Wish You Were Gone(60)
“I only stayed in it long enough to open the café and have a little to fall back on,” he said. “It was definitely too stressful for me.”
“A little something to fall back on. Sounds like a dream come true,” Lizzie mused as the waitress placed dessert menus in front of them.
Ben tilted his head. “If you ever need advice on anything in that arena, I’m happy to help,” he told her. “I do have a way with the numbers, even if it’s not what I want to do for a living.”
Lizzie smiled at him. “That’s really nice of you. I may take you up on it.”
“Do you want to get dessert?” Ben asked.
“I don’t know,” she said, and his smile faltered a bit. “Oh, I don’t mean I’m not having a good time, but I’m so full and also, I think you’ve spoiled me for other people’s desserts.”
Ben laughed, pleased, and wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Well, luckily I stashed some leftover tarts in the fridge before I left earlier. We can always sneak back there and have a private dessert.”
It wasn’t exactly an invitation back to his house, but it felt close, and Lizzie blushed. She almost begged off, not knowing where, exactly, it might lead. But then she remembered that feeling she’d had earlier this week—how fragile everything felt. Why not seize the moment?
“Okay,” she said. “Sure.”
Ben signaled for the check and Lizzie was about to go to the bathroom to freshen up, when Gray and Darnell walked in. Gray wore a perfectly fitted black coat and red gloves, her shiny hair up in a high ponytail and her eyes adorned with shimmery makeup that could have been ripped off Cleopatra’s face. It was a small restaurant, and Gray spotted them almost immediately. To Lizzie’s surprise, she whispered something to Darnell and came right over.
“Hello, Gray,” Lizzie said.
“Look at you two!” Gray said, her enthusiasm completely fake. “Are you on a date?”
Lizzie’s face burned with embarrassment. What were they, in high school?
“Yes, in fact, we are,” Ben said, and Lizzie felt flattered by how proud he looked.
“That’s so nice. Darnell and I are as well.”
They all looked over at Darnell, who lifted a hand in greeting. For an awful moment, Lizzie was certain Gray was going to suggest that she and Darnell join them, but then she smiled broadly.
“Well, I just wanted to say hello. You two kids have fun!” Then she swept back over to her husband, greeting people at almost every other table as she went. Sometimes it seemed to Lizzie that Gray didn’t talk to people because she wanted to or because she was interested in them, but because she needed to look important. Now, everyone in the room knew that Gray was popular, connected, the belle of every ball. Lizzie, suddenly, surprisingly, felt almost sorry for her.
“She’s a character,” Ben said.
“Right?” Lizzie replied at a whisper. “But I thought you two were friends.”
“I wouldn’t say friends. She just helped me figure out how to deal with the town council and their whole security ordinance.”
The waitress placed the check on their table and thanked them before whirling away to her next customers.
“Security ordinance?”
Lizzie made a move for her wallet, but Ben waved her off, thank God, and took out a credit card. “Yes, you probably didn’t have to deal with this, but I had town-installed security cameras on my building when I moved in and apparently the guy who owned the place before me never had them brought up to code. He was fighting the town on who should pay for them. Which makes sense because they’re ridiculously expensive. But Gray knew a guy and helped me get a deal.”
“That was nice of her,” Lizzie said, but she wasn’t surprised. Gray always knew a guy. Lizzie supposed this explained the encounter she’d witnessed at the café the other day. Gray was probably giving him the name of the person to call or helping him with paperwork. She really was involved when it came to the town and the business district, especially. A good citizen all around. Except when it came to Lizzie.
Ben handed the check and card back to the waitress and Lizzie excused herself to head to the bathroom. Gray and Darnell were still waiting at the hostess stand, and Darnell smiled at her approach.
“Lizzie! You look lovely.” Ever the gentleman, he leaned in to give Lizzie a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you!” Lizzie said. Was it just her, or were his eyes slightly unfocused? She tried for a better look, but he turned slightly, and she decided to drop it. This was her night, and she wasn’t going to start obsessing about Gray and Darnell. “Well, you two enjoy your dinner. I’m just off to the ladies’ and then we’ll be going.”
“Have a good night,” Darnell said.
“It was good to see you,” Lizzie told him. She quite purposefully said nothing else to Gray.
EMMA
Emma felt conspicuous walking into Oakmont Day in the middle of a sunlit morning, her rubber-soled riding boots squeaking on the shiny wood floors. Everything was hushed, the only noise the sound of the breeze rustling the leaves and the far-off cooing of the chorus rehearsing scales. Kelsey was one of those voices, and the sweet harmony of the song nearly broke her heart. Were her children ever innocent, growing up with the father they had?