Glow (22 page)

“I'm not worried about it,” he smiled at me again.

 

After about eight minutes of small talk I went outside and waited for this guy
to come get his phone.

As if right on cue I saw a yellow cab pull up on the other side of the corner
with two guys in the back seat. The first guy to get out is none other than my
brother; Ethan.

“Ethan?” I said aloud.

 

“Nessy,” he furrowed his brows. “What are you doing here?”

 

“I'm on a date, and I have this guys phone from my rental car,” I held the
phone up for him to see it.

 

“Oh, shit,” he sighed, closing his eyes tightly.

 

“What's the matter with you?” I asked as I took a few steps closer to the cab.

He just nodded with his lips pursed as he took a step out of the way. I
watched the door and felt my breath catch in my throat as Ben got out of the
cab.

Oh, my God...
I have had Ben's car for the last few days. I had been missing
him so much and I had a piece of him with me the entire time.

 

Ben looked over at Ethan before looking at me. “Is she here dude?” He
asked.

 

Ethan nodded again. “Yup, she sure is,” my brother grabbed Ben by the
shoulders and turned him around.

 

Ben's eyes went wide as he stared at me. “Vanessa?”
“Surprise... I guess,” I said smirking nervously as I held his phone up.
Chapter Twelve: Leave Him Hangin'
Ben's POV

 

Surprise? You have got to be shitting me. Vanessa is the one who ended up
with my car
and
my cell phone?

“You?” I managed to say in utter disbelief as I stood there staring at the most
beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on. She looked immaculate in a light
pink strapless dress and heels with her hair up. I could see the diamonds in
her ears glistening under the lights of the Vincenzo's sign.

“Do you believe in fate, you sappy bastard?” Ethan whispered from next to
me.

 

I nodded utterly stunned. “I do now,”

 

“Yeah, me.” Vanessa answered so quietly it was almost a whisper. She then
smiled sheepishly.

 

“Well, I have to get going home,” Ethan pat me on the back squeezing behind
me to get into the cab.

 

“Love you, Nessy,” he smiled at Vanessa.

 

“Love you,” she smiled back at Ethan making my heart melt. God, I miss her
smile.

 

I could hear Ethan shut the cabs door behind me, then the cab took off; it's
muffler's grumble becoming distant.

 

“Here's your phone,” she held her hand out without taking any steps closer. I
walked to her still giving us some space and took my phone from her hands.

 

“Thanks,” I stuck it in my pocket not taking my eyes off of her.

 

“You're welcome,” she said sweetly. I could see she was starting to blush.

“I'm glad you were the one with my phone,” I stared into her eyes. “Because
in about two hours I leave for Chicago, and to be honest with you I didn't
want to leave without saying goodbye,”

“What?” her eyes were so sad. More than anything I wanted to pull her to me
and make her sadness go away. But I couldn't.

 

“Why, Ben?”

 

“Vanessa, I have ruined so many things here in New York and I never meant
to hurt you, princess,” I took two steps filling the space that was between us.

 

She nodded. “I know. You don't have to go,” she smiled.

 

“Yes, I do. I will never forget the fun times I had with you this last week and
I will never forgive myself for hurting you the way that I have.”

 

I leaned forward. “I love you,” I whispered against her forehead before
placing a soft kiss.

 

“I-uh,” she paused, her voice shaky. She was about to cry. I didn't say
anything to her as I wanted to give her time to get control of herself.

 

Her eyes then filled with tears. “I miss you, Ben, so much,” she cried.

 

I grabbed her in my arms and hugged her tightly against my chest. I felt as
though I could cry, but I didn't.

 

“Please, don't go,” she sobbed. “I know I said things that I shouldn't have and
I should have stayed and let you explain yourself the other night,”
“Vanessa?” I heard a man's voice from behind me.

 

I turned around to come face to face with none other than Dr. Love. Are you
serious?

 

“Are you on a date, Vanessa?” My heart was crushed. I looked back at her.

 

“Are you?” I swallowed hard.

 

“Y-yeah,” she stuttered. “Please don't be mad. I'm trying, Ben. I am trying so
hard to forget about you but I can't,”

 

“Vanessa, are you coming?” I could hear the impatience in his voice.

 

I turned around quickly. “Just give her a minute,” I said sternly holding my
hand up as a warning. He nodded then took a few steps back.

 

“Do you like him?” I whispered. I had a feeling that I didn't want to know the
answer to my question. I was now finding it harder to hold back the tears.

 

She shook her head. “No,” she laughed.

 

I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Let's go,” I nodded down the street.

 

Her eyes went wide. “What?! That would be so rude to just leave him
standing here,” she whispered.

 

“I don't care... who cares?” I shrug squeezing her hand tightly again. “I want
time with you, I want to talk about everything.” I took a step closer.

 

“I want you,” I whispered against her lips.

 

“Okay,” she whispered back.

“Really?” I grinned like an idiot.
“Really,” she closed her eyes tightly before taking her heels off and held
them in her hand.

“Let's go,” I pulled on her arm.

 

“Vanessa, where are you going?” Dr. Love yelled after us as we ran down the
sidewalk.

 

“Who the hell cares!” Vanessa yelled back. We laughed for the few blocks
that we ran.

 

“Stop, stop,” she was out of breath.

 

I was out of breath too but still laughing hysterically. “Did you see his face?
Oh my God that was so funny,”

 

“Yeah,” she laughed holding onto her side. “That felt so good!” she breathed.

 

“Right?” I bent over trying to catch my breath and I couldn't help but stare at
her.

 

“What?” she smiled.

 

“Let's go to your house, let's go talk,” I suggested.

 

Vanessa's smile widened. It was a God send to see her smile like that again.

 

“I would like that,”

 

“How far are we from your house?” I asked her.

 

“Not too far, I walked to the restaurant,” she grabbed my hand, holding it
tightly.

 

As we walked down the street Ethan's words had echoed in my mind. I
looked over at Vanessa.

 

I just had to ask, “Do you believe in fate?”

 

She just shrugged and never answered. I didn't care as she was now with me
again and we were going to talk.

 

We got to her house about ten minutes later. I stood patiently behind her as
she unlocked her door.

 

“Home sweet home,” she sighed, tossing the keys onto the counter.

 

I watched her with a smile on my face as she looked at the bottom of her feet.

 

“Seven-eleven feet!” she stuck her foot up in the air and showed me her black
feet laughing hysterically.

 

“I have an idea,” I waggled my brows.

 

“What?” she looked at me skeptically.

She shrieked as I rushed to her. I lifted her up then draped her over my
shoulder. She was laughing hysterically as I took her to the bathroom. I set
her up onto the side of her garden tub letting her legs dangle into the bathtub.

“Are you going to wash my feet?” she eyed me.

 

“I am,” I winked at her as I started the water.

“Oooh,” she giggled wiggling her toes. She laughed, sticking the bottoms of
her feet near my face. I grabbed one of them and kissed the top of her foot
then placed it in the warm water.

“So nice,” she sighed, making my insides grow with warmth.

 

I watched Vanessa as she closed her eyes as I started to wash them. I
massaged the soap from her toes up to her calves.

 

“So tell me about the other night,” she said quietly as I massaged.

“Well, Belinda and I, we were hanging out watching a movie and I couldn't
stop thinking about you so I kicked her out.” I laughed slightly. “Maria called
me about Jordan taking you to Swingers as Belinda was pounding on my
door. I freaked out wanting to kill Jordan and ran out of my house yelling at
Belinda to go home. Apparently she didn't get the hint. She waited until I got
home later and when I walked in the door she was on my couch exactly the
way you had seen her; half naked,” I shuddered. “I told her that I was in love
with you, that her being in my house the way she was felt wrong. I was
shoving her out the door when you were walking up my walkway,”

“Oh,” she mumbled. “Bad timing I guess?” she smirked.

 

“Yeah,” I chuckled, rinsing off one of her legs.

 

“How did the date with Dr. Love happen?” I asked rinsing off her other leg.

“I was at my office and in came Maria with this huge-elaborate bouquet of
red roses.” she huffed as she shook her head. “There was a part of me that
was hoping they were from you, but they were from Chase,” she frowned.

“I should have sent them to you,” I kissed the top of her foot again. “ I just
didn't want to cause anymore problems for you, princess,”

The look on her face was that of understanding and thoughtfulness. “I was
tired of crying, hurting, and sick of sleeping at my desk,” she joked. “So I
went out with him,”

“I understand,” I grabbed a towel to dry her feet and legs off. “Did anything...
happen?”

 

“No, nothing happened.” she smiled, shaking her head slowly.
I patted her feet dry. “There, beautiful.”

 

She picked up her legs and looked at her feet. “Pretty,”

 

I reached up moving the bangs from her eyes. “I love you, Nessy.”

 

She looked at me and smiled. “And yes, Ben... I do believe in fate,”

 

~

 

“It's after nine-fifteen, are you going to Chicago?” Vanessa took a sip of her
tea as I massaged lotion onto her feet.

 

“It depends,” I shrugged. As of that moment I was not going anywhere.
Screw Chicago. I was just messing with her.

 

“It depends on what exactly?” she placed the mug of tea on her coffee table.

 

“On if I get lucky tonight,” I waggled my brows. “I can go now or take a later
flight,”

 

Her mouth fell open then she smacked my arm. “You are disgusting,”

I grabbed her by the wrist mid smack then pulled her onto my lap. “It
depends on if I'm lucky enough to hear you tell me that you want me in your
life,”

“Um,” she bit her lip nervously.

“You tell me that you love me and that you want me to stay here,” I placed
my forehead on hers. “And I will stay. I won't go to Chicago.”
I looked into her eyes. “Vanessa,” I whisper. “Tell me how you feel, don't be
scared,”

“Ben, don't go to Chicago,” I could not believe she said that as casually as
she did. Not a stutter, nothing.

“Why not?” I asked her as I touched her cheek softly with my fingertips. I
could see her chest was rising and falling quickly. She was scared to death to
say anything. I placed my hand gently on her chest feeling her heart pumping
fervidly.

“Because I love you,” she started to cry. “Okay? I love you,” she took a deep
and calming breath.

“Seriously?” I sat up excited as all hell. My hands cupped her flushed cheeks
.
“Yes,” she nodded. “I love you,”

I kissed her passionately before quickly pulling away. “Say it again,”

She laughed aloud then composed herself. “I love you, I miss you, I want
you...” Vanessa gripped my shirt. “Don't go to Chicago. Stay here with me,
please. I can't be without you.”

“Hell yes!” I shouted excitedly making her laugh as I stood up fist pumping
the air. That was all I wanted... all I have ever wanted is Vanessa Montello to
tell me the exact words she had just said. And she said them not once, but
twice! Not being able to contain my excitement that was bursting within me,
I ran to her front door.

“Where are you going?” she quickly stood up from the couch.

“To tell the world,” I grabbed the door knob and swung the front door open. I
swung it open so fast that I nearly fell on my ass as it opened. I caught my
step then walked out onto the porch.
“She loves me!” I yelled as loud as I could. “She loves me! I'm not going to
Chicago because she loves me!”

“Buddy, shut the hell up!” I heard a man shout from the distance along with
about a dozen dogs barking from up the street.

 

“Ben,” she laughed then quickly grabbed me by my shirt and pulled me back
into the house.

 

“Oh my God, I love you so much,” I said as I grabbed her, picking her up
then carried her into the bedroom.
Chapter Thirteen: You're Fired
Ben's POV

The last several days with Vanessa has felt as though I was in a dream. I felt
as though my heart was full of helium and I was fucking floating. The sound
of her angelic voice saying the three words 'I love you' echoed in my ears
repeatedly over and over again. Maybe it's because she not only said it those
two times, but she had said it a total of twenty-four times in the last five
days! Can you believe that shit? She had said it while making us coffee,
yelled it from the shower, in the middle of dinner, and obscene amounts of
times during sex- that counts doesn't it? Every time I heard it, I wanted to
shrill like a freaking girl.

I turned my head from the couch and stared at the gorgeous blonde sitting at
the kitchen table typing away on her laptop. She was mine... all mine. I
smiled.

I stood up from the couch and stretched. She paid no attention as her fingers
continued to tap the keys. I took a few steps closer. I watched Vanessa
contentedly stare at the screen; her head tilted- her bangs right at her
perfectly shaped brows, full lips slightly parted, one eyebrow raised. God, I
am so in love with her.