Page 47 of It Happened Back Then
“It’s gorgeous today. How is everyone?”
“Looking forward to hearing all the gossip from my girls,” Mom says and my sisters snicker.
Meadow raises a brow and says, “There’s only one piece of gossip you need today, Mom, and that's from the baby of the family.”
I roll my eyes, accepting the glass of wine Courtney hands me with a nod of thanks before turning to my mom and saying, “Mom, don’t listen to them. I thought we were here to discuss January’s bachelorette party plans.”
Mom snickers. “Oh, we’ll get to that. But I heard a little something around town yesterday and have been dying to know if it’s true.”
“Of course you heard something. It’s Bluemoon. Someone always hears something,” I say and roll my eyes, sitting back and taking another sip.
“Well, daughter number one likes to fuck in bathrooms and daughter number two likes to give blow jobs in the stockroom. So, I can imagine the baby of the family is probably having sex in a local restaurant with a certain head chef?” Courtney explains, and I could kill her.
“Courtney!” My sisters laugh, and Mom does too.
“Oh, Blossom. So Bennett? Is it true?” Her voice is soft, filled with hope, and when I meet her eyes, I see the love she has for the idea of us together, as a couple. She’s always loved me and Bennett, even when I let things between us crumble. I know she wants me to find a man who was just as good to me as Dad was for her. And she always believed Bennett was that one.
“I mean, I guess it’s true.” She squeals and my sisters clap. “You all need to slow it down. We’re not official. It’s complicated.”
“If Savannah is the one making it complicated, I could handle that for you, ” Meadow says nonchalantly and cracks her knuckles.
I shake my head. “She’s part of it,” I grumble, taking a larger sip from my glass.
“I don’t like her one bit,” January offers. “And the fact she thinks she can just move into our town is absurd.”
My mom looks concerned. “Savannah? You mean Bennett’s ex-girlfriend? She’s here?”
I nod. “She showed up, proclaiming to miss Bennett, and is renting one of the cabins in Birch Village for six months.”
“And what does she think is going to happen in six months?” Mom asks.
I shake my head. “She’s just trying to cause trouble. She was in the store a couple days ago talking about how Bennett could be a chef in France if he wanted to, and she would make sure to help him get there.”
My mom brushes that aside. “That’s just talk. She means nothing to him. He’s only ever had eyes for you, honey.”
“If he had told her that, I don’t think she’d still be here, though?” It comes out sounding like more of a question than a statement, and I’m embarrassed I’m telling my family there is another woman trying to come between my boyfriend and me, even if we have no official title.
“He didn’t tell her you guys are together?” January asks, obviously outraged.
I shake my head but try to calm her. I know January can go from zero to one hundred quickly, and I don’t want them turning on Bennett over something that isn’t really there. “To be fair, we didn’t tell anyone. It’s still…” I drift off and they each say, “Complicated.”
“Yeah, complicated.”
Silence settles over us for a moment, and then Meadow leans in with a smirk, mischief practically oozing off her. “Okay, but seriously, spill it. How’s he in bed?”
“Meadow!” I gasp, my eyes going wide as my face starts to heat up.
She just shrugs, totally unbothered, like she’s asking about the weather. “What? I’m just curious. Is he, you know, proficient? Skilled? Agenerous contributorto the cause?”
I cover my face with both hands. “Stop it! Oh my god.”
She sips her drink. “All I’m saying is, I saw him in the boutique that day, and, wow,Little Bennett is all grown up. The man is a walking thirst trap, and he knows it. I just know he’s amenacein bed.”
“Meadow!” I screech, louder this time, and all of us burst into laughter. The kind that makes your sides ache and your eyes water, the kind we haven’t had in years. For a brief moment, I feel Dad again. He would have been right here with us, refilling our glasses and encouraging the laughter.
Meadow winks at me and raises her glass. “Don’t act shy now. We’re all dying to know if he lives up to the hype.”
I just shake my head, laughing so hard I can barely breathe. “You arethe worst.”
