Page 40 of More With You

I smile tightly. “Are you done? You’re kind of ruining the vibe for me.”

Before the sunset boat trip, I’d have been tempted to believe Levi. Now, I’m not listening to a word. Ben isn’t faking this thing with me. He wouldn’t be asking to introduce me to Grace if he was. I don’t know much about fathers, but I’m fairly sure that no father worth anything would parade a carousel of women in front of their young, impressionable daughter, much less let them get attached if he’s just going to move on in six months. Hell, prior to this, I’m the one who kept moving on every six months.

“She’s back, you know. I bet Ben didn’t tell you that.” Levi throws one last punch, since it’s obvious the rest of his attempts aren’t working.

I frown. “Who?”

“The prodigal daughter.” Levi smirks, knowing he’s got my attention. “The DuCates landed early. Mr. DuCate got called to a diplomacy summit with China that couldn’t wait. He’s off to Washington in the morning, but Mrs. DuCate and little Miss DuCate are spending the last week of their vacation on home soil. Walk up the beach, if you don’t believe me. You’ll see all the lights on.”

My stomach drops. “So?”

“So?” His brow furrows in disappointment. I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much he’s thrown me. I thought I had longer to pretend it was just me and Ben, before I had to face the hurdles ahead of us.

“Ben invited me to meet Grace anyway,” I say defiantly. “If it’s sooner, then so be it. Where’s meeting his daughter on that imaginary list of yours?”

Levi’s mouth opens and closes for a couple of seconds, like his mind is struggling to catch up. “They won’t accept you,” he blurts out. “It doesn’t matter if you meet his daughter. You don’t belong there.”

“That’s your opinion. Mine is different,” I lie. I know I won’t belong, but I can belong with Ben. I’m sure I can.

Levi’s lips curl in a grimace. “Still, he obviously didn’t tell you Grace was back. He’s never going to introduce you to her. It’s just another one of his lies, to make you feel special.”

“We’ll see.” I hold my nerve, and I’m glad I do, because Ben returns at that moment. His smiling face morphs into a mask of raw fury, and he slams the two drinks down on the chipped varnish of the table, spilling a few potent splashes.

“You’re in my seat,” Ben growls. “You’ve got five seconds.”

I’ve never seen Levi move faster. He scrambles off the bench and makes for the door, but not before casting a pointed look back at me. He probably thinks it’s a profound expression of “I told you so,” but I just want to punch him in his pudgy nose.

“Was he there the whole time I was gone?” Ben sits down and gathers me into his arms, pressing worried kisses to my forehead.

I slip my arms around him. “I dealt with it. He doesn’t scare me so much anymore.”

“I could kill him,” Ben seethes, putting gentle fingertips underneath my chin to tilt my head up. “Did he hurt you? Did he say anything? Do you want me to go after him and beat the crap out of him?”

I laugh flatly. “No, it’s okay. He’s gone. That’s all that matters. He didn’t hurt me… but he said a couple things. Bullshit, mostly.”

“He gave you my “list,” didn’t he?” Ben sighs, cupping my face. “It’s an old list we had when we were high school seniors. The perfect way to get a girl to like you. It never worked. I’d get to the motorcycle bit, but they’d be too scared to get on the back. I had a crappy dirt-bike back then, so I don’t blame them.”

I’m soothed by his honesty. “I guess he’s added a few bullet-points since then. Levi mentioned you use the gallery invite to charm vulnerable, gullible young women like me.” I grin. “Oh, and he said something about a nude portrait. I don’t want one of me, but if you’ve got one of you hanging around, I’ve got the perfect place for it.”

“God, I could actually kill him.” Ben huffs out a frustrated breath.

I let go of the tension I didn’t even realize I had balled up in my muscles and laugh until my sides ache. Ben looks at me like I’ve already had ten Whisky sours, and he’s wondering if I need the Emergency Room or my bed. To be honest, I’m not even sure why I’m laughing. There’s this joy inside me that keeps bubbling up, and I can’t tamp it down. I don’t want to. I’ve noticed it since this morning, catching myself grinning for no reason or wanting to run out into summer rain and dance around and around without a care in the world. It’s probably what Clive noticed, too.

“Are you okay?” Ben chuckles.

I smooth my hands up his chest, until my arms loop around his neck. “I’m more than okay.” I flutter a kiss just below his ear and watch his Adam’s Apple bob in an eager swallow. That’s one of his sensitive spots; I’ve learned. As for me, he’s awakened sensitive spots I didn’t even know I had.

“Never change, Summer,” he whispers, pulling me closer.

I smile, holding him tight. “I wouldn’t know how to.”

We stay like that for a long time, as the sound of mellow jazz floats over us, encircling us in a private world of two. I close my eyes, inhaling the soapy scent of his laundry detergent and the salty ocean, coconutty sunscreen undernote that always clings to his warm skin. It’s my favorite perfume, second only to the aroma of new books and fresh coffee.

As a saxophone solo rises to a sexy conclusion, I pull away slightly. There’s something I should say, but not because I’m afraid of meeting Grace. Now that the elephant in the room is fully visible, and we’ve talked about how we’re going to approach it, it seems strange that Ben wouldn’t mention his daughter being back early. I wonder if he’s trying to spare me some fear, but we’ve promised to be bluntly honest with each other.

Maybe it’s something else…

“Levi did say one other thing.” I search his face, but there’s no deceit. He’s smiling one of his stomach-fluttering smiles, that he does before he kisses his way down my body.

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