Patchwork to Healing, page 22
What have I gotten myself in to? He closed his eyes and rested his head in his hands. The pounding grew intense.
“Ben?” Becky said, but her words didn’t register until she shook his shoulder. He picked his head up and Becky was leaning over him. Her eyes squinted with concern. “It’s time to go.”
They collected their belongings and headed outside into the sunny day. Much of the snow and ice that had accumulated was now disappearing. The air was more crisp than raw. He had every reason to be pleased. They were moving forward, and at a pretty good pace, but the feeling of dread washed over him like a storm cloud blotting out the sun.
“You’re quiet,” Rebecca said as she shut her car door.
“I’m good. Just a lot to take in, I guess.” He didn’t want to tell her of his doubts. He couldn’t tell her he wanted more than anything to cut and run. Ben felt trapped in a sea of the unknown, but he didn’t want to fail Mrs. G., and more importantly, he didn’t want to fail Becky. Again.
Ben didn’t mind taking risks when it was just him. Sure, his diving team depended on him, but technically they were all freelance, so they would do just fine without him. This was different; they weren’t Becky. He vowed to himself that he wouldn’t let her down again.
“Rebecca, mind if we make a quick stop?”
“That’s fine. I’m free for the rest of the day.” Rebecca leaned her head back in the seat and closed her eyes. “Do you really think we can pull this off, Benjamin?”
“Absolutely,” he said without hesitation. I’m going to hell.
She turned to head to the side and looked out the window. “You know, it’s not just Mrs. Bennington we have to get past? We still have to get approval to take in these kids with licensing and everything. What we’re doing is pretty unconventional. What if—”
“We’ll get the approval. We’re not asking to take these kids in as foster parents. I mean, sure, we can be interims for emergencies, but what we’re providing is resources to help them better transition into the real world. We’ve got this.”
Rebecca was still looking out the side window. Her clasped hands rested on her lap. He wanted to reach out and assure her, hold her in his arms, and tell her everything would be okay, but he had to convince himself first.
Ben pulled into Ground’s parking lot and was pleased to see the winter landscaped murals that now graced the windows. He hoped Nathan might be working and wanted to congratulate him on a job well done.
Rebecca swung her head around, staring him down. “You’re not serious? You know who might be here, right?”
“We can’t avoid Mrs. Bennington forever, Rebecca.”
“Yes, yes, we can.” Rebecca’s brows raised. Mrs. G. had used the same expression on him more times than he cared to remember. Coming from Becky, he found it adorable.
“I understand you want to avoid that nasty woman, but we should still support Jillian’s business. She stuck her neck out for us. Besides, after Mrs. Bennington’s last eventful exit, I doubt she’d show her face anytime soon.”
“I wouldn’t count on that. Mrs. Bennington thinks she’s above the rules.” Rebecca sighed and shook her head. “Fine. You’re right. But if she says one word—”
“She won’t, if she knows what’s good for her.” He turned off the car. “You comin’?”
“Yes,” she said with a roll of her eyes, then opened the door. Ben followed suit.
“Do you know what she drives?” he asked as they traipsed around to the front of Grounds. Ben eyed the white Lexus that crept toward them.
“Not sure I do.”
No sooner had she responded, than his question was answered. Margo Bennington sat in her car, staring them down. Each time they made a step, she moved closer.
“Really? What is wrong with her?” Ben asked.
“I’m sure she’s furious with me. I embarrassed her in front of everyone, but this is ridiculous.”
Ben’s blood pressure rose with each act of aggression. He stopped and stared back. Rebecca picked up her pace, leaving him behind. She stomped directly toward her adversary.
“Seriously? This is how it’s going to be, Mrs. Bennington?”
Margo didn’t say a word in response. She just sat with her lips pursed as if she were about to spit. She clutched the wheel hard, and revved the engine.
Rebecca swiveled to face Ben as he strode up beside her. “Is she kidding me right now?”
He took her by the arm. “Rebecca, let it go.” He tugged toward the entrance. “She’s not worth it.”
Rebecca swung the front door open. “That woman is despicable.”
Ben stopped her in her tracks. “Look at me.”
Rebecca shut the door and stared at him. She was breathing heavily and her jaw was tight. The eyes that stared back at him were full of rage.
He rested his hands on her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “We have to play it cool and not let her know she’s getting under our skin. It’s what she wants.” He could feel her tense body relax a bit. “Now, give me a smile.” Ben gave her a goofy grin, and she obliged before sticking her tongue out. “There you go.” He laughed. “That’s the Rebecca I know and love.”
Ben opened the door and scanned the room. He was relieved to see the reason for his visit busing a table. Ben caught Nathan’s eye and gave him a wave. Nathan gave a shy wave in response. “Come with me, Rebecca. I want you to meet someone.”
Rebecca cocked her head inquisitively. “Okay.”
She followed behind as Ben maneuvered around the tables and chairs.
“Hey, Nathan. How’s the job going?” Ben didn’t bother to extend a hand as Nathan’s was occupied with a tray of coffee mugs and small plates.
“It’s going okay.” Nathan gave them a sideways smile. “Do I know you?”
“Not really,” Ben said. “I was here the day Jillian hired you.”
“You’re the guy that got me the job!” His eyes lit up, and he set the tray down on the table. Nathan reached his hand out and Ben reciprocated with a shake. “Thanks for what you did for me.”
“No problem. All I did was give the introduction. You’re the one that secured the job.”
By now, Nathan was grinning ear to ear.
“Nathan, I’d like you to meet a friend of mine.” He gestured toward Rebecca. “Nathan, this is Rebecca Mills. She’s also my business partner.”
“Hi. I remember you.” Nathan’s neck and cheeks turned pink. He lowered his head as if he wanted to crawl into a hole.
“I remember you too,” Rebecca said. “I want you to know that I think you handled yourself really well that day. You need to understand that what that lady said was untrue. I hope you know that.”
Ben took in the conversation between the two of them. Her tenderness toward Nathan was endearing, and her compassion when she spoke to him was palpable. That was when he knew they had to make this business work. The kids needed her, and he suspected she needed them, too.
Ben cleared his throat. “Well, we should probably let you get back to it.” He tapped the top of the table with his knuckles a couple of times. “Just wanted to tell you that you did a super job with the windows. Keep up the good work.”
“Thanks.” Red cheeks bloomed across Nathan’s face as he picked up the tray. He nodded goodbye and turned away with a bounce to his step.
“He seems like a great kid, Benjamin.”
“Yep, and I’ll be damned if we allow that woman to let kids like him fall through the cracks.”
Chapter 37
Rebecca hummed the tune “Pure Imagination” that played in the shop as she tucked pink tea roses, fuchsia China roses, and pale pink Peruvian lilies into a petite, porcelain tea pot, imprinted with the same type of flowers. She turned the arrangement around several times, making sure that it looked equally beautiful from every angle. After she was satisfied, she was sure the recipient would be as delighted as she was.
Rebecca had felt unusually cheerful throughout the day, which wasn’t hard to do with all the happy customers, popping in and out of Proposals. It was a new year, with new hope, and the spirit of generosity continued.
A touch of giddiness welled up inside. Her footing with Ben was feeling steadier, and they were well on their way into making Stepping Stones a reality. But she still couldn’t shake Mrs. Bennington’s vow to stop the project. Today, Rebecca tried her best to push aside the threat and keep moving forward. After all, she had Ben’s support. They were in this together, and that realization hit her like a shaken up can of soda that was ready to explode.
Rebecca set the teapot arrangement in the refrigerator, then grabbed her laptop. Her next tasks were to do inventory and place orders for the Valentines’ Day that was now less than three weeks away. Soon the shop would again be filled with red roses and candles, just as it had for the Christmas holiday.
For the first time, Rebecca was actually looking forward to Valentine’s Day. Ben wasn’t a love interest, but he was her friend, a male friend, and she secretly hoped that they’d spend the day together, even if it wasn’t an official Valentine’s thing. She just didn’t want to spend it alone, again.
Rebecca blindly scrolled through the order screen on her laptop. Maybe I’ll offer to make us dinner. No, he should make her the chicken and dumplings he’d promised her. After all, he didn’t have anyone else besides her and Jason to hang out with. They could simply keep each other company. She smiled at the possibilities.
Time clicked by quickly and soon the door chimes of Proposals rang in the distance. Sophie was saying goodbye to a lingering customer. Emily clomped into the room.
“Hey, there. Almost done?” Emily asked as she leaned against the doorjamb.
“Almost.” Rebecca closed the laptop and set it on the desk.
“Great! I was hoping you’d say that.” Emily pulled her hair tie and gave her hand a quick run through her hair. “I’m alone tonight. Jack and the boys are doing guy stuff, and I don’t feel like eating alone. Want to grab a bite?”
Rebecca’s mind reeled. She and Emily rarely ever spent time with each other outside of work. It was usually a twosome of Emily and Sophie, not that she ever minded. She’d always been a loner. She’d intended to work on her quilting, but the invitation was a welcomed surprise.
“Sure! Where do you have in mind?”
Emily sat on the corner of the desk. “Let’s go to the Inn. I’m craving a big juicy burger.”
“Sounds good.” Rebecca picked up a stack of receipts. “Just give me a minute.”
“See you out front.” Emily spun on her heels and headed down the hall. “I’ll drive.”
Within a few minutes, Rebecca slid into the passenger’s seat of Emily’s car. It surprised her to see the scattered candy wrappers and coffee cups strewn about. Rebecca had always taken Emily as a neat freak, and this, she thought, was refreshing. “Thanks for the invite. This is nice.”
“Sure thing. We basically work on opposite sides of the shop, and I feel like we haven’t connected in a while.” Emily looked both ways at the end of the driveway before pulling out onto Route 1.
The Inn was only a stone’s throw away, but Rebecca was grateful they weren’t walking; she wasn’t dressed for it. Rebecca was already feeling the awkwardness of not knowing what to say. At work, they’d talk about work or the guests. Not since their private talk about Mrs. Getchel, where she’d nearly had a breakdown and cried like a baby, and in the fiasco with Ben, had they discussed anything on a personal level. For the life of her, she was at a loss for words.
“Dang, it’s cold.” Emily adjusted the heat vents and turned up the temp, but it was still blowing cold air.
“I’ll say.” Rebecca crossed her arms, hugging herself. “I think it’s as frigid as Mrs. Bennington’s cold heart.”
“That’s pretty dang cold.” Emily laughed as she pulled into the parking lot.
They scurried into the main entrance of the York Harbor Inn. Rebecca could feel her face blush as she recalled the last time she’d been there. The memory of plopping her breast in Ben’s eggs Benedict was a memory she hoped she could some day laugh at.
The Inn was cozy, and the fire roared in the main room. The smell of wood smoke wafted in the air, subtle, but it still made her spine prickle. Anxiety fluttered in her stomach.
Emily stood looking up at her from the bottom of the staircase. “You coming?”
“Yes, sorry.” Rebecca grabbed the smooth wooden handrail, steadying herself as she descended the stairs to join Emily.
She was still shivering, even her nose was cold, which made it beet red. She cupped her hands and breathed into them to warm up. Rebecca was pleased that they hadn’t gotten a table near the windows so there wouldn’t be any drafts.
“Is that curmudgeon of a woman still giving you trouble?” Emily asked as they looked over the menu, which was a mindless task, as they both knew they’d order burgers.
“Yep. She sure is.”
“I say we have a hot toddy and make a toast to putting the great Margo Bennington in her place. Knocking her snobbery down a peg or two would do her some good.”
“I think she needs more like twenty pegs,” Rebecca said with a sigh.
“You do realize where you work, right?” Emily’s eyebrows rose as she leaned toward her. Rebecca could tell Emily had something up her sleeve, but she couldn’t fathom what Proposals had to do with anything.
“Well, of course I do, but—”
“Then you know we throw the best events in the area,” Emily said.
Rebecca’s mind raced as she recalled the numerous, extravagant affairs they’d hosted at Proposals, her favorite being Sophie and Brady’s wedding. Proposals events were always the talk of the town and, often, their newsworthy events spread far and wide. “Yes, we do host some pretty amazing events, but I’m still not following you.”
“Think about it. Can you just imagine having the who’s who of Maine and New Hampshire at the gala, and not having Margo on the guest list?”
“I hear you, but I don’t think she’d want to come. She doesn’t want Stepping Stones to happen.”
They handed the menus to the server and placed their order. Emily sat back in her chair with a mischievous grin on her face.
“What?” Rebecca asked, still not grasping Emily’s thought process.
“What you don’t understand about Margo is what her standing in the community means to her. Trust me on this one. She sees herself as the queen bee, and she would be humiliated if she couldn’t attend, regardless of how much she detests what the event stands for.”
Their hot toddies arrived and Rebecca took in the aroma of cloves, honey, lemon, and bourbon. The tall glass mug warmed her hands, and that warmth gave her a sense of hope.
“I see what you’re getting at, but that would entail the guest list being, as you say, the who’s who. I don’t know the who’s who.” She took a tentative sip of the hot liquid and allowed the cup to linger at her lips.
“But Sophie and I do.” Emily mirrored Rebecca with her toddy. An air of satisfaction drew up her mouth, and her eyes sparkled with glee. “Sophie’s nearly done with the invitation list, and word has it, according to those that she’s already spoken to, they’re all in.”
“Except for Margo Bennington, and her gaggle of adoring hens.”
“Oh, no. Her hens will definitely get an invitation,” Emily said with a smirk that became a laugh she couldn’t contain.
“You’re a devious woman, Emily Vassure.”
“Indeed. Anything for a worthy cause.”
Their burgers arrived, and Rebecca sank her teeth into hers with glee. The charbroiled juices dripped down her fingers, but she didn’t care. Emily, on the other hand, dipped crispy salted fries in ketchup.
“It’s good to see you happy for a change, Rebecca.”
Rebecca swallowed and grabbed a fry. “Yeah, I am.”
“Do tell.”
“There’s nothing to tell, really.” She popped a hand-cut fry into her mouth.
“Aah, but your blushing face tells me a different story.”
Her cheeks pinked every time she thought of Benjamin, and for the first time in a long time, she felt contentment. She and Ben had turned a corner. After all the years that had passed between them, she could finally open up to a future with him. Even though it was purely for business’s sake, she ached for more. Perhaps because she’d been thinking of Valentine’s Day all day. Deep down she knew she’d always loved the man, and she wouldn’t shut that door if it opened to her.
Emily sat back, awaiting a response.
“It’s nothing—really.”
Emily’s stare and smirk led Rebecca to believe she wasn’t pulling the wool over her eyes.
“Benjamin and I kind of patched things up is all, and things are going pretty well—for the business.”
“I see,” Emily said and took a bite of her burger.
The last thing she wanted to divulge was how she felt about Benjamin Daly. She sipped her tea and the first thing that popped into her mind was to turn the tide. “You and Jack seem to be doing pretty well together. Have you made any special plans for Valentine’s Day?”
Emily finished chewing and wiped her mouth and hands with no sign of discomfort at the change in focus. “We thought of going out, but honestly, I’d rather just stay home. He’s gonna cook me one of his famous dishes, some Indian thing he learned during his travels. The boys plan to spend the night at their grandmother’s. Should be an enjoyable night. You?”
