“This particular tonic is brewed with lavender and eucalyptus. Both of which have relaxation properties, especially in their scents. When the tonic is applied topically, it seeps into our skin and helps relax our muscles, too,” I explained. “I read it in a book,” I added when Ben looked at me quizzically again.
“Of course you did, Fay. You’re smart, and way too good for us,” he said with a soft smile.
My cheeks pinked again, and I ducked my head so he wouldn’t see.
“Can you believe that Mrs. Henshaw is only our age?” he asked after a minute. I barked a laugh.
“Yeah, do you remember school together? She was always trying to get the older boys to notice her.”
“And look how that turned out.” Ben grimaced.
“What? She seems . . . happy,” I said. “Content at least. She has a family, a husband who loves her and cares for her, a roof over her head, and food in her belly.”
Ben hummed in thought.
“I can think of a lot of worse things,” I added quietly.
Like feeling out of place. Or never being loved.
I shook my head at the dark thought.
“And, is apparently havinga lotof sex,” Ben said as he wiggled his eyebrows.
A loud laugh burst out of me, and I threw my head back in mirth. We made eye contact as my laughter subsided and I saw a sparkle there along with a glimmer of heat.
I gulped and darted my gaze away, back to the road.
What would it be like to have a family with Ben?
It wouldn’t be long before his mother convinced him to get married and have a brood of his own. She was already putting pressure on him, and I was in no place to start a family.
Maybe I should cut him loose? Let him find someone to give him what his family wants?
It wouldn’t be long before one of the other girls in town snatched him. He was strong, a hard worker, and exceptionally kind. His charm and good looks didn’t hurt either. I snuck a glance at him out of the corner of my eye and I settled on his rather large and calloused hands.
And other parts of him are just as large . . .
“What’cha staring at?” I jumped at the question and stumbled over my answer.
“Uh . . . the . . . uh. The box. Yes, the box. Is it too heavy for you? Do you need to switch for a while?”
Ben only smiled. “Fay, if a thing like you can carry this all the way from your house, I’m pretty sure I can carry it into town.”
“Thank you, Ben,” I said, softly. We continued ambling toward town in comfortable silence, calling out and waving to people as we walked. The trip from the Henshaw’s to town was relatively short and the dirt path soon changed to cobbled stones which widened into a larger road as we passed the walls surrounding the town center.
The village was small, and the center of townreflected our population. The main town square, which hosted the shopping district and government center, was comprised of just over a dozen buildings, half on the north side of the road, and half on the south. Market Street ended just after the buildings and the cobbled road expanded into a large square that faced the small manor house, which housed the mayor and his family. A small pool of water sat in the middle of the square and, as always, it was full of women washing clothes, children splashing and bathing, and horses drinking.
Even as I wrinkled my nose at the thought ofallthat bacteria in the water, I couldn’t help but appreciate life in a small village. It was more of a large extended family than a gathering of strangers, and my chest warmed at the thought.
“It’s something, isn’t it?” Ben asked beside me. He wore a smile that I was sure was similar to my own, and his tone was revenant. The sounds of children laughing and women gossiping provided a happy background to the whole scene.
I hummed in agreement.
“Though I amparticularlyglad to have my own water supply.”
Ben barked a laugh at that before hoisting my box up onto his shoulder. “Come on, witch. Let’s get you to Holt.”
He placed one of his large hands on my lower back and guided me down Market Street. I sucked in a breath at the pleasantly warm contact and let my body relax a bit into his hand. I wasn’t sure if this thing between Ben and I would go anywhere, but I was happy for his company.
