“That does sound odd,” I joke. “Seeing as it was, what? Almost eighteen years ago.”
He hums. “Something like that. Sassafras is a small town, as you know. We don’t get a lot of newcomers. I met your father first, actually. Elaine heard someone was moving in a few streets over and that he had a daughter that was the twins’ age. She volunteered me to go greet you both that day. Do you remember?”
I shake my head.
“No, I suppose you wouldn’t. There was a lot going on and I only stayed briefly because Ben and Jules came zooming by on their bicycles and Ben lost control, ramming into a tree maybe three or four houses down from you.”
NowthatI remember.
“Ah, I see the spark of recognition.”
I huff a laugh. “Yeah, a lanky pre-teen boy with blood running down his face definitely leaves an impression.”
“I’m surprised he walked away with the gash on his head but nothing else. He could have easily broken his nose or his arm.” Hugo tuts. “He was quite distracted by a beautiful young lady that day.”
My scoff is automatic. “No, we didn’t even talk that day. I don’t think he noticed me.”
“Mmm. Maybe… but I do distinctly remember him asking what your name was while we were in the ER waiting room. You’re right, though. He probably didn’t notice you.” Hugo winks, belying his sarcasm.
We go back to swinging silently as I process what he’s saying.
“It’s a strange feeling,” I sigh.
“What’s that?”
“Rewriting my memories. Well, not rewriting necessarily but looking at them from a different perspective, which has always been hard for me.” Hugo, like his son, senses that I have more to say and gives me space to process. “Ben does this a lot—it shouldn’t surprise me anymore. I’ll tell him a memory the way I remember it and he’ll let me know how he was actually feeling at the time…”
“It’s a lot to take in,” Hugo concludes.
“Yeah…” I fiddle with the ring on my finger. “Ben knows that it has been a struggle for me. He’s working on being more straightforward and communicative. I know it’s a lot to ask?—”
“It’s not,” he cuts in. “That’s part of being in a partnership.”
Just then, the man in question pops his head out of the front door. “Red, do you need—oh! Hey, Dad. I was wondering where you wandered off to. I’ll let you both…”
Hugo stands, patting me a few times on the shoulder as he does. “No, I was about to head back inside. Come sit with Colette.”
He squeezes his son’s arm on his way inside, and Ben does indeed take his spot. His arm casually drapes around me,tugging me in tight. “Hey, Red,” he whispers, planting a kiss on my temple. “Did you have fun tonight?”
“I’m pissed we didn’t solve the mystery,” I tease—kind of. “But I did have a great time. I can’t believe your family threw all of this together just because.”
“Not ‘just because,’ Cole,” he says. “It’s never ‘just because’ with you.”
I smile to myself, snuggling deeper into the sweet, surprising man next to me. We rock back and forth for so long, I almost nod off. Until I hear a yell coming from inside the house.
“What the fuck?” Ben asks, standing up to rush inside.
Before we can make it there, Jules and Thea come bursting through the front door.
Thea looks calm, serene even as she looks at me and says, “So sorry to leave early! My water just broke.”
Thea’s water breaking was not how I envisioned ending the evening. Things are never boring with the Bardot family, that is for damn sure. Jules and Thea rushed to the hospital and the rest of the party dispersed pretty quickly after that.
Ben drives me home, letting himself into my apartment without even asking if he’s allowed to stay.
He is, of course. But I do marvel at how the fuck this happened. How he wiggled himself so thoroughly into my life, so perfectly under my skin.
“Diet cherry cola?” Ben asks, opening up my fridge like he owns the place. Technically, he did stock the fridge and the pantry for me last week. So I guess he does kind of own that part of the place.
