, calming down.

  “I'm sorry,” Ben said.

  "No. I was sad but my love outweighs everything else, and I'm so happy that you love me back,” Liz said, grinning.

  “Never doubt it anymore.”

  “So how did Alex react when you told him?” Liz asked curiously.

  Ben grinned. “He took it really well. It turns out Kayla sensed it for a while now and told him about it. Guess we weren’t really fooling everyone.”

  “Really?” Liz said, shocked. They thought they’ve been really careful.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Ben said. “We’d have to tell everyone in the office though. Are you okay with that?”

  Liz nodded slowly. She didn’t want any attention on her, but she loved Ben and it was the right thing to do so they can continue with their relationship.

  As he stood up, he added, “I actually have a condition for you and it’s non-negotiable.”

  Liz raised her eyebrow. “What is it?”

  He smiled. “Since I don’t think I can stop you from volunteering your time for the library, and the pepper spray didn’t do the trick –“

  Liz grinned.

  “I’m hiring a driver,” he continued, “and I will have him drive you every time you go there.”

  Liz narrowed her eyes, ready to debate with him, but she knew it was going to be one of the things he would stand firm on, just like his old-fashioned ways.

  “Fine,” she said, relenting. “But since I have less travel time, I will extend my volunteer hours by an hour.”

  She watched as Ben’s lips were set on a straight line, and she knew he was also ready to debate with her. His lips started trembling until he burst out laughing.

  “Oh, Liz, I love you,” he exclaimed, grinning.

  “I love you,” she echoed.

  Epilogue

  Liz

  The string quartet started playing Pachelbel’s Canon in D and everyone stood up and turned to look at the ballroom entrance as the doors opened.

  There was a collective gasp as everyone caught sight of Kayla looking stunning in an elegant lace white dress. The gown had a mermaid silhouette with a strapless neckline and a long train. A thin veil cloaked her head, pinned down by a jeweled band. Her whole look appeared very romantic.

  Kayla absolutely looked radiant.

  All eyes followed Kayla as she slowly made her way to the front where Alex was waiting for her. Liz noticed Alex’s glassy eyes, and Liz felt teary herself with the love felt around the room.

  Turning to look at the front, everyone’s gaze was affixed at the couple. Liz couldn’t help but look at Ben standing next to Alex, and she found him looking back at her.

  Liz sighed and offered him a smile.

  Ben winked at her.

  Liz felt her face flush, wondering if anyone saw him wink at her. She turned to her left where Diane and Henry were standing -- they were both looking at Alex and Kayla.

  The ceremony was beautiful. Alex and Kayla wrote their own vows and everyone laughed and cried with them.

  The guest list was limited – they only invited less than a hundred people. It also looked like they managed to keep the paparazzi oblivious to the wedding that was going on. She hoped that was the case, because she wished Alex and Kayla the privacy they deserved on their wedding day.

  And as the priest announced the husband and wife, everyone stood up and cheered as the couple kissed.

  Liz was watching Alex and Kayla walk down the aisle towards the doors when she felt an arm around her waist. Goosebumps on her arms rose as she looked back to see Ben smiling down at her.

  “Hey, I missed you,” he told her.

  Liz smiled back. “I missed you, too.”

  “Let’s go to the terrace
,” Ben said, breaking into her thoughts.

  The reception was going to be held in the beautiful garden terrace of the resort. It was enough to accommodate all the guests.

  They passed by Henry and Diane, who turned to smile at them.

  It’s been a little over a month since Ben and Liz admitted their love for each other in the hospital room, and they’ve been open about their relationship ever since. They had to take several steps to achieve that though.

  She and Ben spoke to Henry first when Liz went back to work.

  “Henry, I’ve spoken to Alex,” Ben started, as he and Liz were in Henry’s office the Wednesday morning after Liz’s accident. “I will be shifting to a role in the foundation similar to Alex’s – I will just be a consultant from now on. You and Liz would be running the foundation from now on, but of course Alex and I would try to be available for meetings and other discussions. I will proceed also meeting some of the benefactors and pass them on to you once agreements have been made.”

  “That shouldn’t be a problem,” Henry said, and Liz thought he really didn’t have any choice since the foundation was primarily Alex and Ben’s. The changes weren’t unreasonable anyway.

  “If the load gets too much for the two of you, we can discuss about hiring a new assistant,” Ben added.

  Henry nodded.

  “One other thing,” Ben continued after a short pause. “Liz and I will be informing everyone that we are dating. Hopefully everyone will be fine with it, but they can talk to me if they have an issue with it.”

  Liz looked at Ben, surprised by the vehemence in his voice. Since that day in the hospital, he has erased any doubts from her mind that he was really in it with her. She knew she had more to lose in this scenario, and she was glad she had him fighting for her.

  Henry looked at Ben and Liz and surprised them both by breaking down into his signature toothless smile. “I doubt anyone would have a problem with it. I know I’m isolated here in my office, but I’m pretty sure Miranda, Sarah and Dana hwere hoping that you two should get together.”

  Liz and Ben looked at each other in amazement. None of them have heard of such chatter within the office. How did their colleagues even come up with that?

  Liz found out lunch that same day. She invited Dana and Sarah to one of their favorite delis for lunch, and she had a plan.

  She gathered all her acting chops – and that would be very limited – as she put on a serious face as they sat down on the table after getting their sandwiches from the counter.

  “Something was brought to my attention,” she started. Dana and Sarah must have noticed the seriousness of her tone as they looked at her inquiringly. “I heard through the grapevine that you've been talking to Miranda about pairing me and Ben?”

  She saw the two of them squirm on their seats.

  Liz waited for one of them to speak up.

  “Liz, I’m sorry I –“ Dana started. Liz watched Dana struggle with her words, but knew she couldn’t let her friends sweat it out too long.

  “Well it’s a good thing it’s not really a rumor now, isn’t it?” Liz said, cutting Dana off, raising one corner of her mouth in a half-smile.

  Dana’s and Sarah’s jaws dropped.

  “What do you mean?” Sarah dared to ask.

  “Ben and I have been seeing each other,” Liz said openly, observing Sarah and Dana’s reactions.

  “Oh my gosh!” Dana exclaimed, grinning.

  “It’s perfect!” Sarah said.

  Liz looked at her friends. “So you guys don’t have a problem with it?” she asked in a more somber tone.

  “Of course not!” Dana said excitedly. “Miranda’s going to be so happy when she finds out!”

  “I can’t believe I had to hear it from Henry that you guys have been talking about me and Ben though!” Liz said jokingly, embarrassed.

  “I didn’t know Henry knew about it!” Dana said. “He must have heard Miranda or something.”

  “Didn’t know Henry was that observant,” Sarah said.

  “Well now we know,” Liz said, grinning.

  “So? How did it start?” Dana asked.

  So over their lunch Liz gave them a summary of how it happened, starting from the fund-raising event. She didn’t want to give too much detail of how her feelings developed. She wanted to savor it for herself.

  “How did you guys come up with the idea that Ben and I could be a couple anyway?” Liz asked inquiringly as they were almost done with their lunch. She looked at both Dana and Sarah, and notice Sarah bow down her head.

  “I showed Dana and Miranda a video one time,” Sarah confessed.

  “Video?” Liz asked, having no idea what video it could be.

  “Remember the caterpillar game we had during the family day?” Sarah asked and Liz nodded.

  “I took a video of it,” Sarah said.

  Liz had flashbacks of that day and she remembered how Ben stood behind her during the game and how conscious she was of him. Maybe she was already attracted to him then, and she didn’t realize it.

  “Is it in your phone?” Liz asked, curious.

  Sarah nodded, searching through her phone until she must have found the video. She passed her phone to Liz, and Liz pressed play.

  The phone’s camera had a view of a large portion of the field, taken from Sarah’s location on the stage during the family day.

  All the participants were on the field, forming the team’s caterpillar. Liz squinted until she found herself standing behind Haley. By then both of them had their blindfolds on. She noticed that Diane was already standing behind her – it would have been natural for Diane to take the place behind Liz – but she suddenly spotted Ben swooping in between them and put his blindfold on.

  Liz gasped. She didn’t realize that he intentionally stood behind her.

  Liz wasn’t sure what Sarah was thinking but her camera zoomed until it was just Liz and Ben in the screen. She noticed when her shoulders stiffened when she found out it was Ben behind her. And at the end of the game when they realize they’ve won, Liz saw the awkwardness she felt when she turned back to Ben. The smile Ben flashed her was adorable, but he also looked uneasy. When Liz turned back to look at the stage, she saw as Ben raised his hand to comb his fingers through his hair in discomfort.

  Liz sighed, feeling some butterflies in her stomach.

  Was it possible he was interested in her as early as then too?

  “Why didn’t you show this to me earlier?” Liz asked Sarah.

  Sarah shrugged. “We knew you had a boyfriend then.”

  “I actually broke up with my boyfriend that same day,” Liz admitted.

  “Really?” Dana asked, and Liz saw Dana and Sarah share a look.

  “What is it?”

  It was Dana who answered. “When Sarah showed me and Miranda this video – don’t worry, only the three of us saw it – we felt like we were watching the start of someone’s love story.”

  “Then Ben sat with us on our table,” Sarah said, “and well, Dana and I were writing your story in our heads.”

  Liz was flabbergasted that other people saw it before she and Ben probably did. And it just wasn’t her officemates. Even Kayla saw something that same day.

  Funny that it seemed she and Ben were the last to know.

  * * *

  “Let us welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Stone!” the emcee announced.

  Everyone stood up and cheered as Alex and Kayla walked through the doors to join everyone at the garden terrace. Liz noticed that Kayla has changed into a simpler white dress for the reception. She maintained the same hair minus the veil.

  “She’s so beautiful,” Liz gushed.

  “You’re more beautiful,” Ben countered, kissing her on her forehead.

  “You’re biased,” Liz said, laughing. She did feel beautiful in the long old rose strapless Grecian dress she had on. She had her hair down in waves.

  She squeezed Ben’s hand, with her other hand holding on to his arm.

/>   Liz remembered the night Dana and Sarah showed her the video, she asked Ben about it as they were watching an old movie in her living room. They were lying down and she was snuggled against him, her arm around his waist.

  “During the Family Day, did you deliberately cut into the line to stand behind me during the caterpillar game?”

  Ben was quiet for a while, that Liz had to raise her head to peer at him.

  “How did you know about that?” he asked, slightly embarrassed.

  “I have my sources,” she said, grinning.

  “Now that you mention it, that whole day I seemed to be drawn to you,” Ben admitted. “The caterpillar game, then lunch – I kept on wondering what you were doing. Then as much as I was pissed at your boyfriend for having you wait for him, I was thankful for the chance to get to know you.”

  “So you really didn’t have to talk to me about work?” Liz asked, surprised.

  Ben shook his head, grinning. “Of course I wouldn’t leave you there on your own. And as you already know, there’s no rush for the New Jersey project. I just needed a reason to stay with you.”

  Liz rested her head back down and hugged him tightly. “Now that I think about it, you were so nice to me that day that it made me realize I could no longer bear the crap Jack was putting me through. I think you made me realize what I was missing and what I needed.”

  “You were also what I needed,” Ben said.

  Liz’s heart swelled. She was loving and loving him more each day.

  “Shall we ask the best man to say a few words,” the emcee said, bringing Liz’s mind back to the present. They were already at the dessert course by then, which everyone was enjoying with champagne.

  Ben squeezed her hand and walked to the small stage. He took the microphone, and scanned the crowd until his gaze stopped at Alex and Kayla who were seated at their own table.

  “I’m not used to speaking in front of these many people -- that’s Alex’s job,” Ben said, as the people chuckled. “But today is Alex’s and Kayla’s night so I guess we can give him a break.”

  “So I’ll keep this short and sweet. Everyone here knows that Alex isn’t just a pretty face,” Ben continued, resulting to laughter from the crowd. “Alex and I have been through a lot. Growing up with him, I know that Alex has a big heart, which he may have buried for a while. But Kayla walks into his life and brought out the best Alex could be. I couldn’t ask for a better woman for my best friend.”