I laugh but his expression’s dead serious.
“So, you’re getting her ready for me to ride her?” Oof, that sounds dirty. “What’s her name then?” I chuckle, nervously playing with the folds in my dress.
“Yes, I am. She’s got to be in top shape for my first backpack. And by the way, her name’s Dalia.”
“Huh. Dalia. I like it.” I affectionately stroke the shiny red plastic on the tank.
“How’d you come up with that name?”
“She was my first adult bike, so I called her Dalia since she was a version of my first flower.” He lovingly gazes at the bike currently held up on jacks.
“Should I leave you two alone?” I joke, crossing my arms.
“Such a sassy attitude from my girl today. I love it.”
I stick my tongue out. He goes to grab it, but I jump back out of range.
“Ew! Your hand has oil all over it, don’t touch my tongue!”
“Don’t stick your tongue out at me and I won’t.” He winks.
Our laughs mesh together, echoing into the fields. The sun shines brightly outside and in my heart as well, the fight with my father long gone from the forefront of my mind.
Footsteps crunch on the stone driveway behind us. I turn around to be greeted by his parents. Do they know about us already? I hope they didn’t hear us last night or have any idea of what we were up to on their property...
“It’s about time you two started dating,” Joan says cheerfully, hugging me.
Koa, unable to help himself, chimes in his two cents. “Yeah, we’ve been betting on this for years. If you guyswaited much longer, I’d have lost the bet, and no one wants that.”
Relief sweeps over me. They’re being so cool about it. Which also means there’s no way they know how physical we were last night.
Phew.
Ben drapes his arm around my shoulder and kisses my forehead. I blush, nervous about being so open with our PDA in front of his parents and fold my hands in front of me.
My brain replays Koa’s comment. They thought we should’ve gotten together for years, and they actually bet on it? How am I the only one who had no idea how Ben felt about me all this time?
Probably because he was screwing another girl.
I clench my jaw together and tighten my lips at the thought of him and Tree. To distract my mind, I ask his dad what he would’ve had to do if he lost the bet.
“I’d have to wear Joan’s dress for an entire day while we ran all sorts of errands to the other farmers.”
I bend over and burst out laughing. “Oh my God, that’s hilarious. Now I wish we would’ve waited longer just so I could have witnessed that.”
We all laugh together and then continue chatting about the upcoming graduation and Ben and I’s plans fordinner. They want me to stay and eat with them tonight—steaks on the grill, green beans, potatoes, cottage cheese and salad.
I politely accept, giving them both hugs before they return to the fields and turn back to Ben who’s already bent down, working on his bike again. I’ve always felt at home here, but now, I feel even more a part of their family. It makes me never want to go back to my home again. This feels right, natural, easy. Unlike my house which is quickly turning into Vietnam.
“I see your bruises are looking better today,” he says as he wrenches something off his bike.
“Oh…yeah.”
I actually forgot all about them. My fingertips lightly brush along them, their presence now back in my attention. They’re still raised but healing nicely, already turning yellow.
Shit. I bet his parents noticed them though. I didn’t even think about covering them and they’re clearly noticeable in this dress.
Shit.
