“Of course,” I assure her. “Go have fun.”
She gives a little wave before disappearing into the thickening crowd. Paisley wasn’t kidding when she said the place was packed; it’s standing room only now.
“She really does seem sweet,” Paisley says, echoing what Ivy mentioned earlier. “And it looks like she’s starting to genuinely like you.”
I bite my bottom lip, unsure. “You think so?”
Paisley nods. “Absolutely.”
I let out a breath. “From what she’s told me, she doesn’t have a ton of close friends. Maybe that’s part of it; the whole friendship thing is appealing. I mean, we’re not that far apart in age. Seven years isn’t much. It’s almost the same gap as between me and Sophie.”
Paisley grins. “I think it’s awesome if you two can build that kind of relationship. Who knows? You might end up spending more time with her than with Ben.”
Ivy and I both laugh.
“I should get back to work before someone comes looking for me,” Paisley says, her tone playful. “I’ll swing by again if I can.”
She gets up, gives us a quick wave, and disappears into the crowd.
A moment later, Ivy leans in. “Hey, isn’t that Ben?”
I follow her gaze, and sure enough, there he is. My brows pull together in confusion. “Yeah, that’s him… The conference must’ve wrapped up early.”
Ivy’s eyes widen as she glances at me. “Wait. Does he know Laney’s here? Wasn’t she grounded?”
My stomach twists. “Crap,” I mutter. “He knows we’re here. He doesn’t know she’s on a date.”
Ivy gives me a worried look. “But he’ll understand, right? I mean, you two are finally getting along. That’s got to count for something.”
“I hope so,” I say quietly. “But he might just see that I lied to him.” The knot in my stomach tightens, and for the first time all night, I wonder if I’ve made a huge mistake.
“I guess you’re about to find out,” Ivy murmurs as Ben finally spots us across the room.
I take a steadying breath, then stand and walk toward him.
“Hey,” I greet him softly, rising onto my toes to press a quick kiss to his lips. “What are you doing here?”
A warm smile spreads across his face as he pulls me into his arms. “The conference finished early. I figured I’d drive home tonight instead of staying over… I missed you.”
I missed him too, but hearing that he missed me just as much makes my heart skip.
“Can I get a proper kiss now?” he asks, his voice low and rough in that way that always makes me melt.
I nod, and he leans in again, his mouth brushing over mine before deepening the kiss. His teeth graze my lower lip, sending a jolt through me, and I open to him without thinking. Our tongues slide together, slow and familiar, and I let my fingers tangle in his hair as his arms hold me closer. Every time he kisses me, everything else disappears, and tonight is no exception.
When we finally break apart, I rest my forehead against his, both of us breathing a little harder than before.
“Come sit,” I say quietly, sliding my hand into his and tugging him toward the booth. “Have you gotten a drink yet?”
He shakes his head. “I ran into Wyatt on the way in. He’s at the bar grabbing beers for us.”
I nod and lead him over to Ivy, who’s watching us with a knowing smile. Ben settles in beside me, his hand still wrapped around mine.
“Where’s Laney?” he asks, glancing toward the back of the bar. “Is she in the restroom?”
Ivy glances at me briefly, then lifts her wine glass and focuses hard on swirling the deep red liquid.
“Um… no,” I say carefully, my stomach twisting. “She’s not in the restroom.”
