I don’t want to leave. Not Star Falls. Not this condo. Even more than that, I don’t want to leave him.
I close my eyes as he strokes my hair and murmurs a question. “Were you going to tell me that Mags sent you her résumé?” he asks.
My eyes fly open, and I look up at him. “No,” I say sincerely. “Benny, I would not have told you. Her career goals and job search are her private business. I wouldn’t have gotten involved in whatever business you two need to sort out. But I also had no intention of hiring her. I wouldn’t steal your most valuable employee from you.”
“Not stealing.” He wraps his arms around me, and I reluctantly settle back against his chest. “It’s not stealing if she wants to leave, Willow.” He doesn’t sound angry, only resigned. “I’m hurt. Angry, maybe. She told me she sent her résumé over to you. I guess she even filled out the grant application partly to impress you with her skills.”
I sigh. “So, she talked to you? Was that yesterday? Your shit day?”
“We talked, all right.” He sounds so subdued. Defeated. Sort of like how I feel. “I wouldn’t blame you if you did want to hire her,” he tells me. “She’s been amazing for the last six years. But lately, things have been rough. I wouldn’t hold that against her, though. Things end, and not usually great things. I’d give her a good reference. I’ll do it right now if you want.”
I again pull out of his hold and shake my head. “Benny, I don’t want to hire Mags.”
I don’t want to admit to him that I can’t. I won’t have a restaurant at all—no staff, no kitchen, no contractors. Everything I have worked for is about to go up in smoke. But I am not ready to talk about it. Not until it’s official. Maybe there’s a tiny part of me holding out some hope that there is some other way.
“But,” I tell him, “if I did have an interest in hiring her, I would talk to you about it before I made a move.”
I meet his eyes, and I know he believes me. His shoulders soften and he nods. “Come on,” he says. “Let’s shower. I have a plan for us.”
“A plan?” We didn’t make plans, other than to spend the day together. “What kind of plan?”
He kisses me softly. “You’ll see. You up for a little adventure today?”
I sigh into his kiss and nod. “Yeah, I am.”
While I make coffee and shower, Benny goes home, showers, and gets dressed. I email Alex and Theresa that I’m going to be out of the office handling some personal business until early afternoon, but that I’ll be available this afternoon. I assume Benny has to work later, and thankfully, I don’t have any meetings or emails that can’t wait until later.
Once he’s back, we eat a quiet breakfast, the strain of our separate stresses keeping us both quiet. After we eat, he tells me to wear comfy shoes and a warm coat, so I dress for the late November weather, and we head out.
“So,” I ask as he pulls out of the parking garage. “What are we doing?”
He reaches across the center console and takes my hand. “A little tour of Star Falls. You’ve mostly seen the inside of my bedroom, but I’d like to show you some more of the fine small town you’re going to call home for at least the next few months.”
My stomach churns, the delicious breakfast and coffee not at all happy with this plan. “Benny, I…” But I don’t know what to say. If I tell him that I’m leaving, that Star Falls won’t be my home, then what? We go back to my place and break up now?
I don’t want that. In fact, I don’t want that even more than I don’t want to take a tour of Star Falls. So instead, I lace my fingers tightly through his. “I’d like that,” I say.
At least what I’m saying is the truth, even if it’s not the whole truth.
We drive through a lovely-looking neighborhood.The houses are on the small side, a mixture of brick and siding. But they are, for the most part, comfortable and well-maintained, only a few here and there showing signs of neglect and wear. Even though fall has blown the leaves from the trees and most of the flowering plants have gone dormant, the neighborhood feels safe and homey.
There are minivans and pickup trucks parked on the street, and most of the homes don’t have fences. I see plenty of swing sets and above-ground backyard pools. This is definitelya place where people raise families. Host holidays. I wonder how crowded the streets are with bikes and baby strollers in the summer.
Finally, Benny pulls to a stop and parks the SUV on the street.
“Where are we?” I ask.
He turns to me, the hint of a smile finally warming his face. “This is my childhood home. Where I grew up.”
I cock my chin at him in confusion. “Your childhood home? Your parents’ house? Are they home?”
He shrugs. “Possibly. I don’t know. Maybe. It’s early, so probably.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Benny, are you trying to introduce me to your parents? Is that…”
I stop myself because it can’t be.
First of all, I’m wearing yoga pants and running shoes. My hair is in a bun. I don’t have cookies or wine or flowers. I mean, it’s been years since I met anyone’s parents in a dating-type situation. I don’t date like most people. I don’t stick around long enough for most guys I hook up with to want this.
