Page 9 of The Christmas Ring
“Yes.” Ben chuckled. “My dad and I own the place.”
“Wow.” She looked around, studying the displays. “I’m impressed.” Her eyes found the register. “Was that your dad with—”
“The Santa hat and shorts? Yes.”
This time they both laughed. Again, Ben felt it. Like he’d met her somewhere before. That’s when he noticed the wedding ring on her left hand. He took the slightest step back.
The woman looked straight at him. “I’m Vanessa Mayfield.”
“Hi, Vanessa.” Now that he’d seen her ring, he wasn’t about to flirt with her. “You live in Marietta?”
“Two hours south. Near Fort Benning. Dropped my daughter, Sadie, off at Reinhardt University an hour ago. Her honors program starts early.” She shrugged. “I needed something to cheer me up. So here I am.”
Ben allowed the moment to linger. “I’m glad.” He had to ask, had to find out if she was taken. “So... you’re already married?”
“No.” A sadness flashed in her eyes. “Widowed. My husband was an army medic. He died in combat four years ago.”
He hadn’t expected that. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” Clearly Vanessa had given this explanation many times before. She smiled at him. “What about you?”
“Also widowed.” They were the same. This tragic exchange forever a part of who they were. “We were in our early thirties when it happened.”
Her eyes held his. “Not many people get it.”
Maybe that was why she had felt familiar. The fact that their stories were so alike.
“It’s Sadie and me now, the two of us. I’m not ready to let her go.” Vanessa sifted through another box of rings. “She always tells me I’m her best friend.”
Just then Ben’s dad came dancing down the aisle, carrying a tray full of plastic cups. “Gingerbread iced tea!” He swooped the tray toward Ben and Vanessa. “Help yourself!”
More laughter between them, and they each took a cup. Howard winked first at Ben, then at Vanessa. “People come back for the gingerbread iced tea!” He poked his elbow at Ben. “Isn’t that right, son?”
“You got it, Dad. It’s all about the gingerbread iced tea.” He watched his father dance his way to the next customer.
“He’s amazing.” Vanessa shook her head.
“He is.” Ben clicked his plastic cup with hers. “Cheers.”
“Cheers.” Vanessa looked through the rest of the box. “So... why the focus on Christmas? How did that happen?”
“My mom. But honestly it just made sense. Antiques and Christmas.” Ben took his time. He didn’t want this lovely stranger to ever leave. “Both bring yesterday to life again.”
“Nice.” She grinned. “You’re a poet.”
“Yeah. Sorry.” He hung his head before meeting her eyes again. “Blame it on Walt Whitman. I’m a big fan.”
“‘Keep your face always toward the sunshine.’” She delivered the line like she’d said it a thousand times. “‘And the shadows will fall behind you.’”
“Okay. Now I’m impressed.” Ben wanted to check his feet to make sure he was still standing on the floor. But he maintained eye contact.
“Antique lovers and Walt Whitman sort of go hand in hand.” She picked up a bracelet from a third box.
“Like poetry, antiques are proof that the past happened. That it was real.”
“And it mattered.” Vanessa’s smile warmed his heart. “Even Walt Whitman couldn’t have said it like that.”
Their conversation continued. He asked about Sadie and the missing Christmas ring, how she had lost it and where she thought it might be.
