He got another quick smile from her, then she pulled the door closed. Soon she was heading down the driveway to the front gate of the property.
Long after Amelia's taillights had vanished down the driveway, Ben remained rooted to the spot, his gaze fixed on the empty road. He was struggling to know how to deal with her.
Deep inside him was the boy who’d fallen in love with her. The boy who had cared so much about her that he’d done as she’d asked when he’d walked away.
And now that he was back in her life, the urge to help her was strong.
But he was hesitant to push her too hard. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable. He really didn’t want her to pull further away than she already had.
Ben turned and walked back toward the gathering, the sound of laughter and conversation drifting through the air. Luca was sitting at a table with Cole, Julian, and Jude, nodding at something Jude was saying.
Though Luca was technically an employee, all of their long-term personal bodyguards were more like family members, thanks to all the time they spent together.
As Ben approached, Cole glanced up. “Did Amelia leave already?"
"Yeah." Ben slid into an empty seat. "She seemed pretty tired."
Cole took a sip of his drink. "She doesn't get out much these days. Annie rarely sees her anymore outside of church."
"I invited her to go on the boat tomorrow,” Ben said. “I figured that was okay.”
“It’s fine,” Cole assured him. “But don’t be too surprised if she doesn’t show.”
"I hope she does," Ben said. "I think it would be good for her."
"I agree," Cole said. "But Amelia's been through a lot. We try not to push her too hard."
Ben nodded, understanding Cole's perspective. Still, there was something about Amelia's isolation that bothered him.
The woman he remembered had been driven and focused, and yes, she’d been reserved around people. However, she'd never been withdrawn like this.
Whatever her health issues were, they seemed to have affected more than just her physical capabilities.
"Do you know much about what she's dealing with?" Ben asked, keeping his voice low. Annie and Lexi had shared a bit with him the previous week, but he wondered if perhaps Amelia’s mom, Charli, had shared anything more with Cole since he was her brother.
Cole shook his head. “I think the only people who know the details of her health issues are Charli, Blake, and Layla. And obviously her medical team, which may or may not include Gareth and Misha. Annie thinks it’s an auto-immune disease, but we don’t know for sure or which one it is, if that is what she has.”
It didn’t surprise Ben that she kept her health issues fairly private.
“I wish she would be more open about it,” Julian said.
Ben looked at him in surprise. “You do?”
“Sure. Burke Pharmaceuticals and Burke NeuroTech are on the cutting edge of medical research. It’s possible we have something that could help her.”
Ben considered Julian’s words. It was true. Many of the most recent medical breakthroughs had come from their company. He didn’t know the details, however, as his job wasn’t tied to the medical divisions of the family company the way Julian’s was.
“Has someone from the family told her that this might be an option for her?” Ben asked. After all, they’d been around her for a couple of years, ever since she’d had to retire from skating.
“I don’t think so,” Julian said. “I haven’t, and from what Annie’s said, Amelia has shut down any conversation about her health.”
Maybe he needed to come right out and ask her about her health situation. Whether she’d share anything with him or not, only time would tell.
The next afternoon held the disappointment that everyone had warned Ben it might. One o’clock came and went with no sign of Amelia. Cole even waited until one-thirty before slowly guiding the boat away from the dock.
Though Ben enjoyed the time with his family and had fun with his nieces and nephews in the water, Amelia lingered at the back of his mind.
Standing at the back of the large pontoon boat, Ben gripped the smooth metal railing and stared out across the water. Memories drifted through his mind, taking him from the present to the past.
