“Just change! At least put on a different shirt.” She rolls her eyes so far back I was afraid she’d lose them back there.
“Alright, fine . . .”
I rush upstairs and ransack my room to try and find a suitable top that would meet Emma’s approval. With no luck, I ransackhercloset and find a red, off-the-shoulder sweater. Cutting my losses, I throw it on praying it fits, and it does. One last touch up in the mirror and I hear the doorbell. Maybe it was the spooky season, or the loss of sunlight, or the dinner situation as a whole, but panic runs through my veins with the idea of a complete stranger coming into our home. On instinct, as I head downstairs to meet the guest, I grab a small metal bookend from a hallway shelf and hold it tight against my back.Always be prepared.
Another doorbell ding.Impatient much?
“Ellie, can you get that?” Emma yells from the kitchen.
Heading to the front door, I grip the bookend tight against my side ready to strike and swing the door open.
Chapter fifteen
Benny
It’snoteverynightI’m greeted at the door by a charming, beautiful woman, holding a metal triangle over her head, yelling, “Back off, bozo!”
If I could have snapped a picture without seeming too weird, I would have done it.
Usually, this would be alarming and I probably would have high-tailed it back to the truck. But I just stood there, gaping at Ellie and her adorable attempt at intimidation.
“Oh my gosh, Benny!” She drops the weapon. “I’m sorry, I thought you were the hit-and-runner.”
Her face is as red as her sweater as she bites her lip in embarrassment. Again,adorable.
“Umm . . . I am, actually.” Biting my own lip in embarrassment. “I brought these as a peace offering!” Holding up the bouquet of flowers and bottle of wine. They were last minute decisions on the drive over and by the looks of the wilted leaves and flaky wrapping paper, Ellie can probably tell. But she doesn’t say anything.
“They’re beautiful!” She takes them and hugs me.
I hug her back and refuse to be the first one to release. So we just stand there, hugging. It’s just a moment, hugging in the cool air under a porch light, but I feel it happen in slow motion. My heartbeat picks up, feeling hers against my chest, the wind blowing her long hair into my face. The smell is intoxicating.
“Benny! You made it!” Steven says, coming to the door.
Ellie releases from our hug, but lingers at my side. Like she wants to stay there.
“Steven, hey. This is for you.” I hand him the bottle of wine, hoping it’s up to a doctor’s standards.
He takes the bottle and shakes my hand. “Thanks, man! Come on in, dinner is ready.”
We follow Steven inside and Ellie whispers, “Don’t worry, you picked a good wine, and they’re big wine people.”
I jokingly wipe my forehead. “Whew, thank God. If not I may as well just leave now.”
She laughs. “Please don’t! Oh, and Emma will love the flowers.”
“They’re for you, actually.” My face gets warm, unsure if admitting that was the right move.
“Really?” She stops to look at me, then looks down at the flowers. “They’re perfect.”
I deflate with relief. “It isn’t too weird that I brought my employee flowers?”
“Just a normal amount of weird.” She winks.
“Benny! Welcome! We’re so glad you could make it,” Emma says, hugging me in the kitchen.
“It was the least I could do since Steven isn’t suing me.”
“Nonsense, it was barely anything. Easy fix,” Steven says.
