Ben parked his SUV across the front of Josh’s truck and Katie’s Jeep, figuring if he blocked them in, nobody would be able to blockhimin. There were a lot of vehicles in the yard already, but he had no idea if all the family had arrived or not.
He knew Sean had, though, since he’d sent Ben a text message earlier.Come meet my wife and son. We’ll crack a beer.
It had been years since he’d seen Sean. A lot of them, though he’d probably have to sit with a pen and paper to actually figure out how many exactly. But they’d been almost inseparable until adulthood, when Sean joined the army and Ben headed to college and then the city.
As soon as he opened his door, he could hear laughter from the camping area. Rather than going through the lodge to see if anybody was in there, he cut across the yard and headed for the trees. And as he walked, he braced himself.
Not for the chaos of the family gathering, but for seeing Laney again.
He’d kissed her. He hadn’t planned it and he didn’t regret it, but it had weighed on him since last night. They had chemistry. It was undeniable, and the kiss had felt like pouring gasoline on burning embers. The need for her had flared, hot and strong.
But then he’d remembered too late that they weren’t looking for the same things in life, and he’d pulled back. And then he’d botched the apology, though she’d taken it well. So things would hopefully not betooawkward between them, but he was going to have a hard time looking at her and not wanting to kiss her again. They’d agreed, though, that it wasn’t a good idea.
And that’s what he was telling himself for the umpteenth time—kissing Laney again wouldnotbe a good idea—as he walked down the dirt drive into the camping area into somewhat organized chaos.
“Ben!”
He would have recognized Sean Kowalski anywhere, but seeing him was a bit of a shock. They’d both put on some years and seeing Sean made him keenly aware he’d aged exactly the same amount.
It didn’t matter. It was good to see him. “How the hell have you been?”
They shook hands and then Sean dragged him to each cluster of family milling around. He said hello to the Kowalskis he knew and was introduced to the ones he didn’t. The kids managed to be still long enough for Sean to name them all, but then he scooped a little boy into his arms, truck and all.
“And this is my boy, Johnny.”
“He’s a handsome little guy,” Ben said, and he couldn’t look away as Sean kissed the top of his son’s head before setting him back down.
The last time he’d seen Sean, they’d barely been adults and now here he was with a kid of his own. He looked, not just content, but really happy. And even though he was happy for his old friend, Ben couldn’t help but compare his own life to his. Same age. Same beginnings. But Ben was living in an apartment over his parents’ garage with no sign of a wife on the horizon, never mind kids.
“You have good timing,” Ryan said, holding up a beer in one hand and a soda in the other. “We’re getting ready to fire up the grills.”
“It doesn’t take a smart man long to figure out what time Rosie likes to put supper on the table.” He took the soda and popped the tab. “Thanks.”
“How are you liking being back in Whitford?”
“It’s a big change, but a good one. I’m glad to be back.”
“I know the town’s glad to have you.” Ryan opened the beer Ben hadn’t chosen and took a long swallow. “I think if things keep growing the way they are around here, the state’s going to have to consider some kind of regional medical center that’s centrally located for the trail system, even if it’s a small one.”
“Whitford’s kind of centrally located.”
Ryan nodded. “Yes, it is.”
Ben asked how business was and they talked about the custom home business Ryan owned down in Brookline. While Ryan was older than him, if you were friends with one Kowalski, you got to know them all. Sean had been in the middle—Mitch, Ryan, Sean, Liz and Josh—but the five of them were only spread out over seven years, so they’d often traveled as a pack. Along with Katie, of course. Rosie’s daughter fell in age between Sean and Liz, so she’d practically grown up at the lodge. Ben still couldn’t believe Josh had finally smartened up and married her.
“Oh, Ben,” Rosie called, waving at him. “Have you seen Laney?”
“No.” The question had taken him off guard, but he hoped like hell he didn’t look guilty. He hadn’t seen Laney, but it wasn’t because he hadn’t been scanning the people, looking for her. “I haven’t seen her anywhere.”
“Can you do me a favor and go check her camper? The burgers are almost done and she should come have some since we made enough to feed the entire county.”
There was no reasonable explanation he could offer as to why somebody else should go knock on Laney’s door, so all he could do was nod. “Sure. I’ll go find her.”
After excusing himself from the guys, who were talking about the possibility of luring a private medical clinic to the area, he walked toward the front of the campground, to Laney’s camper. Josh had chosen the spot well, because she could see almost everything through the tinted windows. But he’d angled it so her door and awning—and her cheerful pink chairs—were on the side facing away from everybody else. That gave her some privacy during her downtime and also didn’t give the guests the feeling she was watching them all the time.
When he turned the corner, he stopped short at the sight of Laney. She was sitting in one of the chairs, with a tablet propped on the arm. She had earbuds in and, as he watched, she smiled at the screen. A big smile, as if she would have laughed if she knew nobody would hear her.
When he took another step, she must have caught the movement in her peripheral vision because she started. When she realized it was him, she tapped the screen and then pulled the earbuds out.
