Page 6 of Falling for Him
“Lex.” Jillian forces me to look at her. “I wish you could see what all of us see. I wish you could have seen Bennett that night and every night that has followed. Not everything makes sense, everything is not black and white, life is messy. But one thing I do know without a doubt is that Bennett didn’t turn you away that night because he doesn’t have feelings for you. It’s the exact opposite. He turned you away because he cares too much.”
I stare at her, wondering if everyone around me has lost their damn minds.
Am I the only one seeing clearly?
CHAPTER SEVEN
Bennett
“If it isn’tthe prettiest lady in Hudson,” I say as I lean in and offer my mother a kiss on her cheek. She has flour on her face and is up to her elbows in dough. Baker, my mother is one hell of one. It’s her joy, seeing the smiles on the faces of those she gifts with pies, pastries, and more. All made from her garden and mass amounts of trees she spends all her time grooming and nurturing.
“I bet you say that to all the ladies.” She laughs and continues kneading the dough.
I remember all the times Brant and I would sit opposite her at the countertop, watching her create tiny little cupcakes, hearts dancing in our eyes. Each of us knowing that we would be the two taste testing all the spoons when she was done and cleaning the bowls with our fingers. So many sugar highs that would leave us both crashed on the floor with dry frosting on our faces.
The smells, all those days coming home from school to be met with something freshly baking in the oven, it was the best.
“Off work early?” My mother’s question pulls me out of my memories and I turn around leaning back against the countertop still watching her work.
“Can’t do the concrete today.” She grabs the rolling pin and starts to roll out the dough. “Rain is moving in, so we decided to wait.”
“How is the Keller’s house coming along?”
Working for my uncle’s construction company, alongside all my family and several of my friends, to most would be hard. But I love it. Yes, we clash, we hassle each other, and at times there are some heated arguments. But at the end of the day we are a tight crew, working well together and know how to leave work at work.
I could be nose to nose with my uncle over a work-related issue and by six we’ll be having a beer and talking about an upcoming family reunion. Working with my hands is something I love to do. Starting with nothing but a pile of wood and tools and in the end, making something beautiful.
“Brantley called about an hour ago.” Again the sound of my mother’s voice reminds me I’m not alone. “Tomorrow is their last day in Greece. He said he may have to drag Sutton away, she has fallen in love with the area they are in.”
“It’s a whole different world.” My brother served as a marine, traveling to places I’d only ever seen in magazines and on television. To him, Greece is beautiful I am sure, but to Sutton, who has never been outside of Alabama, well I’m sure she is in awe.
“How is Lexi doing?” There it is, the reminder of the one thing I’ve been hiding from since the wedding. “I saw you two disappear to the terrace at the reception.”
“Not for the reasons you’re hoping, Ma.” I push off the counter and walk toward the refrigerator. I pull it open. Needing something to do I look around at the shelves.
“So not because you are chasing and she is trying to flee and hide?” I close my eyes keeping my back to my mother. “Not because the chance was there once and you chose to ignore it, now she is having a hard time forgetting the rejection?”
“Do you have hidden cameras in places I don’t know about?” Grabbing a water I twist the cap and take a big drink.
“I’m very observant,” she assures me but I know it’s because I live in a small town and everyone knows everything. There is no such thing as a secret. People in Hudson pride themselves on knowing everything about everyone. It’s scary at times. “When it comes to my boys I pay attention.”
“We are hardly boys anymore, Ma,” I say with a chuckle as I rest my elbows on the countertop. Suddenly my mother arches a brow at me, placing a hand on her hip and it’s a look I know well. One that should have had me running for the back door, making a quick escape. But at this point there is no quick exit.
“I’d like to agree with you, as you are twenty-four, but the fact that you are acting like an idiot fifteen-year-old being led around by his raging hormones makes it really hard to agree.”
I stare at my mother, my stomach feeling tense.
“I’ve had a real hard time keeping up with the town gossip about my own son. What I do know is that Lexi James is a sweet girl. All these others you play around with…” She shakes her head.
“Ma.” This situation is getting really uncomfortable.
“Rochelle Harper,” she huffs, “that girl has been poked more than my sewing pincushion.”
“Ah Ma, seriously.” I stand and spin around, suddenly hearing my father’s chuckle echo through the dining area as he steps into the kitchen.
“Nothing gets by your mother, son. You know this.” I watch as he crosses the kitchen and leans in, giving my mom a kiss on her cheek. Whispering something near her ear she smiles and slaps his chest.
“Give the boy a break, hun.”
