“I have to say I’m happy as well,” Annie said. “I don’t mind dipping my toe into that life occasionally, but I’m happiest here in Serenity.”
Her sentiment was echoed by the others at the table. Even his mom and dad said they enjoyed the slower pace of the estate, though they occasionally went to New York for social events.
“If you want a slower-paced life, maybe you should move back here, Benji,” his mom suggested.
Ben grinned at his mom. “I can also enjoy a slower-paced life on an island in the Caribbean.”
She frowned at him. “It’s better to be around family.”
Ben couldn’t exactly disagree, but he wasn’t going to say that because then she’d ramp up her efforts to get him back in Serenity permanently.
The evening didn’t last too long. With so many young children, once the meal was over, the families left pretty quickly.
Ben stood with his parents, watching as most of them walked off in the direction of their homes, while Annie and Cole climbed into their vehicle with their two kids.
His mom slipped her arm around his waist. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
Ben kissed the top of her head. “I’m glad to be here too.”
After visiting a bit more with his parents, Ben went up to his room to prepare for bed. It had been a long day, and with the time change from New York, it felt later that it actually was in Serenity. But he planned to be up the next morning for church, so getting to bed at a reasonable time wasn’t a bad idea.
The next morning, Ben dressed in a pair of chinos in a color that his tailor had called “light coffee” and paired them with a linen button-down, short-sleeved black shirt. He fastened his black leather belt, then slipped on a pair of brown loafers. Afterstrapping on his watch, he straightened the chain he always wore.
When he went down to the breakfast room, Ben found both his parents there already. And from the look of their attire, they were also planning to attend church that morning.
“Are you joining us at church, son?” his dad asked.
“I am,” Ben said as he lifted his mug of coffee for a sip.
He’d never found a church that he’d committed to attending in New York. Admittedly, he hadn’t tried very hard. It had just been easier to watch the livestreams from the church in Serenity. He enjoyed the familiar services, and they had given him the opportunity to keep up with what was happening in the church.
In the past decade, the church had grown significantly, and about six years ago they’d opened a Christian school. Through donations from the Burke family and others in the community, the church had been able to build a new building on the outskirts of town, which had the school attached to it. The school’s gym was where they’d be holding the basketball clinics he’d come to help with.
Back in the day, Julian and Angie and their spouses had attended church in Coeur d’Alene, but as their kids had arrived, they’d made the decision to attend the church in Serenity instead. Since it was closer, it allowed them to be more involved. Plus, all of the family’s school-aged kids attended the church’s school.
Once breakfast was done, their bodyguards arrived to accompany them to the church. His mom and dad climbed into an SUV with their bodyguards, while he and Luca took a separate vehicle. Ben slid behind the wheel while Luca rode shotgun.
As they neared the church, Ben took in the large buildings. This was the first time Ben had seen the campus, and he was impressed with the look of it as they turned into the expansive parking lot.
His parents’ SUV pulled to a stop near the front doors to let them out, but Ben guided his vehicle to an empty spot in the lot. He approached the entrance to the church with Luca at his side.
Ben didn’t think they needed to have their bodyguards when attending church, but if there was one thing that his dad hadn’t relaxed about, even with age, it was the protection of his family. They weren’t to go anywhere without a bodyguard. Even the grandkids traveled to and from school with guards.
Luca stayed close to him as they entered the foyer of the church. There were groups of people gathered there already, and the enticing aroma of coffee with a slight hint of chocolate hung in the air. Though he’d had a cup of coffee already with breakfast, he wasn’t opposed to another one.
“I’m going to get some coffee,” Ben said to his mom when he joined his parents in the foyer. “I’ll find you and Dad inside.”
“The coffee is over there,” she said, pointing to the opposite side of the large foyer.
Ben and Luca headed in the direction she indicated and joined the line of people waiting to get a drink.
“Do you want a cup as well?” Ben asked Luca.
“Are we able to drink it during the service?”
“I think so,” Ben said. “I plan to.”
“Then I’ll have one.”
