Your One True Love (The Bennett Family 8)

“Summer was right,” he says with a chuckle.

“You told Summer about our night? Aw, come on. The girls have been dropping hints about us for a long time. What are they planning? Setup lunches? Impromptu get-togethers where we somehow end up alone? Something even worse? I need to start preparing my defenses.”

I only stop because I’m out of breath. I even stopped pacing to concentrate on remembering the girls’ techniques, but I’m not naive enough to believe I remember them all. And regardless, they can whip up plans faster than I can come up with defensive techniques.

“Slow down, woman. Take a deep breath. Good to know I’m not the only one they’ve been pestering. And no, I haven’t told them. I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut unless I want everyone in my business. Come to think of it, I wouldn’t mind that right now.”

What does this even mean?

“But Summer said you and I have been involved with each other’s families because we didn’t want to let go.”

“Ah, and here I was thinking you watched games with my dad out of the goodness of your heart,” I tease.

“I do like spending time with your dad, but I won’t lie. I was half hoping you’d drop by whenever I was there.”

“Can’t say my mind wasn’t on the same track when I was helping your mom and sisters plan Blake and Clara’s wedding. Though I love the bunch of them as if we’re related.”

“You’re adorable.”

“No, no, you don’t get to charm me.” I’m so proud that I’m still hanging on to my defenses. By my fingertips, but still. “Clearing the air was good, but that’s all this was. We’re in the past.”

“Except the still caring bit.”

“We can handle it. We’re adults, and I’m not the girl you fell in love with anymore.” I don’t volunteer more information because that’d be one confession too many. And he doesn’t need to know, anyway.

“I changed too. It’s been ten years for both of us.” After a brief pause, he adds, “Remember the night I told you I loved you?”

I smile. Oh, I only remember every detail about it. “Yes. You were so nervous that evening at the restaurant. And then when you said it I teared up and tried to hide my face, and you were so sweet. God, you were so sweet. You held me and said it again, and again.”

“I haven’t felt that way about anyone since.”

Boom! Straight through my defenses. This would be a good moment for my heart to pull up those walls, remember all the crying I did after we broke up. Instead, all I can remember are the good times. Sort of like biting into a delicious but hot s’mores and burning your tongue. All you remember later is how good it tasted, not how badly your tongue burned.

“Neither have I, Dan.”

Rubbing a hand over my face, I decide it’s time to end this call. I’ve had too much wine, and he’s way too good with words. If we take a walk down memory lane, I might not come out unscathed.

“I...I don’t know what else to say. We should call this a night,” I say firmly. “It’s late.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I have to wake up early anyway.”

“On a Sunday?”

“I’m leaving with a group to go to the Adirondack Mountains. Hiking trip until Thursday. We’re leaving at five o’clock, so I’d better go to sleep. But Caroline? What happened in the marina hotel wasn’t a mistake. There’s a reason neither of us moved on. Good night.”

“Good night.”

After we hang up, I feel a little shaken and a lot flummoxed, a single thought circling in my mind. How will the dynamic between us change after our midnight confessions?

Chapter Thirteen

Caroline

“One more time before the break. Three, two, one. Go.”

The chorus starts again, and I fight with all my might to keep a straight face. We’re currently rehearsing the songs for the Halloween celebration, and I swear each of the fifteen kids is singing to their own tune. They put so much heart and soul into it, bless them, that I don’t have the heart to keep correcting them.

“Lovely,” I announce when they’re done. “I’ll see you after the break.”