Page 18 of It Happened Back Then
“I look forward to hearing from you soon.”
I walk out of the room and down the corridor, feeling slightly numb as I wave goodbye to the woman behind the counter. Next thing I know, I’m in my truck and driving down the long curvy road that leads me to Bean Lake, named so because it’s shaped, as you guessed, like a bean. I pull into the dirt patch, turn off the engine, and stare at the mirrored water that will soon reflect the moonlight.
“Head chef,” I whisper to myself. I run through all the possibilities of where that could take me. But honestly? I don’t want it taking me anywhere outside of Bluemoon.
My first instinct is to call Blossom. I want to tell her everything. I want to take this job. I want to move into the cabins. But I’ll need to quit my job in Seattle, move out of my apartment. I want to begin to plan a future here in Bluemoon again, and I want her to be a part of it.
My phone dings with a text and I grab it, hoping it’s Blossom, but when I see the name, I freeze.
Savannah.
Savannah: I miss you, Bennie. I’m sorry I didn’t go with you. I hope the interview went well and if you choose to take it, I’ll support you, however you need that to look.
I read the text a few times. I have no idea what that means. The whole time I’ve been here, I’ve been thinking of Blossom. Sadly, Savannah hasn’t really crossed my mind once except remembering the way we left things. And that gives me all the answers I need. It’s not fair to her or me to continue this. But what if I move back and Blossom doesn’t want me in her life? Sure, she seemed happy to see me today, but will she want me in the capacity that I want her? She hasn’t committed a single thing to me since I left.
It’s not a reason to take a job or not, but if I’m in Bluemoon, without Blossom on my arm, I don’t know if I could do it. I don’t know if I could see her with someone else, married, having babies. I’ve only ever imagined her and me.
Which brings me to tonight. She’s on a date right now. At the place where I just interviewed. How can we live so close and still carry on as normal?
Maybe I can’t do this after all. Maybe I should go back to Seattle and live a life with Savannah. Forget all about Bluemoon. And Blossom.
I lean back in the driver’s seat, the silence of Bean Lake louder than the thoughts in my head.
CHAPTER 7 - BENNETT, AGE 24
Istayed down at Bean Lake until well after midnight, working through my warring feelings about my possible future.
I felt paralyzed, not knowing what to do, but by the time I finally left there, the decision felt made. Or at least it had, until I walked into the house and smelled Blossom’s perfume all around. Walking into my parents' house to find her scent everywhere, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, but when I enter my bedroom, I realize I’m not dreaming.
She’s here.
Her curvy legs in those short shorts lay across the top of my comforter. Her shirt rises slightly in the back, letting her skin peek out. One leg is bent in a way that accentuates her ass. I take in her beauty, wanting to keep this picture of her in my bed with me forever.
I glance at the window and see it’s open, and I smile. It’s how we used to see each other as kids, sneaking in through the windows. I stand next to my bed and trail my finger up her calf where goosebumps erupt even in her sleep.
I touch her hip, wanting to grasp it, but instead tap her awake.
“Bennett.” She mumbles my name incoherently as she comes awake, and I puff my chest that even in her sleep she calls for me. She sits up quickly, pushing at her hair and says it again. “Bennett.”
“Peach.”
Her nickname falls from my lips. Her eyes focus on me, a tiny smile forming on her delectable mouth.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as I sit on the edge of the bed.
She sits up, adjusting the pillows at her back. “I wanted to see you.”
“It’s one in the morning.”
Her eyes drop from mine, and she whispers, “I’m sorry. I must have fallen asleep. It was only eleven when I came looking for you.”
“How was your date?” I ask sharply. I don’t mean to come off as dickish, but the back-and-forth we’ve been doing had finally led me to a decision. A decision that I was already second-guessing now that I found her here.
She shrugs. “He was nice enough.”
“Are you going to see him again?”
She looks up with a challenge in her eye. “Why, jealous?”
