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M
uch to Ava’s pleasure as well as surprise, Benjamin not only kept his promise about taking her to the beach house someday, but he made it happen the very next weekend.
That kiss they shared a few days ago had opened the gates to something both could hardly explain. For days they had been throwing each other smiles like high-school sweethearts. Every touch, accidental or an intended light brush of their fingers when they handed each other items at the dinner table, released a firework of excitement in both of them. On several occasions, Ben had pulled Ava aside to kiss her, each time pushing them both to the very edge of their desires.
Unfortunately, with all the excitement also came a fear of the unknown. It'd already been four months since they had signed the marriage papers, and although neither of them talked about it, they were still aware of that clock ticking—of how little time remained to them.
Benjamin tossed the bags into the back of the car and leaned beside it, waiting for Ava. Uncle Barney, beer in hand, sauntered over. "You guys ready to go?"
Benjamin nodded. "You sure you don’t want to come, Uncle Barney?"
"To the beach house?" His uncle held up his beer and grinned. "Nah, I hate the beach.”
“You love the beach.”
“Not if I am in the way of two newlyweds. You need the nights to yourself. And the days if you are as romantic as your good ol’ Uncle Barney… if you know what I mean.” He winked.
Ben sighed and shook his head slowly. "Don’t hold back, will ya?"
Uncle Barney grinned. “Of course not. I kinda wanted to go down there myself, check out the beach house, and then I had one of those whatch-ama-call-it? Ideas, yeah. I said, why not give those two love birds a chance, alone, you know."
"Make up your mind, Uncle Barney. Last chance to join us." Benjamin groaned.
“Nah, I’ll stay here. You know what they say about the third wheel and stuff..." He paused and slurped loudly from his drink. Benjamin waited for the last part of his sentence. Getting nothing, he asked, "What do they say?"
"What? Don't look at me, I don't know anything."
Benjamin rolled his eyes with a smile. "It's been a long time since I went over there with family. I mean… Ava is… you know what I mean."
His uncle looked around until he spotted a tall metal bin. Crumpling his empty soda can, he mimicked a skillful basketball player and tossed it towards the bin like a free throw. He missed by several feet, the can hitting a pole and rolling off into Lucy’s rose garden. He shrugged and looked at his nephew.
"Nothing better than family trips. It’s all that matters in life, my boy."
Benjamin didn’t reply. This was all still so new to him. Having a person in his life that would share with him the good and the bad, the ugly and the pretty. It felt amazing. Never before did he realize how lonely he had been. But as wonderful as his little romance was, with that feeling also came the worry that had kept him up ever since their first kiss on that sidewalk.What would happen in a month? What if Ava did not feel the same way about him as he did about her? Would she divorce him with trumpets and flying colors? Take her money and leave?
Just the thought of it gave him anxiety. Even if he still did not want to say certain words out loud, not even in his head, there was no doubt in his heart that Ava meant the world to him.
"Consider it my treat," Benjamin said when they arrived at the beach house. Ava smiled and gasped at the Cape Cod-styled home. It was straight out of a movie. Oddly rectangular, made of glass and wood, with a white porch and fence, and colorful flowers all around it.
"It's beautiful," she whispered, feeling a warm summer breeze blowing from all directions. From where they stood, they could see the beach stretching on into the horizon, the calm blue and white shifting with the wind.
"I told you." He grabbed the bags. "Come on, we've got a big weekend ahead of us."
"What have you got planned?"
He turned around, standing by the front door. "Wouldn't be a surprise if I told you now, would it?"
"I guess not." She relieved him of the bag in his right hand. "But I don't mind spoilers either."
"Well, I do."
They stood so close, eyes searching each other's, then she looked away, images of their kiss still fresh in her mind. Ben must have thought about it too.
"We better get these inside."
"Yeah, we better," she agreed.
The day had been nothing short of amazing. Benjamin took her out to a beach restaurant for lunch. They exchanged stories and laughed as if they had been happily married for years. Then he surprised her with a horseback riding tour on the beach.
