Looking around the diner and still scrambling for something to talk about, Ben asked, “Does all your family work here?Or just the older three of you?”
“This is a true family diner.We all pitch in and help in some way—even Ollie, though he has just started helping on a regular basis.”
“That is so cool,” replied Ben.At that moment, a lull in the conversation felt like a giant hole between them.
After a beat, Ella cleared her throat.“I am enjoying talking to you, but is there something you wanted?I really need to finish prepping for tomorrow.”
Snapping out of whatever trance Ben seemed to have fallen into that sapped his ability to flirt with this gorgeous girl, Ben pulled it together.“Like I said earlier, I came by to invite you to the house to hang out.We’ll have some music and wine.It should be fun.”
Shaking her head, Ella said, “I am not sure.I am not much of a party girl, and I have a lot of prep for tomorrow that I need to do here.”
Thinking the only reason she had declined was she had so much work to do, Ben quickly added, “How about I help?Together we can knock this out in no time.”
Ben looked so gorgeous Ella could not believe what he was offering.As much as she knew she should say no, she just couldn’t.She wanted every second she could get with him, even if it was just standing side by side filling salt shakers.Nodding her head, she softly said, “Okay.”
“Great!What do you want me to do?”Looking around and seeing the salt-and-pepper shakers in front of her, Ben asked, “Want me to take that over while you do something else?”
Ella considered Ben’s offer for a second and said, “Okay, you do the salt-and-pepper shakers.Then, move on to all of the condiment bottles.Under the counter, you will find large boxes of each.You just take off the top and turn the spout.They all need to be completely full.I will start wiping down tables.”
After Ben finished refilling the multitude of glass containers and condiment bottles, he asked, “Now what?”
“Could you put one of each on every table?All I have left is to unload the last load of clean dishes, and I will be done.”
Ben and Ella finished the last of their tasks just as Jorge came out of the back.“Everything is done in the kitchen.What do you need me to do up here?”he asked.He was shocked to see that Ben was still there.
Ella responded, “Nothing.”Giving Ben a smile, she said, “Thanks to Ben, we are all done.”
Jorge gave Ben a look but said nothing.If he was surprised that the guy had been helping, he did not show it.Rather, he smiled and seemed relieved they were done a little earlier than usual.“Good.Let’s get out of here.I have a date.”
It took them only a few minutes to gather up their things, turn off the lights, and exit the building.After locking the door, Jorge looked from his sister to Ben and asked, “You about to head home?”
Ben was trying to think of something to say to persuade Ella to come back to his house with him when she shocked him.
In response to Jorge’s question, she said, “No.Ben has invited me to a party.I think I will go for a little while.See you later at home.”
Giving Ella one of his mega-watt smiles that showed how happy her decision to come back to the house with him made him, Ben reached over and took Ella’s hand in his.
Ella only jumped slightly at Ben’s touch.Knowing her brother was watching them intently, she tried to school her reaction.She did not need to give Jorge any more reasons to dislike Ben or to try and keep her from going with him.
Looking down at where Ben and Ella’s hands were joined and then back up at their faces, Jorge sighed deeply.Giving his sister a hard look, he said, “Okay.Call me if you need me.”He followed up his words by giving Ben a death stare, then walking away.
Ella and Ben watched Jorge disappear around the corner.Letting out a long, low breath, Ben said, “Wow, he is one scary dude.I bet all your dates are terrified of him.”
Ella laughed, “The fact that I am going to a party with you probably threw him a bit.”
Holding Ella’s hand tightly as they walked, Ben said, “So tell me all about yourself.”
“What do you want to know?”asked Ella.Despite her Mensa IQ, she always felt ill-equipped for small talk.
“Everything,” replied Ben.“What you like.What you don’t like.What you want to be when you grow up.What it is like to grow up in Napa.What it is like to have six younger siblings.All of it.Absolutely everything you are willing to tell me.I want to know it all.”
“That is a lot.How about we trade off?I will tell you something about me, then you tell me something about you.”Ella figured that way she would not have to do all the talking.Her cousin Julia had once told her that guys preferred talking about themselves to actually listening.She was about to find out if that was the truth.
“That sounds fair,” said Ben, lifting Ella’s hand to his lips.Turning her wrist over carefully, he placed a soft kiss on the inside of it.
Ella was so startled by the gesture, she almost jerked her hand away, but Ben held it firmly.Tingles rippled through her body.She was almost positive that if she opened her mouth, the tiny effervescent bubbles that she felt flowing up and down her spine whenever Ben was near would surely come floating out.
They walked the short distance from the diner to the guys’ rental house.Ella could hear music coming from inside.Keeping a tight grip on her hand, Ben said, “Stay close to me.I don’t want you getting lost or one of my crazy friends trying to swoop in and take your attention.Tonight, you are all mine.”
