“Don’t you know how much Cass likes cheese?”
Cass gave her love a playful shove. “Quiet, you.”
“Do you think Ben and Garrett have eaten?” Rose asked, an idea blooming.
“Probably not,” Abby said. “Ben will be too busy glowering.”
“He doesn’t glower anymore, thanks to Rose.”
Rose beamed at Cass’s comment and grabbed a basket from the shelf. “I’ll bring them some sustenance. I could use a walk.”
Cass laughed. “To midtown?”
“Well, a trolley ride and a walk.”
Abby began wrapping the sandwiches in waxed paper and dropped them in the basket with apples and a sampling of her latest batch of cookies, and Cass dug into her apron and pushed a handful of coins into Rose’s hands. “Take a cab,” she said, “my treat.”
“What is taking so damn long?”
Garrett cast Ben a smirk as he leaned back against the gleaming stone façade of the Union Club as though he hadn’t a care in the world. “This is a social club, so my best guess would be… socializing?”
Ben scowled and continued pacing like a caged animal, his mind whirling. Garrett had charmed Clarence Peale’s secretary into revealing that her boss and Linden were having lunch at the Union Club. Ben and Garrett had just missed them as they entered, so Ben hoped to catch Peale as he left and convince him of the importance of their cause before tomorrow’s meeting.
Ben’s mind had not been focused on the suffrage society of late; if he were being honest with himself, he’d not given it his all since Rose arrived and tossed his life into upheaval. And yet, she had become his entire world. Everything he did had a different meaning whenRosecould benefit.
His future suddenly became clear, as though the fog of grief had burned away. As much as he had doubted it, she’d proven she could belong in the Heights, that they could build a life together. A huff of laughter escaped his chest. When had he stopped thinking of marriage to Rose as conditional and started thinking of it as a given? With her, Ben would make right what had happened with Aiko and finally be at peace.
“You’ve been standing in place for a solid minute now, friend.”
Ben jumped at Garrett’s voice and his cheeks heated. “Sorry, lost in thought.”
“I assume you’re not thinking about political machinations, but rather a certain beautiful Englishwoman.”
He fixed Garrett with a scowl, but Ben knew it lacked heat. “Why are you so concerned with my romantic life?”
“Because it amuses me to see you all bent out of shape.” Garrett pushed off the wall and smoothed the sleeves of his jacket. “And it’s nice to see you smiling.”
“I’m not smiling. I don’tsmile.”
“You should look in a mirror if you believe that’s true. Now stop pretending Rose hasn’t got you all twisted up.” He clapped his hand on Ben’s shoulder, and Ben found himself eager to talk about her. Eager? Totalk?
He must be insane.
“What we have is… good,” Ben managed.
“Damn, Ben. Save the poetry for Rose,” Garrett drawled, and Ben threw his hands out wide.
“Okay, fine.” He dropped his head back as though seeking help from a higher power before meeting Garrett’s gaze. “I never thought I’d feel like this again, and I have no idea what to do about it. She’s incredible, and she makes me…” He shook his head. “Happy.”
“Don’t sound so broken up about it.”
Ben exhaled slowly. “I love her. She told me she loves me back.”
“She’s not returning to England, then?”
“She says she’s staying.”
Garrett’s brows furrowed. “But…”
