Page 99 of Summer Weddings
Bethany walked from behind her desk and over to the blackboard. “I don’t know what to tell you about Mitch and me,” she said, picking up the eraser.
Ben’s face softened with sympathy. “You sound confused.”
“I am.” It was easy to understand why people so often shared confidences with Ben; he was a good listener, never meddlesome and always encouraging.
With anyone else, Bethany would have skirted around the subject of her and Mitch, but she felt a connection with Ben—one that reached beyond the reasons she’d come to Hard Luck. It wasn’t just a connection created by her secret knowledge. Since her arrival, Ben had become her friend. That surprised her; she hadn’t expected to like him this much.
“I’m afraid I’m falling in love with Mitch,” she said in a breathless voice.
“Afraid?”
She lowered her gaze and nodded. “I don’t think he feels the same way about me.”
“Why’s that?” Ben leaned forward.
“He doesn’twantto be attracted to me. Every time I feel we’re getting close, he backs away. There’s a huge part of himself he keeps hidden. He’s never discussed Chrissie’s mother. I’ve never really questioned him about her or about his life before he moved to Hard Luck, and he never volunteers.”
Ben rubbed one side of his face. “But we all have our secrets, don’t you think?”
Bethany nodded and swallowed uncomfortably. She certainly had hers.
“Mitch lost his wife, the mother of his child. I don’t know the details but whatever happened, it cut deep. I can tell you because I was living here when Mitch and Chrissie first showed up. Mitch was a wounded soul. He’s kept to himself. He’s been here more than five years, and I’ve hardly ever seen him smile. Until now… You’re good for him and Chrissie. Real good.”
“He and Chrissie would be easy to love.”
“But you’re afraid.”
She nodded.
“Seems to me you two’ve come a long way in a short time. I could be wrong, but not so long ago all you did was send these yearning looks at each other. Now you’re actually talking, spending time together.” He paused. “I heard he told Bill Landgrin a thing or two recently.”
“Mitch did?”
Ben grinned broadly. “Not in any words I’d care to repeat in front of a lady, mind you. Seems to me he wouldn’t have done that if he wasn’t serious about you himself. Give him time, Bethany. Yourself, too. You’ve been here less than three months.”
Bethany exhaled. “Thank you for listening—and for your advice.”
“No problem,” Ben said. “It was my pleasure.”
Smiling, she closed the distance between them and kissed his rough cheek.
Ben flushed and pressed his hand to his face.
She felt so much better, and not just because Ben had given her good advice. He’d said the things her own father would’ve said.
The irony of that didn’t escape her.
Chapter7
December 1995
“Hi.” Bethany felt almost shy as she opened her front door to Mitch that Saturday night. Chrissie was with them so much of the time that whenever Bethany and Mitch were alone together, an immediate air of intimacy enveloped them.
“Hi, yourself.” Mitch unwound his scarf and took off his protective winter gear. He, too, seemed a little ill at ease.
They looked at each other, then quickly glanced away. Anyone watching them would have guessed they were meeting for the first time. Tonight, neither seemed to know what to say, which was absurd, since they often sat and talked for hours about anything and everything.
This newfound need to know each other, as well as the more relaxed tenor of their relationship, came as a result of Thanksgiving dinner with Sawyer and Abbey. The four adults had played cards after dinner. Two couples. It had seemed natural for Bethany to be with Mitch. Natural and right. Conversation had been lively and wide-ranging, and Bethany felt at home with these people. So did Mitch, judging by the way he laughed and smiled.And somehow, whatever he’d been holding inside had begun to seem less important.
