Benita moved away from him again, this time to sit on the far corner of the love seat. “What do you want to talk with me about?”
Vaughn lowered himself onto the love seat’s opposite corner. “I need your help.”
“With what?”
Vaughn leaned forward, placing his forearms on his thighs. “Do you remember the musical I’ve been working on?”
“Mystic Park.” Benita crossed her long legs. “You had a flier about it on your bulletin board.”
“I’ve received a grant to produce it.”
“That’s fantastic!” Benita’s face lit up like a star on a Christmas tree. A wide grin curved her luscious lips. She threw herself against him.
Her arms twined around his neck. In reflex, Vaughn’s arms wrapped around her waist. Her body was warm and soft in his arms. Her fragrance surrounded him, bringing memories of the distant and not-so-distant past. Images of other days and nights when he’d held her. He remembered the touch of her, the taste of her. His body burned.
“Thank you.” Vaughn set Benita aside and stood with his back to her. It hurt like ripping out his heart and throwing it into the street.
“I’m glad you decided to share your music. It’s about time.”
The rustling sound behind him indicated Benita was straightening her clothes. He gritted his teeth and drew a deep calming breath.
“You’ve been nagging me to do that for years.” Vaughn dragged his hand over his clean-shaven head. Could he risk looking at her now? His body still throbbed from their embrace, brief and spontaneous as it was.
“I’ve never nagged, Vaughn.” There was laughter in her tone. “How can I help you?”
He hesitated, then turned to face her. “Would you be willing to stay a while longer in Trinity Falls?”
Benita seemed very still. “Since I’ve agreed to plan Doreen and Alonzo’s wedding, I’ll be here until at least June twenty-first, the day after their wedding.”
Why am I so nervous? What’s the worst that could happen?
Benita could say no. That would crush him.
“I need help managing the production’s various tasks, things like the audition and rehearsals, the promotion, props and costumes.”
Benita regarded him in silence for a beat. “You want me to be your girl Friday?”
Vaughn had a premonition of danger. “You’d be more than that—like a production manager.”
Benita stood, glancing toward the vent near the ceiling. She kept her voice low. “You want me to help you manage your play while you’re dating Doctor Stark?”
“What does one have to do with the other?” The minute the words were out of his mouth, Vaughn wanted them back.
Benita gave him a stony stare. “Let’s think this through. You want me to help you with your play like a friend, while you’re romancing someone else.”
Vaughn spread his arms. “Benny, we broke up.”
“Then why are you here?”
Vaughn rubbed a hand over his head. He rose from the love seat. “I really don’t know.” He collected his jacket from the coatrack. “Sorry to have wasted your time.”
He let himself out of Ms. Helen’s home without looking back. Vaughn was more disappointed than he had a right to be. He’d known Benita wouldn’t work with him on the play. Darius’s idea had been a good one. It just couldn’t work.
And now Vaughn had to start from scratch, teaching his body to forget her again.
“What did Vaughn want?” Ms. Helen wandered into the kitchen maybe seven minutes later. That hadn’t taken her long.
Benita had finished straightening the kitchen—there hadn’t been much to do—and she’d decided to make biscuits to go with their dinner of chicken and green beans.