His response doesn’t answer any of the burning questions I have. “Did it get to be too much?”
He thinks for a moment while staring at my wall. “Not really, but when you’re overseas for such long periods you see a lot of buddies come and go. All the guys around me moved on with their lives, married, families. I had responsibilities, and people needed me back in the states. So here I am.”
“Did you grow up in Pelican Bay?” I ask because I can’t stop myself. I need to know more about Bennett. Everything.
This time Bennett full out laughs as he pushes off the counter, a muscle bulging when he grips the edge. Not that I notice or anything. “Here? No. Mom raised us outside Orlando.”
“Oh! Did you go to Disney often?” I always wanted to go to Disney in California, but my family didn’t have the extra money.
“No, remember, single mother. No help.”
My expression falls. “Sorry. I never went either even though Anaheim, California, was a drivable distance.” A fact I pointed out often.
“I came to Pelican Bay because Ridge talked endlessly during his last year of service about moving back to his hometown and starting a security firm. He had all these grand plans and spoke so fondly of the place and what a great area it was to grow up in. I stopped by to see him after I got out and haven’t left.”
“Even after you were beat up saving Tabitha?”
Bennett grimaces. “I did not get beat up.
“I don’t think anyone blames you.” While the experience was traumatic for Tabitha, I’ve never once heard her say a bad word about Bennett.
“She doesn’t need to. I do.”
“Well you should stop. Tabitha would be pissed if she knew you were upset.”
Bennett turns, his gaze leveled in my direction. “I will not make the same mistakes with you.”
For a moment his words stall my breath. There’s a chance I’ll end up like Tabitha? Beat up and in the hospital? There are no crazy ex-boyfriends in my past, but now images of Kevin pop up in my head. I’ve never seen him but in my vision he has a large fat head with two devil horns sticking out the sides. He could easily become the stuff of nightmares.
“Don’t freak out. You’re safe,” Bennett murmurs, his hand in the air like he wants to come for me but isn’t sure. My insides freeze expectantly, but he doesn’t budge. “Why did you end up in Pelican Bay?”
Now I’m the one who sighs. “My story is the complete opposite. Happily married parents with the whole two-point-five kids and a white picket fence.”
“It sounds perfect.”
“Many situations look perfect from the outside. But when you get closer, the glass is all smudged and the truth comes out. My mom’s biggest dream for all of us was to get married and have kids. In her opinion it’s wrong to want more than a husband to look after you.”
“I take it moving to the East coast and opening a bakery was not an approved plan?”
I snort. “She told me the guest room is always available when I come to my senses and decide to marry a nice local boy.” I use air quotes around “local boy” because I hadn’t found any of those before I left, but that wouldn’t matter to her. She pushed my brother into marrying the neighbor girl he had a play wedding with in preschool. “Worst case scenario I could go to college and get a degree in an acceptable field.”
“Doctor, lawyer, maybe an accountant?” Bennett ticks most of my mother’s list off on his fingers while I nod at each. “Yes.” He bites the side of his lips. “You’re definitely not an accountant.”
“Accountants aren’t allowed so much color.” It wouldn’t be me if it wasn’t pink. “I enrolled in the business program at the local community college to keep her happy but quickly flunked out. I had more fun working my part-time job at this little diner in town. It was full of truckers and other riffraff. A rather tough crowd, but I loved it.”
“So you left the truckers, moved to Pelican Bay, and painted everything pink to get back at your parents?”
“No.” Nothing in life is so simple. “I wanted to strike out on my own. See what I could do without their help.” Granted I probably didn’t need to move across the country. “I could have stayed local, but the rent here was cheap. I jumped on the chance when my realtor mentioned it in passing.”
“Yes, now we know why the rent was so cheap. I’m starting to believe all the crap Katy spouts off about Pierce.”
“She definitely doesn’t —” The bell stationed above the bakery entrance rings, reminding me Pearl is here and there’s a business to run. “Be right back.”
Even though I’m perfectly capable of running the front end by myself, for some reason Bennett follows hot on my tail. I make it to the double swinging doors with him right behind me, but his steps are waylaid with the ringing from his back pocket.
“Did someone come in?” I ask Pearl at the front counter after seeing she’s the only one in the store. I hope I didn’t miss a customer while standing in the back talking. I need every $1 cookie sale I can get.
“No, just Mr. Ashwood stopping in to wave like he’s worried I forgot he’s still alive.” She laughs about her husband, but the two of them are adorable.
