Chapter Nine
Ben sat at his desk working on the roster for the restaurant. The busy season was over, and things were slowing down. There wasn’t enough work to keep everyone busy over the winter, and he hated that. He hated that there was no way he could keep on all the staff. He had to let some of them go, and he didn’t like it one bit. This happened every year. You’d think he’d be used to it by now. But he wasn’t. It was in his nature to do everything he could to help people out. He especially liked to help people who wanted to work. However, it couldn’t be helped. He shouldn’t be letting his mind go there today. He had enough to focus on in his own personal life. Charlotte would be arriving any day and he was so happy about that. At the same time, he felt guilty about Angel. Wasn’t that crazy? After all these years of waiting for Charlotte to return, for the two of them to finally get another chance, that time had finally come, and he couldn’t fully enjoy it because he was worried about hurting someone else. That was all it was, he’d decided. It was just that he liked Angel as a friend and he didn’t want to hurt her.
His cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. It was Charlotte!
“Hey, when are you coming?”
The line was silent for a moment before she spoke. “Hey, yourself. I hope you’re not too surprised, but I’m already here.”
Ben laughed. “I’m not surprised in the least, Charlie. Well, maybe that’s not true. I’m surprised you’re calling first rather than just walking through the door.”
“Yeah.” She didn’t sound right.
“What’s the matter, Charlie?”
“How about I tell you all about it when I see you? I can’t wait to see you. When can we get together?”
“Right now! Where are you?”
“I can wait till this evening. I know you must be working right now.”
Ben frowned, uncertain whether that was a dig at him. She’d always given him a hard time for working so much. “There is nothing in the world more important to me than seeing you.”
He could hear the smile in her voice when she spoke again. “In that case, I wouldn’t want to disappoint you. Do you want me to come over there? Or would you like to come here?”
“I’d come to you, if I knew whereherewas.”
“Oh, yeah, sorry. I didn’t even tell you, did I? I rented myself a little house. I talked to Austin.”
Ben was surprised. “Oh, he didn’t say anything to me.”
“That’s because I asked him not to. I wanted to surprise you.”
Ben laughed. “It’s not that much of a surprise, Charlie. Where is the house? I’ll come straight over.”
Ben’s heart was racing as he turned onto Lexington Drive. He couldn’t wait to see her. He’d been waiting for this moment for so long. He hadn’t lied when he told her that there was nothing more important in the world to him. He smiled when he spotted the house number and pulled into the driveway. He hadn’t realized it was the house right next door to Eddie and April. His smile grew bigger when he cut the engine and saw the front door open. There she was! His heart was thundering in his chest. Finally. She was here. She was back at the Lake. She was home!
She met his gaze with a smile. She seemed a little uncertain at first. But as he took the first step toward her, her smile became a grin and she ran down the steps to greet him.
“Oh, my God, Ben!” She flung her arms around his neck. “I can’t believe it! After all this time!”
Ben closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of her as he closed his arms around her. She looked up at him, her eyes searching his face. He smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. “Charlie,” he breathed.
“Oh, Ben.” She buried her face in his neck and he kissed her hair.
“I’ve missed you, Charlie. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”
She tipped her head back to look up into his eyes. “Oh, I think I have some idea. I’ve missed you so much.”
Ben watched her lips move as she spoke. He lowered his head to hers even before she finished speaking. He’d waited so long for this. In the moment their lips met, he knew he was finally home. Her kiss tasted the same way it always had. So sweet. It felt right, so natural, as though neither of them had forgotten in all the years in between. When he finally lifted his head, her eyes were shining with tears.
“Oh, Ben,” she whispered.
Ben wanted to wipe away the tears that stung his own eyes, but his arms were wrapped tightly around her and he didn’t want to let go, for even a second.
“I love you. With all my heart and soul. I always have and I always will.”
“Forever and always,” he whispered.
