Ready-Made Family (13 page)

H
aggard, Ben pulled into the B and B in the wee morning hours. Debated whether to expend energy to go inside and catch a catnap or stay in his car and snooze. Opting to drag himself in, Ben set his alarm to screech in two hours. Sleep. A fleeting, overrated luxury. The sun was already hovering above the horizon.

He pulled his shades, glad to see Amelia had done the same. Maybe he’d ask them out to breakfast in the morning before his team meeting. Then he’d call Hutton. See how he was doing.

He should check on his dad now, though. He dialed. His mom picked up.

“How’s Hutton?”

“Sleeping.”

“How was he when I left?”

“Better. Hopefully just got homesick. Give him time, Ben. And give yourself time…and grace. Okay?”

“How’s Dad?”

“I’m concerned. He didn’t look good. And you know how he never wants me to drive alone, much less six hours at night.”

“He musta felt bad. He never even liked you walking to the end of the driveway in daylight to get the paper by yourself.”

She laughed. “True. I wish he’d felt well enough to come. You could have been a better judge, medically.”

“Any other symptoms?”

“He complained of pain in his neck radiating to his jaw. And yesterday, he napped all day. This morning, he’s back on the golf course, though.”

Ben knew his dad’s history of high cholesterol and high blood pressure. “Still, he needs to see a doctor pronto.”

“I begged him to seek medical attention.”

“He won’t?”

“Not unless it gets worse.”

Worse could put him in a grave. “Mom, urge him to go see a doctor.”

“I doubt he’ll go, Ben. I’ll take him to the ER if his symptoms return.”

“No, don’t attempt to drive him. Call 911 and wait for an ambulance.”

“Now you’re scaring me, Benjamin.”

“Heart disease is nothing to sneeze at, Mom. If that’s what this is, he doesn’t need to take any chances. Most people having a heart attack deny it to themselves. It’s better for him to go to the hospital a hundred times when he doesn’t need to than not go the one time he does.”

“I’ll try. But you know how stubborn he can be.”

“I also know how dead he can be if this is heart-related. Tell him what he always told me growing up regarding choices. There’s a difference between stubborn and stupid.”

“It’s probably just heartburn. But I’ll do my best to get him to go to the doctor. So, any progress on the girl front?”

“Oh, sure, Mom. Change the subject.”

She laughed. “I really want to know.”

He thought of Amelia.

“So do I. Fact is I met a girl I like and we’re becoming
better friends. I should probably jet. I need to grab some winks before taking her to breakfast.” He yawned.

“Oh! Do tell me more?”

“When there’s more to tell, I will.”

“It’s just, I want to be a grandma. I can’t wait to hold one of your fuzzy-headed babies in my arms.”

“Believe me, Ma. No one wants to hold a baby I made more than me. The girl I like, she already has one child from a previous relationship. But you know I’m a Christian now, and want the wedding ring to come before the teething ring.”

“Will her old relationship be a problem if things progress?”

“No way. Guy’s out of their life for good.”

“I want to hear more about this special girl, Benjamin.”

He laughed. “Oh, almost forgot…I might have found Hutton a potential job.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“Dishwasher at the B and B where I’m staying. They have a Help Wanted sign on the dining hall door. I inquired about it with the manager. Told him about Hutton and mentioned him working in your bakery.”

“Did he sound interested?”

“Yeah. Said they might have to modify his duties, but would have no reservations hiring someone with a disability.”

“Did you put an application in for him?”

“Yeah. She’s gonna leave the sign up a few more weeks, then start interviews.”

“How many employees are they hiring?”

“Only one.”

“Have quite a few applied?”

“Not really. So he has a decent shot at the job. I told him about it, thinking that would endear him to Refuge.”

“Did he sound excited?”

“Very. He’s already practicing for his interview.”

“I hope he doesn’t get disappointed.”

“Me, too.” Ben yawned. “Okay, Mom, I’m off.”

Ben hung up worried about his dad. Hopefully Mom was right. This was just heartburn. And hopefully, he hadn’t gotten Hutton’s hopes up about the job for nothing.

Hopefully.

“Mommy, someone’s here!” Reece called from the living room.

Amelia shut off the hair dryer provided in the bathroom. She moved into the living room. “Thought I heard a knock.” She peeked out the curtains. Her heart did a little flip at the sight of Ben waiting at her door.

Giving her still-damp hair several pats to tame down flyaways, Amelia turned the dead bolt and opened the door.

Ben smiled sheepishly. “Hey.”

“Hey. Come on in.” Amelia stepped aside. “I heard you pull back in a couple hours ago.”

Mustn’t have fazed him. Not only did he not acknowledge the statement, his expression remained neutral as he stepped over the threshold. So much for fishing. How could the man look so chipper after so little sleep?

“Coffee?”

He turned a chair around and straddled it. “You already have some made?”

“No, but Miss Evie must have stocked cabinets before we got here because there are filters and an unopened coffee canister.”

“Sounds like Miss Evie. Don’t fuss with the coffee. I wanted to take you and Reece to breakfast here at the B and B.”

“They have omelets?”

“Dozen different kinds. All of them to die for.”

“Eggs cooked in bacon grease?” She arched a brow.

He arched back. “If you ask.”

Amelia walked toward the first bedroom. “Reece, where’d you go? Ben’s here.”

She emerged. Amelia and Ben laughed. She already had on her princess tiara and the rhinestone movie-star sunglasses he’d bought her. Strings trailed her shoes when she walked.

“Heads up, princess. Don’t trip.”

“Can you help me tie them?” She plopped at Ben’s feet and extended her legs.

“Sure.” Ben knelt and took the shoestrings in his hand. “How are you today?”

“Fine. And I cannot possibility tie my own shoes, ya know.”

Ben chuckled, probably at her misuse of the word. “That right?”

Reece nodded. “Yup. Because princesses don’t have to tie their own shoes if they don’t want to.”

Amelia elevated her voice. “Uh, excuse me, little princess. Queen Diva decrees you must learn to tie your shoes.”

“Your mother’s right. If you don’t practice, you’ll never get it down,” Ben said to Reece.

Sitting to put her socks on, Amelia faced Ben. “She’s used to shoes with Velcro. I admit I’m not adept with teaching how to tie shoes. Plus I’m left-handed and she’s not.”

“I noticed that about you.” Ben looked up and absorbed Amelia’s gaze long enough for her cheeks to start boiling.

“I—I’ll just get my purse.” She stood, scurried into her room. Then remembered. She smacked her forehead and laughed.

Her purse wasn’t on the dresser but in the front closet by the door. Stalling, she sat on her bed and caught sight of herself in the mirror. Wished she had some makeup to put on.

Makeup had been among the first nonessentials to go when things got tough financially. Amelia remembered a time when she wouldn’t dare leave the house without lipstick or blush.

Tiptoeing to the bathroom, she scrunched curls in her hair and unplugged the hair dryer. She reentered the living room and slid past Ben, hoping he wouldn’t notice her pulling her purse from the closet.

Strap slung over her shoulder, she turned. Frozen a moment in time, her eyes and heart caught in a wondrous web of watching Ben interact with Reece. A flash of her own dad teaching her to tie shoes at Reece’s age backed Amelia into a bar stool. She sat.

Ben’s large hands guided Reece’s small ones in crossing two strings and curving one over the other and looping it through the hole. “Now, pull this tight and the bunny’s mouth closes.”

Reece giggled as their conjoined hands tugged strings taut.

Ben pressed Reece’s finger over the tiny knot, preventing strings from loosening. “Next, hold your finger over the button nose. Then make a lop-ear with this big loop. Then make the second bunny ear and bend it so the bunny runs through the burrow hole. The other chases it around and pull tight.”

With slightly uncoordinated movements, Reece followed his instructions until a disheveled bow formed. “I did it, Mommy!” Reece surged to her feet and pranced over. Her lifted shoe proudly displayed a delightfully crooked bow that matched Ben’s grin as he met and captured Amelia’s gaze over Reece’s head.

“You did!” Amelia agreed with her daughter.

Why did it twist and loop her insides out just like that bow to have him look at her that way? Not to mention how his interaction with Reece resurrected Amelia’s dreams for her daughter to have a dad who cared. She wanted it for Reece even more than she wanted it for herself.

Just shy of fawning over Ben, she broke the gaze but knew he didn’t. Heat from it dried her throat. Not sensual, but one that bored as if searching for something.

What?

Confirmation of a connection?

Evidence of attraction?

Invitation for progression?

All of the above.

Amelia’s mind raced to regain where they were before the serendipitous exchange.

She rumpled the top of Reece’s hair and bent to study her shoestring bow. “It’s perfect!” she fibbed. “Are we ready to go? Mommy is actually hungry this morning.”

Ben opened his mouth then shut it. Amelia laughed.

“What?”

“I could tell you started to say something then stopped.”

His only answer was a grin.

“Smart man. Had you brought up my food faux pas again, I might have had to leave your body for the trail buzzards.”

He moved past her.

She enjoyed the scent of his woodsy, manly cologne. More than she should for someone who’d supposedly harbored caution from the wind.

Reece dived at him. “Thank you, Mr. Ben, for teaching me how to tie my shoes.” She squeezed his knees.

“No problem, princess. Where’s Bearby?”

“Right here.” Reece turned a half circle and wiggled her backpack. Bearby’s nose peeked above the opening.

Ben motioned toward the door. “All-righty then. Let’s
hasta
lapasta.”

Reece giggled. “
La vista,
silly. Mr. Ben, why do your eyes look like posh trophies?”

“Apostrophes,” Amelia amended, cheeks burning. “He’s Asian, sweetie.”

“Part Asian,” Ben corrected. “My mother’s Taiwanese and my father’s Caucasian.”

They walked around the building and entered the dining hall.

“Mommy, I miss Shasta.” Reece’s smile waned.

Ben looked at Amelia as they entered the buffet line.

She drew a breath. “My parents have a dog. He’s part Husky. He used to be mine. Ours.” She cleared the lump from
her throat. She could barely afford food for her daughter. It would have been utterly irrational to keep the dog.

“Reece was so upset when I told her we’d have to give him away, so my parents took him in.” Amelia laughed. “My dad hates dogs, and Shasta jumps in Dad’s lap every chance he gets.” She blinked back tears and distracted herself by filling her and Reece’s plates. “We moved back in with them when things got hard. But then Dad and I clashed even worse. I couldn’t afford to bring the dog.”

“Even though things are strained with your parents, you miss them, don’t you?” Ben said as they settled into a booth.

She’d been doing great holding her emotions at bay until those words left Ben’s lips, and the softness with which he spoke. She finally figured out why she equated his voice with velvet. Words came out plush and thick with the most considerate layer of kindness she’d ever encountered in another human voice.

Realizing Ben still waited for an answer, she drew a sustaining breath. “Yes. Because, though they’re not perfect, they’re mine. They’re all I have.” Her voice strained. She eyed the drink menu. Didn’t see a word. All she could see in that moment was what she’d lost. What one wrong choice had cost.

She missed her dog. She missed her mom. She even missed her cantankerous dad.

At least she still had Reece. And she meant to keep it so. If Ben had been placed in her life for no other reason than to teach her that her parents were the ones making wrong choices, it was worth it. Still, she hoped it could mean more.