Page 63 of Clued in to Love
“You’re following me, Hilary?” He kept his feet planted firmly on the floor, shooting her a challenging look.
“No. I was working here. We had the Santa breakfast this morning, remember? The mayor has been threatening to shut the event down for days, and I’ve been trying to find ways to make him feel like he’s a big part of Passport to the Holidays to keep him off my back.”
“I saw the signs for the Santa breakfast and saw all the kids running around.” Ben’s voice was flat and monotone.
“Ben, what is going on with you?” Hilary didn’t like the piercing tone of her voice. “I cannot believe you involved the kids in our problems.”
“You didn’t give me a choice.”
“What? That’s not true.” Hilary clenched her jaw. Every muscle in her body twitched. “I can’t believe you’re doing this now. This is the most important time in my career. You know that. I’ll admit that I’ve been gone a lot. I apologize for that. But things have been busy, and then everything blew up with the mayor. I was planning to come home and talk about it, but you took off.”
Ben hung his head. “Don’t put this on me. You left our marriage months ago. Maybe not physically, but emotionally.”
His words stung. Hilary batted her eyes to try to hold back hot, salty tears. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Do you want to do this here?” Ben motioned to the lobby.
“Do what? Talk to my husband?”
Ben exhaled and pressed his lips together. “Hilary, you know I love you. I’ve loved you since the first day I met you, and I’ve never stopped, but you’ve shut me out. You’ve shut down. I’ve tried everything I can think of. I’ve given you space. I’ve cheered you on. I’ve pulled back. I’ve cooked and left you sweet notes and tried to distract you, but this is so much more than a bunch of flowers can heal. I realized that last night.”
“Ben, listen, I’m sorry I gave those flowers to Darby. Honestly, I am. I’m so sorry. It was just in the moment I was stressed.”
“No, it’s more than that. I see how you treat me. I see how you look at me with pity.” He brushed a strand of hair from his face, meeting her eyes. “I haven’t stopped loving you. I never will, but you stopped loving me, and it’s more than I can bear.”
“I didn’t,” Hilary started to say.
Ben held up a finger. “You did.” With that, he exhaled and walked away.
Hilary stood, watching him go. She didn’t run after him.
Why?
Was he right?
Was that the problem?
Could it be that her sadness hadn’t been about the twins leaving and her role and identity as a mother shifting? Could it be that she wasn’t in love with Ben?
THIRTY-SEVEN
MARISSA
Marissa checked her watch. She and William had been unsuccessfully attempting to untangle the gigantic balls of Christmas lights for nearly two hours. She wasn’t entirely sure what she had learned about him. He was patient. She’d give him that.
And funny. He read Maya Angelou, loved food, and teaching was his passion, yet he and Parker were friends, or maybe something more. Parker’s “warning” had been clear. Stay away from William.
Understood.
But then, after leaving the winery, William returned to his usual self. It was so confusing. They had collapsed on the floor in a fit of laughter when they had thought they were close to freeing a twisted strand, only to realize that it was attached to yet another strand that the endless loop had swallowed up.
William had taken it in stride. “Are we the worst at this?”
“Yeah, we are the absolute worst.” Marissa cracked a wide smile, looking at the piles of Christmas lights. “At least we have a head start.” Her stomach growled so loudly that it sounded like a jet revving its engines.
“Should we take a lunch break?” William cracked his knuckles and rolled his shoulders. “I happen to know some killer food trucks are in the adjacent building. Maybe some sustenance will give us the final push to sort this mess out.”
Marissa’s stomach was in immediate agreement with his plan. “What if another team comes and uses our bundle of lights?”
