“And right then, for one of the first times since I’ve been with you, including in Vegas, I wanted to take a drink.”
“I’m sorry, Ben.”
He took her hands from around his waist and moved away from her. There were tears in her eyes.
“It happens, it’s not you. I think about drinking. But when I’m with you, I don’t. That’s why it freaked me out. All week, even when Bill asked if I wanted a beer, or when we were at Paige and Mark’s and they served wine. Not once did I have this horrible craving.”
“I’m so sorry.” She said again.
“No, Liv, listen—it’s not you. You need to understand that. It’s not you, and it has nothing to do with you. No, that’s not right. It does, but in the opposite way. I love being with you. There, I said it. I love being with you. And this will make you bolt for sure. I think I’m falling in love with you. How’s that for putting pressure on you?” He let go of her hands and walked toward his truck.
“Where are you going?” Liv asked.
“I’m not going anywhere. That’s the thing. I can’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“If I got in my truck right now and left, I wouldn’t make it as far as the highway before I turned around and came back.”
“Then come inside with me.” She put her arm around his waist and led him in the direction of the house.
He slung his arm around her shoulder and brought her head closer to him. “I’m sorry, baby.”
“Don’t be, Ben. I’m glad you talked to me about it.”
“After dinner I need to call Renie. She and I have been playing phone tag since Saturday, and I need to talk to her.”
“Where does she go to school?”
“Dartmouth.”
“Holy crap.”
“What?”
“It’s a long way away, and damn, it’s a hard school to get into.”
“You’re right. It’s both of those. I miss her so much. This is one of her last summer vacations before she graduates. I want to see if she’d like to travel.”
Ben did his best not to react, praying the expression on his face didn’t change. They’d known each other a li
ttle over a week, longer than that, but a week. Her making plans that didn’t involve him was the most natural thing in the world. His pang of jealousy was the most unnatural thing in the world.
“Where are you going?” He hoped his voice sounded interested, not interrogatory.
“I want to take her to Europe, but anywhere she wants to go would be fine with me. All I care about is getting to spend time with her.”
That’s what I want with you, he wanted to say, but didn’t. “Tell you what, why don’t you give her a call now, and I’ll make dinner.”
She smiled. “You wouldn’t mind?”
“I told you, I love your kitchen. I might even apply to be your full-time cook.”
“How good at it are you?”
“Oh, baby, you wait and see.”
Ben liked his kitchen at home, but Liv’s was out of a magazine. A large cedar beam, similar to those in the family room, was the focal point of the space. Lighting fixtures hung down from it over the island, where there was a seven-burner cook top. Even more impressive were the bells and whistles hidden away. Electrical outlets and an exhaust panel hid within the rough-edged granite, popped up at the push of a button. He’d seen her do it when they made breakfast.