Just One Thing (The Alexanders 6)

Then she grabbed him by his collar and kissed him. Olivia kissed him. On the lips.

And Bennett could only think, This is completely wrong.

Maybe it had just taken the shock of feeling how utterly wrong being in another woman’s arms felt but in that moment, Bennett’s entire relationship with Katie flashed through his mind. He saw her shy and uncertain whenever she talked about her prior relationship. Most importantly, he saw the sincere joy in her eyes when she’d laughed at one of his jokes or when they were just sitting quietly and soaking up each other’s warmth.

After a lifetime of being around people who were just tolerating his presence, Bennett would like to think that he could tell a genuine reaction from a fake one. Katie had not been faking it around him and she definitely hadn’t been faking it in the bedroom. Bennett’s thoughts raced as the pieces all fell together. He’d reacted on instinct and allowed his past hurts to dictate his actions but looking back with a clear head, he couldn’t believe that Katie would have said those things behind his back. Or at least not after she’d gotten to know him. Her ex-husband had obviously just been looking to get a reaction from him and Bennett was ashamed that he’d fallen for it so easily.

Thinking back, he remembered that he’d been carrying flowers when he showed up that day. If he was Donald Mason and he’d lost an amazing woman like Katie, he’d probably lash out and be a jerk, also. He didn’t like that the man had been leaving her house so early in the morning but he trusted there was a good explanation. Even if Katie didn’t like him as much as he'd thought, there was no way she’d just go back to the guy who’d cheated on her and told her lies.

Bennett had made a grave mistake. And he needed to fix it. Immediately.

Olivia’s arms loosened around his neck. “Bennett? Take a breath.”

He coughed. His mind had been moving so quickly that he hadn’t even been breathing. Everything inside of him was focused on one goal. I have to get home. I have to find Katie.

“You didn’t feel anything either, did you?” Olivia sighed.

Bennett couldn’t even lie to spare her feelings. He’d experienced what it was like to have a kiss completely rearrange your world. As convenient as it would be if he had that kind of chemistry with Olivia, it just wasn’t happening. And he wanted that for her, even if he’d lost his own chance at it.

“No, I didn’t. I’m sorry. I would never want to hurt your feelings, Boo.”

“You didn’t. I’m in love with someone else. But I wanted it to be you. Stupid, huh?”

“No, it’s not stupid. You’re one of the smartest people I know.”

“There’s no way that’s true. You’re surrounded by literal geniuses all the time.”

“Understanding science isn’t the only way to be intelligent. For years, you’ve been the one person I could count on to accept me as I am. You’re that person for a lot of people, Livvy. Somehow you know how to be a great friend to everyone in your life, which seems pretty smart to me.”

“God, I love you so much, you know that?”

It was a bitter pill to hear those words coming from the wrong woman. But love was love and Bennett was grateful for it, no matter where it came from. Even if Olivia wasn’t The One, she would always be the woman who’d loved him before any other.

“I love you, too. I always will.” Bennett pulled her closer and kissed her gently on the forehead. They stayed like that for a long time before Olivia smiled up at him gently.

“Go. I can take a cab home.”

Relief swept through him followed immediately by guilt. He didn’t want to just leave her here on her own.

Olivia smiled. “I’ll be fine. And someday soon, I want to meet her.”

He blushed. “I just hope she hasn’t changed her mind about me.”

Bennett took one last look at the sparkling hedges. It wasn’t a shooting star but he decided to make a wish anyway.

If he was going to have even a chance of getting Katie back, he could use all the help he could get.

?

Katie rearranged the throw blanket covering Ridley’s legs. They were downstairs in the living room relaxing in front of the window that overlooked the backyard. It was a beautiful day, sunny and bright, but Katie didn’t mind staying indoors with Ridley who was on voluntary bed rest.

If she was at home, she’d only be puttering around the house trying to find things to take her mind off where she really wanted to be. Katie picked at a loose thread on the knitted blanket. Maybe she should take up knitting. Isn’t that what perpetually single women did, knit things and play with their cats?

“You’re going to pull a hole in that blanket,” Ridley said.

Katie dropped it and sheepishly tried to push the loop she’d snagged back into the blanket. “Sorry. I guess I’m a little distracted. Is this warm enough?”

Her friend gave her a wan smile before waving her away. “No need to fuss. I’ll just get hot in ten minutes and throw it off again anyway.”