Ben nodded. So had he.
“But it’s been a long time now. A very long time.”
Ben nodded again.
“And now there’s Angel.”
Ben jerked his head up and met Joe’s gaze. “What do you mean?”
Joe pursed his lips. “I might be knocking on, but my eyes and my ears ain’t failed me yet.”
Ben shrugged. He didn’t want to talk about Angel. He didn’t know what to say.
“Come on. Put me out of my misery. What’s going on between you and her? And why hasn’t Charlie come back yet?”
Ben sighed. “There’s nothing going on between Angel and me.”
Joe raised a bushy eyebrow and lifted his chin.
“There isn’t! At least, nothing like you’re thinking. She works for me. She’s running the lodge over at Four Mile. She’s—”
“A good-looking woman,” Joe finished for him.
Ben brought both hands up and rubbed them over his face. “She is, but that’s got nothing to do with anything.” He knew there were rumors flying around about Angel and him, but there was no truth to them.
“So, you’re telling me she’s just an employee?”
“No, she’s … She’s …” Ben sighed while he considered what she really was. “She’s become a friend. And I don’t see why everyone has a problem with that. Kenzie’s a good-looking woman, she came to work for me, and she became a friend, too. So did Renée and April, for that matter.” He met Joe’s gaze. “Why is everyone so interested in Angel?”
Joe looked away and then looked back. “Because, son, maybe we can all see that you seem to be interested in Angel, and the two of you might be a good match.”
Ben’s heart hammered in his chest. “No!”
Joe shrugged. “No?”
“No.”
“So, when’s Charlie coming back?”
Ben closed his eyes. “I don’t know.”
“But you said that she wouldn’t come back until you asked her to.”
“Yeah.”
“And you haven’t asked her to?”
He shook his head.
“Because?”
“Because, I already told you, because I can’t ask her to come to me while she’s still a married woman.”
Joe nodded. “I haven’t pried all this time. I figured you’d tell me as much as you wanted to. I’m sorry I can’t keep my nose out any longer. I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting, thinking one day you’d just turn around and tell me Charlie’s coming home tomorrow. Or maybe she’d just waltz in. But that day hasn’t come. And Angel, well, she’s here, and I dunno, Ben.”
Ben nodded. “I’ve told you, there’s nothing going on between Angel and me.”
“Fair enough. But is there going to be? And is there ever going to be anything going on between you and Charlie? Or is it finally over?”
