“You do realize that she probably won’t leave Serenity.”
Ben chuckled. “I am aware.”
“So, can I put in that call to my architect?”
“Let’s just hold off for a bit,” Ben said. “There’s no need to rush.”
“You’re not getting any younger, son,” his dad told him.
Ben laughed again. “I’m not that old, though technically you are correct.”
“Have you heard if she’s gotten any results from her tests?”
“Not yet, but I imagine she’ll hear something in the next week or so. I’m praying it’s soon for her peace of mind.”
“Waiting for results is always difficult,” his dad said.
“I think that’s why she hasn’t told her family about the tests. She didn’t want them to be anxious while waiting for the results.”
“It’s good she has you then, son,” his dad said. “So she’s not completely on her own.”
Ben hoped that Amelia felt the same way. He still wasn’t sure what was going on in her mind these days. He hadn’t seen her since Sunday, though they’d exchanged a few text messages.
Because there were no clinics that week, he hadn’t gone to the church. But now he really wanted to see Amelia and not just communicate with text messages.
He’d seen how worn out she’d been on Sunday, and he’d kicked himself for suggesting the walk when he’d realized how daunting the stairs were for her when they got back to the apartment building.
It had given him a huge insight into the state of her health that he’d known in theory but hadn’t really seen play out. It broke his heart to see her struggling so much physically, when at one time in her life, she’d been able to jump off the ice and do three rotations before landing smoothly on one leg.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t tackle her health issues the same way she’d tackled a new skating program or a new skill. Her body wouldn’t support her efforts anymore. In fact, it seemed to be working against her.
Ben's thoughts kept returning to how Amelia had looked at him when he'd told her he'd always be there to carry her if she needed it. The flash of vulnerability in her eyes had been quickly replaced by something that looked like fear before she'd turned away.
He knew she was afraid of being a burden, but he wished she could understand that being there for her wasn't a burden to him at all. It was a privilege.
"You look deep in thought," his dad said.
"I'm just thinking about what I might say to convince her to have dinner with me tonight." Ben checked his watch. "I should probably get going.”
“Make sure you take Luca with you.”
Ben had been hoping that he wouldn’t need to have the bodyguard accompany him, but he also knew it wasn’t an argument he could win with his dad. Security would always be the thing he stood strong on.
After saying goodbye to his dad, he left the house and headed to a nearby building. When Ben didn’t need Luca, the bodyguard was in the security office, helping with the overall security of the estate.
“Hey there, Ben,” Jude said when he walked into the building. “What’s up?”
“I need Luca,” he said. “I’m heading to the church, and Dad is insisting that I take him.”
A grin flitted across Jude’s face. “I’m surprised that you didn’t just grab the SUV and go.”
“I’m not looking to upset Dad,” he said. “Especially not after his heart attack. Besides, Luca would also give me grief if I left without him.”
“What are you doing at the school?”
“I’m hoping to convince Amelia to go out for dinner with me.”
“Don’t you meanus, since Luca will be with you?” Jude asked with a chuckle.
