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Ben leaned forward, his mouth next to her ear. “I cannot wait to be alone with you, Liv. Am I wrong about this? Please tell me you want this as much as I do.”
“I do, Ben, but we need to talk first.”
“Wait, what? You want to talk. I can’t tell you how much that turns me on, baby.” He nipped at her neck.
“I know. Who am I?”
“Will you and Renie have dinner with us tonight?”
“We’d love to.”
“She’s good with my boys. They love her. You’ll be a distant second I’m afraid. They’re already smitten.”
“I will not begrudge my daughter your boys’ affection. I’m generous that way.”
There were so many ways she was generous. She had no idea. He hadn’t been exaggerating when he said today was one of the best he’d had in as long as he remembered. The last time he was this happy was the day they drove back from Woodward, Oklahoma, before her accident.
“I want pizza,” Ben heard Luke say when Renie came into the lodge, his boys in tow. Luke always wanted pizza, that didn’t surprise him.
“I’m sick of pizza,” argued Jake, standing up straighter than Ben had ever seen. “We should go to Uncle Matt’s restaurant.”
“What’s there?” asked Renie.
“Sushi.”
“A man after my heart. I love sushi.”
Ben watched as her response took his son completely over the top. Renie Fairchild may very well be Jake Rice’s first love.
He shook his head, and smiled. Family and Liv. It’s what he wanted more than anything. He wanted forever with her, it was what he’d always wanted. Did she want the same thing? Is that why she came to Crested Butte?
“Sushi, then?” Ben asked Liv.
Liv smiled. “Sounds great.”
“Luke, you like sushi. Plus Uncle Matt will make you anything you want.”
“Pizza? Will he make me pizza? ’Cause that’s what I want, Dad.”
Ben ruffled Luke’s hair. This was what happiness felt like. He loved it.
When they walked into the restaurant, Matt stood near the end of the sushi bar. When he spotted Liv, Ben thought his brother might have strained his neck, his head spun around so quickly.
“Well, hello. This is? Remind me your name again.”
Ben almost choked. As if Matt didn’t remember her name. What a crock.
“Liv…Olivia. And this is my daughter. Renie, this is Matt, Ben’s brother.”
Renie stepped up to shake his hand. “Pleasure,” she said.
“A table tonight, Ben? Something away from the noise of the sushi bar?”
“That sounds great,” Ben answered, not bothering to look in Matt’s direction. His eyes were focused on Liv’s smile, and he intended to keep them there.
Matt led them to a table near the back, hidden away from the rest of the place. “You’ll get fewer interruptions back here,” he said as he placed menus in front of Liv and Renie.
“Daddy, said you’d make me pizza,” said Luke.
