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Okay, he wasn’t impressed. Maybe even a little put out. Ben had wandered into the shop just as Warren said goodbye and had misinterpreted the speed dating as Warren’s idea and not mine.
Ben sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “So, what happened over the weekend? And Sunday? And Monday? We’re calling that, what? A fluke?”
My cheeks burned. I preoccupied myself with straightening the utensils on the table. “Not a fluke.”
I could have written off sleeping together as a one night mistake, but doing it again hadn’t helped anything.
“But we’re going speed dating?” He pitched forward, lowering his head and catching my eyes.
“Maybe we’re both lonely.”
“You just broke up with Chase,” he countered.
“Right, but Chase and I barely spent any time together. And when’s the last time you’ve been on a date? A year? Two?”
“I don’t know, Thea,” he sighed, leaning back. “It’s not like I’m keeping track.”
“Right, but long enough that you can’t even remember.” He grumbled under his breath but didn’t argue, so I pushed on. “My point is that what happened this weekend, it could have been anyone.”
He flinched, sending a wave of guilt coursing through me.
“Alright, not anyone, but not necessarily us. Together.” I whispered the last word, casting a furtive glance around the crowded diner.
“So, you want to find someone else?”
“I want us to find someone else. Both of us.”
He eyed me warily while Gloria returned to our table with our food.
“What’s the alternative, Benny?” I asked.
I knew the alternative, of course, and I didn’t know whether I just wanted to hear it from his mouth or expected him to deny it.
“We see where this goes. Between us.”
My turn to flinch. “And what if it goes sideways?” I asked quietly. “What if we can’t be friends anymore? What if we tell everyone and you decide you don’t actually want to date me?”
“Woah, Thea.” He dropped his fork and held up his hands. “I decide? What if you decide to break up with me?”
“Well, I’ve proven I can keep a good relationship with my exes.” The words slipped out and I immediately regretted them. “Low blow. Sorry.”
“Point taken, but Emily was the one to sever that relationship, not me. And as I recall, you were the reason she didn’t want to hang around me anymore.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, pushing away my plate. “See, this is exactly the problem. We’re already arguing.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call this an argument, Thea.” Ben grabbed a fry from my plate, pointing it at me. “But if you don’t want to date me, you don’t want to date me. I can’t change your mind.”
“I thought you’d at least fight me a little,” I admitted.
He shrugged. “I know you well enough to know when you’ve made up your mind. And if speed dating is going to make you feel better, then we’ll speed date.”
“And we can’t sleep together anymore,” I added, taking my plate back and shoving the sandwich into my mouth before I could make more of a mess of this conversation.
“Really?” Ben asked, brow furrowed. “Not even occasionally? Like for birthdays or holidays?”
I shook my head. “No. That’s done. I can’t think straight when we’re sleeping together.”
“Fine,” Ben conceded. “Just let me know if you change your mind.”
