Gaining Miles (Miles Family #5)(12)

“All right, I’ll stop pushing,” Zoe said. “But if you want to take me up on that spa day, just let me know.”

“Thanks.”

Zoe took another drink, smiling at me from behind her glass. Naomi had a similar look in her eyes. They were being absurd. Ben wasn’t interested in dating me, so I certainly didn’t need to be concerned about things like waxing.

Did I?





Six





Ben





Voices caught my attention. I’d come into the Big House through the kitchen to put some things away in one of the storerooms. Was someone in the tasting room? The winery was closed, but it sounded like it might be Shannon and Zoe.

I hadn’t seen Shannon all day—not since this morning when my attempt to ask her to dinner had gone sideways. If she was on her way out, now might be a good time to try again. I glanced down at my clothes to make sure they were sufficiently clean—they were—and took a deep breath.

Laughter spilled out from the tasting room. It sounded like more than just Shannon and Zoe. Naomi Harris, if I wasn’t mistaken. That made me smile. Who other than Shannon Miles would find friendship as a result of her ex-husband’s infidelity?

But if Naomi was here, Shannon was probably going to stay and visit with her for a while. Now wasn’t the time. I’d go home and see her tomorr—

“And I’m not getting naked with anyone,” Shannon said. “Especially Benjamin.”

I stopped in my tracks. What had she just said?

“See, right there.” That was Zoe. “You always call him by his first name. You’re the only one who does that. You realize that, don’t you?”

It was true. She did. I loved hearing her call me Benjamin. Always had.

“The first time we met, he introduced himself as Benjamin,” Shannon said. Also true; I remembered it well. “So yes, I’ve always called him that. What’s your point?”

“That there’s something between you two,” Zoe said. “And it’s okay if you stop denying it.”

I held my breath, knowing I wasn’t meant to hear this conversation. And yet, unable to walk away.

“I wouldn’t know where to begin.” Shannon’s voice had quieted. “It’s literally been decades since I dated. I feel like I’ve lived a lifetime since then and everything is different. I’m different. I’m older, I’ve had four children, been through a horrible divorce. Those things left their mark.”

“All right, I’ll stop pushing,” Zoe said. “But if you want to take me up on that spa day, just let me know.”

“Thanks.”

I closed my eyes, putting a hand on my chest. Oh, Shannon. The pain in her voice gutted me. Was that really what she thought? That the possibility of love didn’t exist for her anymore?

Moving quietly, I left through the kitchen so she wouldn’t know I’d been there. I felt bad for listening—I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but she’d said the words naked and Benjamin in close proximity. Who could blame me?

This wasn’t going to be as simple as I’d thought. When I’d imagined asking her to dinner, I’d never considered the possibility that she’d say no. And what had she meant when she’d said she wasn’t getting naked with anyone, especially Benjamin?

Maybe I’d been reading her wrong. Did she see me as a good friend, and nothing more? Or was Zoe right, and Shannon was denying what had been quietly forming between us?

I didn’t know.

So I went on home, unsure as to how I should handle this. For a second, I wondered if I ought to take Cooper and Chase up on their offer to help. But I dismissed that idea quickly. No, those boys would mean well, but they’d only wind up getting me in trouble somehow.

Back at home, I stood looking out my front window. At the view of Salishan’s vineyards. The winery. Shannon’s house. I could see it all from here.

The view was why I’d bought the place, years ago.

I wasn’t sure what I was going to do about Shannon. I’d been patient for a long time. If I needed to, I could wait a bit longer. But suddenly my simple plan seemed short-sighted. If she wasn’t sure about dating—and there was that comment about not getting naked with me that I really needed to figure out—maybe I should take a different approach.

But I didn’t know what.





The next morning, I wasn’t any closer to figuring out my next move. I went to work and spent my first couple of hours avoiding Cooper. I didn’t want him asking awkward questions. And there was no doubt he would.

What I needed was another perspective. Someone who could give me a little insight. But who?

I wasn’t about to talk to her kids. How can I coax your mother into dating me, and by the way, do you think she meant what she said about not wanting to get naked with me was not something I could ask any of them. Even Cooper.

Especially Cooper.

If I knew Naomi better, I might be able to talk to her. We’d met a few times. But I didn’t know her well enough to ask about Shannon. Not like this.

Which left just one person—someone I knew I could trust to both be discreet and tell me the truth.

Zoe.

Their mother and daughter-in-law dynamic was just outside the realm of mother-child—enough that I figured I could ask Zoe for a little advice without it being too awkward. And Zoe was straightforward—something I’d always appreciated about her. She wouldn’t bullshit me, and she knew Shannon as well as—or better than—anyone around here.