Sometimes brain fog made her slow to respond and to share what she was thinking coherently. She didn’t think on her feet as well as she’d once had, and the worst part was that she was well aware of it.
That was just another before and after situation that she had to endure. She hadn’t just taken a physical hit. She’d taken a mental one as well.
Which was why she needed to guard her heart when she was around Ben. She knew she was no longer the type of woman he’d be romantically interested in.
So even though she still had feelings for him, she had to make sure they didn’t once again gain strength. But more than that, she had to make sure that he wasn’t aware of how she felt.
Somehow, they’d ended up as friends, and she didn’t want to make things awkward between them when they interacted in the upcoming weeks. He’d be leaving again when the summer was over, so she just had to keep her emotions under wraps until then.
The pang of hurt at the thought of him leaving again took her by surprise, and she had to take a deep breath to ease the tightness in her chest.
For the moment, she had to just focus on getting through the evening. Preferably without making a fool of herself. Or yawning.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Ben pulled the SUV to a stop in front of Amelia’s apartment. It was a small, boxy, three-story building that looked like it housed maybe twelve apartments. It was plain but looked well maintained, with flowers planted all along the front of it.
Picking up his phone, he sent a text to Amelia to let her know that he was there. However, he had no intention of just sitting in the car to wait for her.
He had left Luca at the estate, though not without some debate. Somehow, he’d convinced the bodyguard that he could do this drive without his presence. It meant that he was carrying a gun, which didn’t thrill him, but it was a concession he was willing to make to be able to drive the short distance to Amelia’s alone.
Getting out of the SUV, Ben made his way across the grass to the sidewalk that led to the front door. The door was locked, so he just waited on the step outside for Amelia to appear.
When she stepped out of the door, he smiled, his heart warming at the sight of her.
“Hey,” she said when she spotted him.
“Hey.” Ben moved a step closer, his gaze sweeping over her. “You look beautiful.”
Her eyes widened, and a blush turned her cheeks a light pink. “Uh, thank you.”
He wondered if she thought he was just being polite. If she’d protested the compliment, he would have assured her that definitely wasn’t the case.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
She nodded, and Ben guided her to the SUV, opening the passenger door for her before walking around to the driver's side. As they pulled away from the apartment building, he glanced at her profile, noticing how the golden hour light caught the highlights in her hair.
He was pleased that she had accepted his invitation, even though he suspected she might be feeling some apprehension about going to the estate.
"Thanks for agreeing to come to dinner," he said, turning his attention back to the road. "My mom was happy when I told her you'd be joining us."
"She was?" Amelia's voice held a note of surprise.
"Of course. She's always liked you," Ben said as he navigated the familiar streets of Serenity.
"I think she liked me because I wasn't trying to get you to do anything crazy,"
Amelia said, gazing out the window as they passed through town.
Ben laughed. "True. She did appreciate that about you."
The drive to the estate took them through the outskirts of Serenity and past fields that stretched toward the mountains in the distance. Ben found himself stealing glances at Amelia whenever they came to a stop.
The sundress she wore suited her, bringing out the blue in her eyes. There was a softness to her now that hadn't been there when she'd been training. The sharp edges of the athlete had given way to gentle curves, but she was no less beautiful to him.
"I hope you're feeling okay today," Ben said as they approached the entrance to the estate. "I know you mentioned that some days are harder than others."
"Today's been manageable," she replied, her fingers lightly tapping against her purse. "I took some pain medication before you arrived, so hopefully, I’ll be fine for dinner."
