He remained still long after the clouds again blocked the sun, and the warmth faded. Fortunately, the peace remained. He wanted to remember this moment forever.
* * *
During the drive to Scooters,Amy studied Ben out of the corner of her eye. He’d been quiet since they left the cemetery.
There was something different about him. His eyes, that had always been so full of pain, shone with a light she’d never seen there before. The haunted look she’d grown accustomed to was gone, and he looked at peace.
Was this really the same man who had snapped at her this morning?
When they pulled into the parking lot of Scooters, Ben turned off the engine but made no move to get out of the truck.
“Are you okay?” Amy asked. “You’ve been quiet since we left the ranch.”
Ben opened his mouth, then closed it again. He cleared his throat before speaking. “Thank you... for making me go to the cemetery. I needed that.”
“Something happened to you there, didn’t it? Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not right now. Maybe someday.” He removed the keys from the ignition and reached for the door. Amy stopped him with a hand on his arm.
“Are you sure this won’t be too much for you?” She tilted her head toward Scooters. “You’ve faced a lot today, but I don’t want you to... I want it to end on a positive note for you.”
“I’ll let you know if I need to leave.” He opened his door, then smiled at her over his shoulder. “You’re not getting out of line dancing that easily.”
When they entered Scooters, they spotted Robert and Jake sitting at a corner table. They stood at Ben and Amy approached.
“Hey, Amy,” Robert said. “How was your ride today?”
“I had a blast, and I didn’t fall off once.” Her smile turned to a wince as she sat on the hard, wooden chair. “But I think I’m saddle sore.”
Everyone chuckled, including Ben. She loved his smile. He seemed to be in a good mood, so she decided to risk some teasing. She gave Ben a quick wink. “It serves me, right I suppose, for being so pushy.”
“That’s right.” Ben returned her smile. “If it makes you feel any better, I’m sore too.”
“It does.”
Amy caught the glance Robert and Jake exchanged across the table, and she knew Ben saw it too. She couldn’t believe she’d winked at him in front of his cousins, but when he returned her smile, she decided it was worth any teasing she might get. By the look on their faces, they were glad to see Ben smiling too.
“Have you ordered?” Ben asked.
“Yes,” Robert said.
Their food soon arrived, and Amy ate with gusto. She couldn’t believe how hungry riding horses made her. She enjoyed the food and the company so much, Jake surprised her when he insisted she go to the dance floor with him.
Amy shifted in her seat. “I shouldn’t. I’m not very graceful, ask Robert.”
“Don’t worry, there aren’t any fences to fall from,” Ben said.
Amy shot him a quick glare before Robert grabbed her arm. “Come on, Amy. Practice makes perfect.”
With a brother holding onto either arm, she couldn’t very well back out.
Self-consciously, Amy stumbled through the steps. She took turns stepping on Robert’s toes then Jake’s as she repeatedly turned the wrong way. They stepped on her toes a couple times also, because she was always a step behind.
Just when she grew comfortable with the steps, the song ended. She made no attempt to hide her frustration when the next song used a completely different series of steps.
* * *
Ben watched Amy,Robert, and Jake from his seat at the table. He laughed at Amy’s frustration over the dance steps. She wasn’t particularly graceful, but she was a good sport. She didn’t like being the center of attention or doing something new, but she did it anyway.
