Twice in a Lifetime (Love Found) (7 page)

“Beer, thanks. Then bring your cute little ass in here and sit with me. I’m lonely.”

She grinned at him over her shoulder as she ducked back into the kitchen. The refrigerator opened, then slammed shut the way it did when she kicked it with her hip.

The bottles clinked as she set them on the coffee table. “Don’t whine.” She climbed onto the sofa and snuggled into him with her knees drawn to her chest. “You’re a college graduate now, that means you’re officially a grown up. Be charming.” She leaned into him and nibbled the corner of his mouth, flirty little kisses that any other day would rev him up fast.

She leaned closer to deepen the kiss, but he backed away with a small smile. He let the smile bloom on his face as he smoothed her curls with the back of his hand. She was so damn beautiful. The song changed in the background, something soft and sensual. His hand lingered on the back of her neck, rubbing slowly. “I love you, Allie.”

He released her nape, took both of her hands in his and smiled into eyes which were sparkling. I’ve been a jerk. I should have told you a long time ago, but I was scared. I thought I wasn’t ready.” And now he wanted to shout it out loud until the neighbors called the cops.

She shifted to face him fully, kneeling beside him on the cushion. Her lips curved slowly until she was grinning with her hands cradling his jaw. “I’m glad you’re ready now, because I love you too.”

She loved him. He let his eyes slide shut as he hauled her into his arms and squeezed. His heart expanded in his chest. He was torn between laughing in relief and crying in thanks. Eyelashes winged across his brow as butterfly kisses tickled his eyelids.

“Are you still scared?”

His eyelids flicked open and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Show time
. “No, babe. I’m not scared anymore. Not of loving you.” He paused a beat, tightened his arms around her, before he released her and hauled in a breath. “Of losing you, of not having you in my life—that scares the shit out of me.”

Allie blinked sharply, and he allowed his smile to grow as his eyes searched her face. He rifled through his jacket, pulled a blue cardboard package from a pocket and proceeded to remove the lid. “Marry me, Allie.”

At her gasp his smile faltered and his heart slammed against his ribs. He held out the small velvet box, sitting expectantly in one hand.

“I can’t imagine a day without you, babe—your joy, your sweetness. His free hand reclaimed her face, his thumb sweeping the dusting of freckles over her cheek. Your curls, your dimple.” His smile widened, the tension gone as her smile bloomed, his fingers threading through her hair, watching her eyes brighten and her dimple emerge.

“My life began when I met you, and I want to continue it with you.” He popped opened the hinge, showed her the contents and smiled at her gasp. “To make a family with you. To make plans for the future. To grow old with you.

“I promise I’ll always be here for you, I’ll make you happy. Please Allie, say you’ll marry me.”

Tears welled in the corner of her eyes, then overflowed as Ben plucked the ring from the box. Wearing a soggy grin she nodded, then cupped one hand on either side of his face, raining kisses on him.

“It was my mom’s.” He took her left hand in his and brought it to his lips. Kissed each of her knuckles and then slipped the ring on.

The nerves he’d fought only minutes ago were back and they brought friends. The fierce hammer of his heartbeat, the passionate song of blood roaring through his system had his head swimming.

She lifted her left hand, laid it back on his cheek and his breathing steadied. He let her pull him close and rejoiced as she murmured into his ear.

“That was absolutely… charming.”

Jake peeled himself away from the blonde clinging to him like ivy—Bambi, she said her name was—and stepped away from the littered hi-top to answer the jangling ring of his new cellular phone.

“Hey, Jake, it’s me.”

“You ready to join the party or what?” His gaze wandered back to his table. Bambi openly scanned the room, hunting new prey with hopeful eyes. Nope, definitely not a keeper.

“Not tonight, man. Me and Allie, we’ve got our own party going on.”

Through the line he could hear it - Ben was in a good mood about something.

“Yeah, what you guys up to?”

“Making plans for the future. Her parents are on board. My dad knows all about it and he’s thrilled. That just leaves you.”

In the background Allie was talking, too. Something about inviting Jake to dinner. He would show, sure. But why did they have to ask now? “What’s the big deal, B?”

Jake waited a beat and then heard the grin in Ben’s voice. “It’s just… hey buddy, I need to call in a favor.”

Jake smiled in satisfaction as Bambi left his table, lurched to the dance floor and latched on to some sucker as drunk as she was. “Oh yeah, what now? You can’t borrow my truck.” Although the way his night was headed, he’d be riding home in a cab. He cast an eye over the crowded bar, landed on long copper curls and his heart stopped just long enough that he almost missed Ben’s next comment.

“No, I don’t need your truck. I just need
your
sorry ass. I want you to be my best man.”

With a hand that suddenly felt weak, Jake held the phone against his ear, and his heart plummeted.

“Jake, you there? I’m getting married. Are you surprised?”

Surprised? No, not surprised. Shocked. That almost covered it. And envious. What kind of dick did that make him? What could he possibly say?

But Ben was waiting for something—anything. And he’d better somehow manage to sound happy. “Of course I will, Ben. Congratulations, to both of you.”

“Good, because you promised me anything.”

Ben laughed, but Jake could only manage a strangled chuckle.

“Besides, you got me into this.”

Right. He finished his conversation, said goodbye and clicked off. Shoved his cell phone into a pocket as he stood in the middle of the teeming club, the graduation weekend crowd crushing him.

“Shit.”

Ben sat behind a second-hand card table, their living room transformed into a makeshift office. So far the summer was a whirlwind of activity. He tilted the folding chair back on two legs and idly followed a crack in the ceiling, his mind stuck on replay. The things a sleep-tousled Allie did to him in her bed just hours ago—hell, the things he did to her—wreaked havoc on his concentration. Good thing they decided to establish the temporary office at their apartment instead of hers. Fewer distractions. He smiled in private amusement. They were already making good business decisions.

“Your dad is making good progress on all the paperwork—corporate papers and tax licenses, shit like that.”

He dragged his perpetually horny ass back into the conversation—Jake was probably talking about something important.

“But digs are a little cramped here. We need a place to set up shop.”

“I’ve been looking at locations with the realtor for two weeks now.” His reminder was accompanied by a slow nod. “We’ve found a couple that would probably work. I have another appointment day after tomorrow. We’ll find something soon.”

Two days later he slammed into the apartment late in the afternoon, a legal-sized folder in his hand, a grin overtaking his face. “I think I found it.”

Jake turned to him with a raised eyebrow. “It?”

“An office, dumbass. You want to see?” He waved the manila folder like a victory flag. “I have the lease right here.”

Jake took the folder from him. “More good news—he held up his hand for a high five—the Peterson job came through.”

Ben slapped his hand and grinned again. “’Bout time you did something around here.” He paced the room while Jake studied the paperwork—reviewing each and every damn clause of the three year lease like the girl he was.

Ben piled out of Jake’s old truck at the proposed office site and examined the area—the building that would house their fledgling company, the yard surrounded by chain link to store building materials and equipment. They walked off dimensions, jotted down notes.

“Yeah, this will do.” A satisfied smile lit Jake’s eyes and Ben suffered a solid whack to the middle of his shoulder blades.

The whack he returned gave him his own satisfaction. “Then let’s go celebrate.”

He held open the sturdy wooden door for Jake and followed him into the franchise steak house, gave his name to the teenage girl behind the podium. Several minutes later he and Jake followed her to a table in the middle of the room.

“How’s Allie?”

He winked. “Oh, she’s good. Really good.”

Jake’s eyes skimmed the room, then fell back on him with a semblance of a grin. “Not only are you a prick, but you’re a smug prick. You’re whipped and you know it.”

He opened his mouth to argue, then widened his eyes and chuckled instead. “I called her to meet us here.”

Jake’s grin died as his eyes bored into Ben. “Take good care of that girl. She’s special.”

“What? You my big brother now?”

“Nope. But you hurt her, I’m gonna kick the shit out of you.”

“Message received. Now fuck off.” He glanced around the room, spied Allie heading their way. Perfect timing. He stood, kissed her cheek as she arrived, held out her chair.

“Whipped.” Jake mouthed the word from across the table.

“Thanks for inviting me.” A waitress lowered her tray and set two tall glasses of iced tea on the table. She ordered one for herself, then picked up Ben’s and drank thirstily.

“So, Allie. Wedding plans, huh?”

Ben snorted. “Please. Don’t get her started.”

“Like I give a skinny rat’s ass what you want.” Jake sneered playfully and turned back to the girl seated across the table.

Allie laughed, her hand engulfed in Ben’s wide palm on the table. “I haven’t really done anything yet. Kindergarten is over next week, then I can concentrate on wedding plans. We did decide to have the ceremony at my parents’ church in Scottsdale, though. In the early evening.”

Ben turned his gaze on Jake. “We done yet, Martha Stewart? We’re borrowing Will’s boat this Saturday, do some skiing. Want to come along?”

“Burgers, beer and Allie in a skimpy little two-piece? Hell yeah, I’m in.”

Jake just laughed at his hard look. Maybe they should talk about weddings after all.

She had less than three months until their wedding date and a suitable place for a reception was proving hard to come by. Allie picked up the remote and turned off the news. “Ben, what do you think about this place?” She waved a fist full of brochures, collected from the possible venues she toured. “Reese and I checked it out today and it might do. They have a pretty patio in back.”

Ben ignored the pamphlet. “Allie, it’ll still be over a hundred degrees even at six o’clock. Do you really think outdoors is an option?”

They were planning their wedding for the middle of August because neither of them could wait longer than that. And she wanted to write
Mrs. Tate
on the blackboard the first day of school.

She held up another brochure. “I know it’s late, I know you’re tired. But pay attention. What about this place?”