Page 78 of What it Takes
Chapter Eighteen
Two weeks. Ben parked his SUV in front of the lodge’s parking area and killed the engine. It had been two weeks since he’d been to the Northern Star. Two weeks since he’d seen Laney.
He’d called her that night, not trusting himself to swing by the campground and talk to her in person. She’d told him she needed time to think—to process what had happened—and he’d been honest with her. He couldn’t wait anymore.
“I’m sorry,” she’d said.
That was the end of the conversation. And every day of his life since they’d ended the call had sucked. So he’d avoided the lodge. He’d avoided the diner. He’d more or less been avoiding any place he might run into her until he was sure he could handle seeing her and knowing she wasn’t his anymore. That she maybe never had been.
But Josh was in the preliminary stages of planning a big ATV event for the following year and he needed Ben and Drew to look over the rough map of the event area, possible activities and the projected attendance to get an idea of what they’d need in the way of emergency personnel on-site. And Ben was an adult with a job to do, so he’d put on his game face and made the drive.
He went around the side of the house to the back door because he wasn’t really “company” any more, and wasn’t surprised to find Rosie in the kitchen. She had something that smelled amazing in the slow cooker.
“Well, look who’s here. Come on in.”
He’d been nervous about his reception from Rosie for the entire drive. He’d known her his entire life, but she’d taken a strong liking to Laney and practically made her part of the family. If she knew things had gone bad between them and took sides, he could have found himself having meetings with Josh in the barn.
“Things have been busy,” he said, feeling a need to explain his absence after he’d spent so much time there, but she gave him a look that made it clear she knewexactlywhy he hadn’t been around. “How is she?”
“If you want to know how Laney is, you can find her out back. She’s probably not doing so well right at the moment because one of our guests in a rented RV didn’t pay attention to the part about dumping tanks and everything’s backed up in their shower. She’s helping them take care of it, so I’d probably give her a few minutes.”
“You know I love her, Rosie. This isn’t what I wanted.”
“I know that. But maybe you were ready to fall a little faster and a little harder and she needed a little extra time to catch up.” She sighed and nodded toward the table. “Sit down and I’ll give you a brownie.”
He knew he should ask if Josh was in his office and head back there, but he sat and took the brownie on a napkin she handed him. “I feel like I gave her time.”
“She married a guy who loved her, but then turned out to maybe not love her that much after all and spent ten years trying to make her into what he wanted. And her parents did their part, too.”
Rosie was doing something at the counter while she talked and when she turned, she had a wooden spoon in her hand.
He pointed at her. “Don’t even think about hitting me with that.”
She looked confused for a few seconds, and then she laughed. “I was going to stir my sauce with it, but now that you mention it, a good whack upside the head probably wouldn’t hurt you any.”
“Nothing can hurt more than I already do.” His voice was raw and he probably wouldn’t have said the words out loud, but Rosie was the kind of woman a person could talk to.
“Son, I can tell you there are more painful things in life than what you’re going through. But I also know this isn’t just any breakup for you. And it’s not for her, either.”
“I’m afraid if I talk to her, I’ll convince myself I can wait longer.”
“And can you, if that’s what she needs?”
“Hey, I thought I heard you pull in.”
Ben turned to see Josh walking into the kitchen, saving him from having to answer Rosie’s questions. He didn’t know what to say, anyway. He loved Laney. He wanted Laney to love him—to be willing to put everything else behind her and share her life with him.
“I’ve got the map here,” Josh said, pulling a folded piece of paper from his back pocket.
“You have a map? I’m shocked.”
“That gets funnier every time I hear it.” The straight face and dry tone made Ben laugh, which he hadn’t done a lot of lately. “You want to sit here or go to my office.”
“Here’s fine if we’re not in Rosie’s way. Where’s Drew?”
“He’s on his way. He has Jackson and there was a diaper incident that required turning around for fresh clothes and the spare car seat. I didn’t ask any more questions.”
“I can look at a map without him for now.”
