Can't Stop the Feeling (Whispering Bay Romance 6)

“She’s just an old friend from college, Mom.”

“Friend?”

“Not even a friend. Like I said we were study partners one semester, but we lost touch.”

“But you liked her. Still do from what I can see.”

“You could tell all that in the two minutes we were together?” he teased.

“You’re my son, Ben. I love you more than anyone in the world. You might be able to hide what you’re feeling from everyone else but never from me.”

He stilled.

“She’s pretty, I’ll give her that. And that hair! That color didn’t come out of a box. She’s spunky, too. You have to love how she gave it right back to Greta. I like her. And yes, I can tell just by talking to her even for a few minutes that she’s a real genuine person. A real nice girl.”

“Too nice for me, Mom.”

“Oh, pooh. I’ve never once believed all those ridiculous rumors about you and that Playboy Bunny. Especially now that I know what you and Tiffany have really been up to. And besides,” she added, “no one’s too nice for you.”

“You’d say that even if I was in prison.”

“I would not. Okay, so maybe I would,” she admitted. “You should ask her out. I bet she says yes.”

“And you know this because?”

“You’re not the only one wearing their heart on their sleeve. That girl likes you as much as you like her.”

“Even if that were true, which believe me, it’s not, there’s no point. I’m only going to b

e in town a few more weeks.”

“But you never know what can happen! Don’t you want to get married and have a family?”

He might as well tell her the truth, or at least enough of it so that she’d know this crusade of hers was a lost cause. “Mom, Jenna and I went out last week. You’re right. I do like her. But she’s not interested.”

“What?” His mother looked dumbstruck. “How can she not be interested in you? What’s wrong with her?”

“There’s nothing wrong with her. She’s not interested because we have a not-so-nice past. And it’s completely all on me. Okay? Now, please, let’s get back to what’s important here. What do you think of the preschool? Mrs. Hodges said that considering our situation they’d be happy to take Rachel on a temporary basis.”

Her shoulders slumped in defeat. He could see that she wanted to continue talking about Jenna, but he’d successfully shut the door on that subject. “The school is fine,” she conceded. “Rachel seems to like it and that’s the important thing.”

“Good, then that’s settled?”

She nodded. “And…I’ve been thinking about what you said this afternoon. You’re right. Rachel needs the two of us, so I suppose that means I’ll be moving to Miami.”

“It’s not Siberia, Mom.”

“I know it’s not, sweetheart, and I can’t tell you how much your stepping in and helping with Rachel means to me. And to her. She adores you. She really does.”

“She’s my niece. The two of you are my responsibility.”

“Not really. Not if you didn’t want it to be.”

“I want it to be.”

She gave him a strained smile, then looped her arm through his. “Looks like it’s time for the official ribbon-cutting.”

They collected Rachel and weaved their way out of the building to the playground area. Ben figured there were probably about two hundred people at the ceremony, including the local press. Jenna began her speech with a few words about the history of the preschool, making sure to thank all the principal players and the people who’d contributed their time and money to the new project.