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“Oh. I’m sorry, Thea.” Regret shadows her features. “I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay.” Talking to Jess feels like a band wrapping around my chest, squeezing. So when Ben comes through the doors, the relief is overwhelming.
He’s smiling as he walks in, his hair all messy the way I love it, wearing a shirt that hugs his muscles and makes his eyes look even greener than usual. His gaze sweeps over me, appreciative and affectionate, chasing away the clinging chill of the day.
When he notices me talking to Jess, he slows, hesitating, clearly not wanting to interrupt. But I gesture for him to join me and catch his hand, clutching it tightly. I know Jess is right here, but after waiting almost forty-eight hours to see Ben, I’m not waiting any longer to touch him.
“Hey, sweetheart.” He brushes a kiss across my cheek. “I missed you.” His eyes linger on my face for a moment, narrowing slightly. Then he looks over at Jess, his smile a bit stiffer than before. Holding his free hand out to her, he says, “Hi. I’m Ben.”
She stares at him, looking a bit disconcerted, not moving to take his hand.
“I’m sorry.” Shame sweeps over me. Just because Jess makes me uncomfortable doesn’t give me an excuse to be rude. “Jess, this is Ben. And Ben, Jess and I went to high school together.”
Ben dips his head at her. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too.” Her words are barely audible. After the world’s fastest handshake, she glances back at me. “I have to go. It was good to see you.”
Then she darts outside, nearly running down the steps and to the sidewalk.
As I watch her rush away, I can pick out other small differences. Like her clothes, baggy and dark, the complete opposite of the bold colors and form-fitting things she used to wear. Her hair is long, halfway down her back, a plain brown instead of the blonde highlights she never went without. She’s so much thinner than I remember.
And she looks sad.
When I used to think about seeing Jess again, I imagined the things I’d say. I thought I’d be angry. But now? The anger has faded, leaving just a dull ache behind.
“Are you okay?” Ben touches my shoulder, drawing my attention away from Jess’s retreating form and back to him.
“Yes.” I give myself a mental shaking. “I’m fine. It was just… I haven’t seen her in a very long time.”
“You didn’t seem too happy to see her.”
“No… I guess not.” Eventually, I’ll tell Ben the whole story, but standing at the entrance of the library after a very stressful day is not the time. “Some things happened back then… it’s just—”
“Hey, we don’t need to talk about it.” He loops his arm around my shoulder, tugging me into his side.
“I will.” Tilting my head up to meet his gaze, I add, “Just not now. It’s been a long day. And I really just want to spend some time with you.”
“Ah, Thea.” He leans down and captures my lips with his. It’s a quick kiss, a taste of what I’m hoping for later. “I missed you last night.”
Slightly breathlessly, my body already aching for him, I agree. “Me too.”
Kissing Ben almost makes me forget about everything. The mysterious person in my car, the heavy fear and anxiety weighing on me, Jess—
“Hello, Miss Nichols.”
Oh, no. Not here.
Mrs. Plimpton stands in front of us, her eyes glued to Ben. “So who is your young man?”
Inwardly, I groan. She’s going to be asking me about him every time she visits the library. I can already imagine the questions.
Is his family local? How long has he lived here? She saw him at the supermarket, did I know he has a child? What happened to his ex? Were they married?
Before I can answer her, Ben jumps right in. Still holding me nestled against his side, he flashes Mrs. Plimpton a devastating smile. “Hello. I’m Ben Lewis. Thea’s boyfriend. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Apparently, no one is immune to his gorgeous smile and striking green eyes, because for once, Mrs. Plimpton is silent.
After a few speechless seconds, she collects herself, her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink. “Well. It’s nice to meet you, too, Mr. Lewis. Make sure you treat Miss Nichols well. She’s a lovely young woman.”
