Mail Order Bride 22 Book Boxed set: 22 Brides Ride West :CLEAN Western Historical Romance Series Bundle
Page 96
Clara frowned. “Yeah, I know what you mean. It took me ten years to finally say ‘yes’ to Joe, but part of me wishes I’d just said yes in the beginning, instead of wasting so many years that I could have spent with him.”
Florence frowned. “You say that now, but who knows what would have happened if you and Joe had gotten together early in your relationship. Maybe you needed the ten years.”
Clara shrugged. “You may be right. Do you think that Benjamin is going to wait ten years for you to agree to his proposal?”
Florence sighed. “No, but I won’t marry a man who doesn’t love me. I can’t.”
Eve leaned on the back of the couch, but faced Florence. “Who says that Benjamin doesn’t love you?”
“Benjamin,” Florence said.
Eve’s eyes went wide. “Really?” She shrugged. “Well, the way he goes on and on about you, I’d have thought—”
Florence leaned over. “What? Ben talks about me? What does he say about me?”
“Well,” Eve began. “He and Robert talk for hours and hours some nights.”
Clara leaned over further too. “You listen to them talk?”
Eve smiled. “Well, it’s not like they close the door on themselves.”
Florence shook her head, but couldn’t resist. “Tell me what he says.”
Eve stood. “Well, I can’t betray my husband’s trust.” She brushed over her skirt and then grabbed Evelyn.
Florence stood. “Eve Manning.” She stomped her foot. “You are not leaving me like this.”
Eve smiled. “Give Benjamin a chance, Florence. That’s all I’m asking.” She closed her eyes for a moment and then reopened them. “In a way, I think Benjamin is trying to find himself as well; including his feelings. So, give him time.” She started for the door. “Good evening, ladies.”
Florence turned to Clara. “Can you believe that?”
Clara lifted her arms, but gave no answer. “You do realize that she’s the reason Joe and I are together, right?”
Florence narrowed her eyes. “What’s that mean?”
Clara stood. “It means, that I think Eve’s mothering instincts have taken over her brain and she’s trying to make sure we’re both married off.”
Florence blinked a few times. “That makes so much sense.”
Clara nodded and then headed to the kitchen. “Staying for dinner?”
Florence smiled. “Yes.” Had it been a year ago, Florence would have had to say ‘no’. Eddie didn’t like her spending too much time away from their apartment, not even when he wasn’t there. There were parts of Florence that were glad Eddie was gone, but there were also days when Florence missed having someone to hold at night. She missed having someone of her own. Ben was nice, but he didn’t love her, and there was no way that Florence would live with another man that didn’t love her. Thinking of Benjamin made her think of something else. “Clara, you’re not cooking tonight. We’re going out and I know just the place.”
* * *
5
Chapter FIVE
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“I can’t marry you, Benjamin. I don’t
like being alone, but I want to be
with someone who will love me.”
.
Benjamin walked into the dining room at the Howard Hotel and smiled at the hostess. “Good evening.”
“Good evening, Mr. Manning. Will you be joining your wife and her friend?”
Ben narrowed his eyes. “My wife?” He began to scan the crowd. News about Haines’ newest restaurant had certainly gotten around.
The hostess laughed. “Yes. I sat you two the other day.”
Ben looked back at the hostess. He didn’t recognize her, but he didn’t have to let her know that. Ben was used to another host, whom he’d tipped well on the days that Howard was in the room. The fact that Ben had missed the new face let him know just how much Florence was clouding his senses. He smiled at the woman with long black hair. Her tag read ‘Beth’. He’d remember Beth. She had said his ‘wife’ was here. Ben knew who the hostess was referring to. Florence. But who was the friend that Florence was with? “Yes, I’ll be joining my wife. Please, take me to her, Beth.”
The hostess turned. “Follow me.”
They maneuvered around white cloth covered tables and fine white china. There was everything from families to people dining alone at the tables they had passed. The hostess led him to the back of the room. It took a moment for Ben to realize that they were heading to the table that sat behind a large potted plant.
They made it to the other side of that plant and Ben smiled. Florence. She was wearing a pale blue day dress. A white cloche sat on her head. Her blond hair was curled tighter than usual; framing her face. She laughed at something her dining guest said. Ben turned his head and then sighed. Clara. So it wasn’t a man. Ben’s whole body relaxed. Had he been that worried?
The hostess announced his arrival. “Mrs. Manning, your husband is here.”
Florence frowned and looked up. Her pink lips parted. She blinked.
A busboy came over and brought Benjamin a chair. Ben sat down. The table was cleared of the used dishes and new silverware was set out along with a glass of water. It was all done in record time. A waitress came by. It was Mary, the girl from Ben and Florence’s first visit. She asked if Ben wanted his usual. Ben said ‘yes’. Mary left. Ben turned to Florence. “Hello.”
Florence simply stared at him. It was Clara who greeted him. “Hello, Benjamin.”
Ben turned to Clara. “Clara, you look beautiful this evening. How are you?”
Clara smiled; her elbows were on the table, her head balanced on her fingers. She batted long black lashes. “I’m well, Mr. Manning. But I must know the story behind the hostess’ reference to Florence as ‘Mrs. Manning’.” Clara turned back to Florence. “Florence, is there something that you’d like to tell me?”
Florence’s lavender eyes fluttered again. “Uh.” She shook her head. “It’s just a simple misunderstanding I’m sure.”
“Yes,” Ben agreed. “A misunderstanding on Florence’s part alone.”
Florence narrowed her eyes. “I beg your pardon?”
Clara asked Ben, “Whatever do you mean?”
“Well, Florence and I are getting married.”
Clara’s eyes went wide. “Oh, are you now?”
“No,” Florence said.
“Yes,” Ben continued. He flicked a napkin out over his lap. “A wedding is only a formality.”
Florence said, “No—”
“Naturally,” Clara agreed.
“But, of course.” Ben began. “Florence can arrange the affair however she sees fit.”
“Well, of course,” Clara said.
“Hello?” Florence sighed.
Ben turned to Florence. “I’m sure the day will be just as beautiful as the bride herself.”
Florence blushed behind her hand.
Clara laughed.
“But, I’d rather a young bride than an old one. Seems Florence wants to keep me waiting forever,” Ben stated.
Florence sighed again.
Clara sipped her water. “A tragedy.” She put her glass down. “But, you know, it took a while for me to come around to Joe.”
Ben leaned forward. “Yes, I noticed. How did Joe manage to finally marry you? I’d like to not wait ten years for Florence, if I don’t have to.”
“You know, folks. I’m right here,” Florence interjected.
Clara sighed. “Well…”
Florence thumped the table. “Enough!”
Mary appeared with Ben’s food. “Anything else, Mr. Manning?”
“Yes, my wife will have a slice of chocolate cake.”
Florence grabbed Mary’s arm. She looked up into the woman’s face. “He’s not my husband. Please, tell the other staff.” She tightened her grip. “Please.”
Mar
y looked to Ben. Her brown eyes were wide.
Ben sighed. “Pregnancy, Mary. It makes a woman say the strangest things.”
Mary chuckled. “Of course.” She placed a hand over Florence’s and spoke low. “It’s okay. I’ll get you a slice of cake and everything will be better, okay?”
Florence’s face fell. Her grip on Mary loosened. Mary walked back to the kitchen.
Clara laughed. “I love you two.”
Florence frowned at her friend. “Whose side are you on?”
Clara stood. “Love’s side.”
Florence’s eyes went wide. “Where are you going?”
Clara picked up her box of food. “If Ben is done playing with the guys then that means Joe is home. So, I’m going home to be with my man.” She tried to leave money for her meal, but Ben waved her off; telling her that he was paying. She thanked him and then threw Florence a wink. “You crazy kids have fun.” Clara turned and left.
Ben watched Florence’s eyes follow Clara’s retreating back out of the restaurant. He knew Clara was gone when Florence’s eyes finally landed on his. She wasn’t smiling. “Could you at least move to Clara’s seat?”
Ben shook his head. “I like being near you.”
Florence’s eyes fluttered away as a smile grew on her lips. Mary brought the slice of cake. She saw the smile on Florence’s face and smiled as well. She left without saying anything. Florence picked up her dessert fork and sliced it through the chocolate cake, picked it up and then put it into her mouth. Her eyes fluttered closed.
Ben sighed. “I love the way you enjoy food.”
Florence’s eyes opened. “Are you fattening me up on purpose?”
He chuckled. “No, I simply enjoy watching you eat.”
Florence shook her head. “I don’t get you, Benjamin.”
“What don’t you get?”
“How you could say all these things and not have feelings for me.”
“I said I wasn’t in love with you. That doesn’t mean that I have no feelings for you.”
“What feelings do you have for me?”
“I’m not sure.”
Florence rolled her eyes. “They are your own feelings. How do you not know?”
Ben shrugged. “I’ve never felt anything for a woman before.”
Florence stopped eating. “Ever?”
“No.”
“You’ve never been in love,” she stated.
Ben shook his head and took a sip of his water.
Florence put her fork down. “So, there’s the possibility that you love me and don’t even know it.”
Ben’s heart jumped in his chest. “Don’t bet your last coin on that, Florence. I’m not offering you love.”
Florence shook her head. She sighed. “I wish you’d just leave me alone, Benjamin.”
“Why?”
Florence looked at him. “Because, I like you.” She shook her head. “And I shouldn’t.”
“Why not?”
Florence gave him a hard look. “Because, I want love, Benjamin. Don’t you think I deserve love?”
“No one deserves love.”
Florence rolled her eyes. “Yes, but everyone wants it, Benjamin. Everyone needs it.” She went back to her cake. “It’s human to want love.” She put her fork back down. “No, it’s more than human. Even God wants us to love him. It’s… natural.”
“Well, you loved before,” Ben said as he pointed to her stomach. “Look where it got you.”
Florence’s eyes went wide. “You didn’t just say that to me.”
Ben shrugged. “I’m just being honest.”
Florence stood. “Yeah, well, I wouldn’t trade my worst days with Eddie for a good day with you, Benjamin.”
Ben narrowed his eyes. “That can’t be true.”
Florence laughed. “Well, it is, Ben. Because, at least with Eddie, he looked at me like I was the only woman in the world. At least he tried to love me. I don’t know what your deal is, but I want no part of it.” Florence started to leave.
Ben stood, dropped a few large bills on the table, and then started after Florence. She was outside the hotel by the time he caught up with her. “You move fast, woman.”
Florence narrowed her eyes at him and then started to walk even faster. Ben caught up again. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
Florence let out a frustrated growl. She stopped walking and turned to Benjamin. “There are days, Ben, when I imagine myself killing you.”
“What?”
Florence’s eyes went wide. “Yeah, like…” She brought a fisted hand up and started to move it in an up and down motion. “Some nights, I literally dream about… stabbing you.”
Benjamin lifted a brow. “And other nights?”
Florence frowned. “What?”
“What do you dream about other nights?”
Florence paused. “I just told you that I dream about stabbing you.”
Ben shrugged. “Yes, well, you’re not the first woman to tell me that.”
Florence gasped. “What?”
“Oh, no.” He cleared his throat. “One woman told me that she dreamed about cutting my head off.”
“Oh my.”
“With an ax.”
“Oh, no.”
“Another shot me.”
“That’s awful.”
“Right in the heart.”
Florence shook her head. “What does that say about you, Benjamin? Why do you think every woman wants to kill you?”
Ben gave Florence a slow blink. “Envious of my good hair and dreamy eyes?”
Florence frowned; but Ben watched her lose her fight of not smiling. She punched him in the arm. Ben grabbed the sore spot. “Ow.”
* * *
Florence started down the street again; trying in vain to get away from Benjamin, but the man was persistent. She found him strolling next to her a moment later. He was giving her a serious look. “I hope this violence isn’t a prelude to what I should expect throughout our marriage.”
She started walking faster. Ben was awful, and wonderful, and mean, and sweet, and she hated him, and she… liked him… a lot. It was all too much to handle at the moment. Florence felt her stomach lurch and hoped she wasn’t about to throw up.
Ben caught up. “My mother would like you.”
Florence glanced his way. “What makes you say that?”
“Because then she’d be right.”
“Right about what?”
“About me choosing the one woman in the world that told me ‘no’.”
Florence smiled. “Where does your mother live?”
“New York, with my father. They’ve been married for over thirty years.”
“That’s nice.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Was it a love match?”
“Yes.”
“That’s what I want.”
“I know.”
Florence made a turn around a corner and then started up the steps to her building. The apartment building was tall, and housed many families of Haines. “Goodnight, Benjamin.”
“Wait.”
Florence sighed. “I can’t.” She stopped and turned around. Her stomach flipped again. She drew her brows together as the sickening feeling began to build.
Ben came up the stairs and grabbed hold of Florence's arms. The smell of his cologne was faint. She leaned forward and buried her face into his open jacket. She took a deep breath of that scent that was of both woods and man. Ben rubbed her arms gently. “What are you doing?”
“Breathing in your scent.”
“Why?”
Florence sighed. “It settles my stomach.”
Ben became stiff.
Florence looked up at him. “What’s wrong?”
Ben shook his head. “Nothing. I just… It’s just… I’ve never… I didn’t know I could actually help you… anyone... this way.”
“What way?”
Ben smiled. “In a way that’s so… intimate.”
“
How does that make you feel?”
“You sound like a head doctor.”
“How do you know what head doctors sound like?”
Ben took a step back. “I’ll buy you a bottle of my cologne.” He smiled as he went backwards down the steps. “But you’ll have to keep the brand a secret. I can’t have you sniffing other men.”
Florence smiled. “It doesn’t matter. It’s not just your cologne. It’s you.”
Ben’s face went serious.
They were quiet for a moment.
Ben sighed. “You know, if you’d only marry me—”
“Goodnight, Ben.” Florence turned and entered the building.
She ran up the steps, all the way up to the third floor. She placed her key in the lock and then pushed the door open. She turned on a gas lantern at the entrance and skipped across the room to the window. Florence lifted her latch and pulled the window open. She stuck her head out. Ben was still there. “What are you still doing here?”
Be smiled up at her. “I wanted to make sure you were safely inside.”
Florence sighed. “How’d you know my apartment faced this side of the building?”
Ben half shouted, half whispered. “It was a good guess.”
Florence smiled. “‘Night, Ben.”
“Goodnight, Florence.” Ben turned and began walking down the path they’d just shared together. Ben lived at the hotel where they’d eaten, but he’d still walked her home. Florence wasn’t sure what any of it meant, but admitted to two things that night. One: there were more layers to Ben than the ones he showed, and two: Florence was starting to fall in love.
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6
Chapter SIX
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“I can’t marry you, Benjamin. I don’t
like being alone, but I want to be
with someone who will love me.”
.
Ben woke up to the loud knocking on his door. He opened his eyes and saw that the sun was up. It was his day off. He’d planned sleeping in. The knock came again.