Page 9 of Second Chance Wedding
Analise heard an engine roar to life down the alley and knew it had to be Cole with the limo. Her pulse skyrocketed at the sound. “We need to leave before he changes his mind.”
“I thought you had to stay at the party.”
“Nowyou’re worried about me being at the gala?” She stared at him, incredulous. “Yes,Ben, I’m supposed to stay here until it ends, but if I walk in there now, after what you’ve just put me through, I don’t— I can’t...”
“Are you okay to drive?”
Another laugh bubbled up from her chest, and when he just stared at her and looked confused, she chuckled even harder. The boy who’d just tried to steal a car asked if she was okay to drive?
“Mom, chill. People are staring.”
She tried and failed to smother the laughter, unable to stop until tears leaked from her eyes. She swiped them away while attempting to not mess up her makeup due to the people in front of the hotel.
Ben took her elbow in his hand and steered her toward the parking lot where she’d parked their small SUV earlier that day. He walked her to the driver’s side and unlocked the door using the key fob tucked into her purse.
“We can sit in the car until you feel better. Do you…want me to get you a drink? Something stronger than water? I can go inside and ask Quinley.”
She’d just settled into the seat when he’d posed the question, but she shook her head, adamant. “No. She’s with Rhys, and she’ll ask questions and— I don’t want to ruin their night.”
“I can still get you something if you want it,” he said.
The ease and confidence with which he made the statement ended the hysteria emerging as inappropriate laughter. A part of her wanted to put his words to the test and pray hecouldn’tsucceed, but given the events of the night, the truth stared her in the face. When had her baby boy become…this? “I don’t want anything. Come sit with me.”
Given the trouble he was in, she wondered if he would take off into the night. She watched closely as he rounded the back of the vehicle and climbed into the passenger seat.
Ana stared at the hotel. The grand opening was a big deal. Red carpet and velvet ropes lined the entrance, a spotlight flashed into the sky to draw attention from everyone who could see it and wonder enough to find out why. It should have been a great night.
Red brake lights flashed as the limo emerged from the alley. She thanked God the vehicle didn’t have to be towed and watched as Cole skillfully maneuvered the vehicle and then drove off.
“Who was that guy?”
“An old friend.”
“An old boyfriend?”
“For a while, yes,” she admitted. “I…ended things with him after he went into the military.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it,” she said softly before turning in her seat to face Ben. His long legs required his seat to be pushed farther back which meant he sat behind her even while sitting beside her. “Ben…”
“Can we go home now?”
“I’d like to talk about what happened.”
“I already told you. I wanted to leave.”
“So you stole a car? That seemed like alogicalsolution to you?”
“Since you wouldn’t take me home or give me money to get a ride, yeah. I figured I’d drive it close enough that I could walk the rest of the way before I ditched it.”
She blinked at him, at his plan, unable to process it. “You were supposed towait. We don’tgeteverything we want in this world, Benjamin. You can’t snap your fingers and have instant gratification. Tonight was important to me, and you’veruined itwith your behavior.” She pressed a hand to her forehead and rubbed. “How am I supposed to explain this to Rhys and Quinley? Sorry I had to leave, but my son is a thief? How could you do this?”
He huffed and then told her exactly where she could tell them to go.
“Enough! Enough with the language and saying things like that. Do you have any idea how much your stunt is going to cost me? Cost us? I’m not even sure how I’ll pay for the damages. If Icanpay for them!”
“Just ask the Taylors. They’ll pay for it just to keep it from being a thing. God forbid we embarrass them.”
