"We had wine, he grilled steaks, we took a walk around his house, and had a very nice night." Nichole hoped she delivered that with the sincerity she wanted to show. "We all went out the next day, too," she told her. "He set up a scavenger hunt for the kids, and they found things in the fields while we took a little hike."
Lydia hummed out her consideration of the conversation. "I kinda thought things would move faster," she admitted. "But I guess that's okay. You can't just date him to ward off my curiosity."
"You're not interested in Ben, are you?" If Lydia was, Nichole had no idea.
"Oh, hell no." She waved her hand in the air as if to blow off that idea. "I'm just a curious kind of woman. Chances of me ever being in a relationship are near zero. So, I live vicariously through those of you who get in one. And, admittedly, any Walker man is a find. I say that now, after years of being forced not to even say the Walker name," she joked at her family's expense. "Ben's a good guy."
"I think he is too," Nichole added.
"Well, I guess I’d better get going. I have a marketing meeting with the beer people. If you're interested, I'll let you know when we're giving out samples next time."
"I would enjoy that."
"Alright. I'll see you two ladies around," Lydia said as she gave Laura's foot a little tug and then she waved goodbye.
Nichole continued through the store, but her conversation with Lydia seemed to have rattled her. She didn't want to be the focus of the town’s gossip. Was that the way it always had to be? If you started dating someone, then everybody wanted to know about it? She supposed with a family like the Walkers, who were prominent in everything, that was the way it was. Hell, what was she worried about? Audrey Walker married a movie star, and their wedding was in the tabloids. Certainly, that wouldn't happen if she did get involved with Ben more than she was now.
If she was going to pursue a full-on relationship with Ben, at the request of her children, and her heart, the best thing to do would be to talk to him first. Did he want people to know they were seeing each other? She worked in a gossip-friendly environment, was that going to matter?
There was no doubt in her mind when she walked into work on Tuesday, that some of the girls would be sitting there in those chairs, tongues wagging and ears burning. What was she supposed to tell them?
Just as she pulled the cart into the checkout lane, her phone buzzed. There was absolutely no way to conceal her smile when she saw Ben's name pop up.
Susan just dropped off leftovers. Do you like lasagna? I could bring it over for dinner. Do the kids like blonde Oreos?
She found herself laughing out loud and Laura looking at her as if she'd gone mad and then reaching for her phone. Quickly, she snapped a picture of her and Laura as the line moved.
Sending the picture, she also said, Laura and I love lasagna. And my boys have never met a cookie they didn't like.
He sent back a picture of him with a thumbs-up and a cheesy grin, which had her laughing again. I'll see you at six.
The conversation ended there as she pushed her cart up and began to unload it onto the conveyor.
* * *
Ben looked at the picture that Nichole had sent. Laura was the spitting image of Nichole, right down to her smile. He found that it was hard to put his phone away now. God, what was he doing?
It wasn't so much the kids anymore. He liked the kids. He was pretty sure they liked him too, though he'd never been in an authoritative position with them. It was seeming less like baggage, and more like a bonus, this pre-made family that Nichole came with.
With a few swipes of his finger, the picture of Laura and Nichole with the grocery shelves as their backdrop became his background image. Now he could stare at them all he wanted. And he was finding he wanted to do that a lot.
24
Nichole didn't tell the kids that Ben was coming. Instead, she let them whine and groan about having to pick up their toys and put on clean clothes.
She only laughed when she'd been asked six times, "what's for dinner?"
It shouldn't humor her, her poor kids, but it did.
At six o'clock, exactly, she sent the boys to the front door to answer it when the doorbell rang. Standing in the doorway of the kitchen, she watched as they squealed with delight seeing Ben standing there with a metal tray covered in tinfoil and paper bag in his other hand.
"Is anyone in this house hungry?" he asked, and was answered with squeals from the boys and a delighted Laura that turned circles until she fell over. "Okay then, if you want to eat the food, you have to help carry it in."
Wyatt took the bag, and Zane carried the tray.
Zane sniffed at the tinfoil. "What is this?"
"Lasagna," Ben said with a happy tune. "Do you like lasagna?"
Zane walked into the kitchen and set the tray on the counter. "I don't know. What is it?"
Ben gave that some thought. "Well, actually, it's spaghetti cake."
Wyatt set the bag on the counter next to the tray. He looked up at Ben speculatively. "Spaghetti cake?"
Ben nodded. "It has everything spaghetti has, including the meatball. The noodles are bigger. And instead of a sprinkle of cheese, it's ooey-gooey with cheese."
The boys exchanged looks with one another.
Nichole stepped over to the tray and pulled off the tinfoil. "This looks delightful. Let me stick it in the oven for a few minutes to warm it up." She turned on the oven and then turned to the boys. "Go get your backpacks. Come to the kitchen table. Let's get that homework done, and we will eat in a half hour."
She expected the grumbles, almost looked forward to them. What she hadn't expected was for them both to look at Ben and ask, "Will you help us with homework?"
The smile that formed on his lips was genuine, and it shot straight through Nichole's belly. "Sure. I'm pretty sure both of you are smarter than me. We might have to sound out words and figure out math problems. But we can do it."
The boys ran off to get their backpacks, and Nichole turned to look at him. "You're not just trying to impress me, right?" Her voice was awfully serious, even in her own ears.
"By bringing dinner? No, I was hungry, she brings a lot of food, and I wanted to see you."
"I mean with my boys. And with Laura. You're not just nice to them so that…"
Ben held up his hand to stop her. "Are you seriously asking me if I'm trying to get to you through your kids?" His voice was strained, and she seriously couldn't blame him for the anger that creased his eyes.
"Ben, I have to think about…"
"I get it," he whispered through gritted teeth, as the sound of the boys running down the hall filled the room before their approach.
She watched as his eyes lightened before he walked toward the table and took a chair. Without a missed step, he helped the boys unload their backpacks, go through the masses of crumpled papers, which they sorted out, and get down to work.
Nichole got busy prepping the lasagna and mixing a salad, noticing that even Laura chose to be with the boys at the table. When she walked over and tugged on Ben's arm, he picked her up and sat her on his lap. He continued to help with the math assignment that Wyatt was struggling with as Laura colored in her coloring book.
There was a well deep inside of her that was ready to break, she thought, as she turned her back to them all and washed the few dishes that had accumulated in the sink. At the slightest disagreement, her ex would have locked himself away in their bedroom or left the house completely. Wasn't it a sign of a true man that didn't back down, but didn't get angry or violent? Instead, he did what he'd promised to do—helped with homework.
Seriously, could he blame her for asking?
She turned to look over her shoulder and witnessed Zane taking a crayon and coloring with his sister while Wyatt squealed that he understood the problem Ben had just walked him through.
"Looks like dinner will be ready in about five more minutes. Will you all be ready?"
With a triumphant slam of the math boo
k, Wyatt cheered. "Yup! All done, thanks to Ben."
When the words themselves could have cut through her, she let them simmer in her heart. He'd never try to step on her toes or take over the role as their father. But he was a good and decent man. Perhaps she just needed some time to decide where she wanted to go with this newfound relationship she had somehow become part of.
"Then get your backpacks put back together and set by the front door and then take your sister with you and everyone wash your hands," she instructed.
With as much noise as they'd rushed into the room with, they exited, with Laura squealing behind them in laughter. Ben took a moment to gather the remaining items on the table, including the crayons and the coloring book.
He set the items on the counter and moved to her as she gathered her pot holders from the drawer.
Taking her wrists, Ben turned her until she was facing him. She realized it was taking all the courage she could muster just to look up at him, but when she did, she saw nothing but softness in his eyes.
His thumbs brushed over her wrists as he looked down at her, his dark eyes searching hers. "I'm sorry that I upset you earlier. You have a lot to consider when it comes to your family. I was thinking maybe I should let you all have your evening and enjoy dinner."
Swallowing the lump that had lodged in her throat, Nichole shook her head. "I think that if you left the kids would be upset. They like you, Ben."
"And I like them." He lifted a hand to her cheek and brushed his thumb gently over her skin. "I like their mother too, but I don't want to rush anything."
Nichole tucked in her lips and forced the tears back as they began to sting her eyes. "I'm sorry I accused…"
He moved his hand to place a finger over her lips. "No apologies. I'd be disappointed if you didn't question every motive I might have. It just stung a little. I would never hurt you or your kids. And with that said, I wouldn't use them to get to you. I know you're a package deal."
Ben lowered his hand as they heard the kids race down the hall. He stepped away just as the boys jumped through the doorway to prove that their hands were clean.
"C'mon, help me set the table," Ben instructed, and they led him to the correct cupboards and drawers to retrieve the plates and silverware.
Nichole pulled the lasagna from the oven, all the while listening to the gentle commands Ben gave to her children, and they followed. There was respect in every word he used, followed by accolades for jobs well done.
She'd be an idiot to let this man out of her sight, she decided as she carried the lasagna to the table.
Wyatt eased himself up to the table. "I'm going to like this?" he asked with his nose already crinkled up.
Ben nodded. "I'll guarantee you that you will like anything Susan makes. In fact, you've eaten her food a lot of times."
Wyatt narrowed his eyes on Ben. "She cooked all the food for Audrey's wedding, right?"
"Yep. You liked those appetizers we had, didn't you?"
"Yeah."
"Give it a try. I think you'll like it. And," he leaned in toward Wyatt, "I have dessert in the truck, but you have to eat your dinner."
All eyes turned to get approval from Nichole, who carefully controlled the smile that wanted to surface.
"You have to eat dinner, just like Ben said," she offered. "Hand me your plate."
25
The only heartache from the entire night, and that included the misunderstanding with Nichole, was that Ben had only had a tiny slice of the cake that Susan had brought him. Laura had somehow scammed him out of the biggest piece and half of his piece.
He was still laughing about it as he pulled up in front of his house in the darkness. Really, was it too hard to remember to leave the porch light on?
Ben stepped out of his truck and listened to the sounds. Crickets, cows, the wind through the grass. Could anything else ever make him quite as happy?
He shut the truck door and leaned up against it. He supposed he knew the answer to that. Even though it didn't seem as though she trusted him, Nichole and her kids did make him happy.
Letting out a long breath, he started for the front door. Honestly, they came from two different worlds. She was a city girl, and he was a country mouse. They were still feeling it out. No need to worry that his little quiet life would be disturbed.
Ben pushed open his front door, just as his cell phone buzzed in his pocket. The text message was from his brother Eric. Gerald at ER. Accident during calf birthing assist. Mom says get your ass here.
With his heart pounding in his chest, Ben raced back to his truck, jumped in, and sped back towards town.
Gerald did always seem to be unlucky, Ben thought as he hurried through the doors of the ER. Since none of his family were in the waiting room sobbing, he checked in at the desk. A few minutes later, he was escorted to the room where all of his brothers and his parents were.
Gerald lay on the bed, an ice pack covering half of his face. His clothes were covered in blood, but Ben heard his laugh come through first.
"You are always late to a party," Gerald mumbled as Ben walked through the door.
"Didn't realize this was going to be quite the gathering. What the hell happened to you?"
Ben's mother slapped him on the arm. "Watch your mouth."
Eric, who was leaned up against the wall, his ankles crossed and his arms folded in front of him gave Ben a nod with his head. "Dr. Gerald lost control of the forceps. Calf slid out, forceps let go, Gerald took it right in the eye."
He could see the smirk on Eric’s face barely controlled. With a glance toward Russell, he knew that they'd had a good laugh over it.
"Black eye only or stitches too?" Ben asked.
"Six stitches and a black eye. Just missed my nose or that might've been flattened too," Gerald said with a laugh from under the bag of ice.
Ben looked around the room. His four brothers, sans wives and kids, and his parents surrounded Gerald, who wasn't going to die from his injuries.
His mother touched his arm. "As soon as they spring him, we're all heading to Eric's. Susan is making dinner."
Ben took a breath to tell her that he'd eaten dinner with Nichole and her family nearly two hours ago, but he refrained. He didn't want to answer questions about that either. It would be easier to eat a second meal late at night than to be bombarded with questions.
Nichole walked through the door of the salon and got a wave from Gia, who was under the dryer with a head full of foils. She waved in return and continued to the back room to put her personal items in her locker.
Audrey stood next to the coffee pot watching the dark liquid drip into the pot.
"Good morning," Nichole said, noticing that Audrey hadn't acknowledged her.
When Audrey turned, she noticed the dark circles under her eyes. "Mornin'."
"You feeling okay?"
Audrey shrugged. "Greg is filming. I don't sleep well when he's not home."
"That's all?"
"Ya. I think I've caught a spring cold, too, and those are worse than winter colds."
Nichole would have to agree. "I can try to fit your schedule into mine. Maybe you should go home and get some sleep."
Audrey pulled a mug from the cupboard and filled it to the brim with steaming coffee. "I'll be better in a few minutes. Gia won't mind if it takes me a bit more time to get her hair done this morning. She's avoiding taking inventory." Audrey laughed as she took her first sip of coffee.
When the door opened again, Nichole knew her day was about to begin. Mrs. Wilcox was due for her weekly set appointment. Though Nichole thought of herself as a hip and up to date stylist, setting the hair of an eighty-year-old woman each week kept her humble.
Mrs. Wilcox started her morning telling Nichole about her grandchildren, who were now in their thirties and had children of their own. Though Nichole felt as though she knew them all personally, she started her conversations each week as if she'd never told Nichole about her family. Once she had each curler in p
lace and had helped Mrs. Wilcox to the dryer seat, she went to the back for her own cup of coffee.
As she walked back to her station, Audrey began sectioning Gia's hair to be cut.
"How are your kids doing?" Gia asked, and her warm Italian accent washed over Nichole.
"They're good. The boys hate school, and Laura loves her daycare provider. I guess all things are normal. How are you and Dane?"
Gia, holding her head still for Audrey, let out an exaggerated breath. "Oh, we are fine. Exhausted after last night. But everything is good."
Audrey stopped cutting and exchanged a look with Nichole. "What happened last night?" Audrey asked.
"You did not hear? Gerald was in the hospital."
Nichole set her mug on the station, and Audrey turned Gia around toward them.
"What happened? Is he okay?" Audrey asked.
Gia looked out from under the hair that was pinned over her face. "Dane was out at the ranch all night. Gerald was assisting in a calf birth, and the forceps they used hit him in the face."
Nichole instinctively brought her hand to her mouth. There was an instant moment of concern, but then laughter hit her chest before she reeled it back.
"That's horrible," she said lowering her hand. "Is he okay?"
"Six stitches and his eye is swollen shut today, Dane said. He is going to be milking this injury for a few weeks."
Audrey turned Gia back around in the chair and shifted a glance to Nichole. "Ben didn't mention it to you?"
Nichole sipped her coffee. "I didn't talk to him after he left the house. Nor have I talked to him this morning."
"He was at your house last night?" Gia asked as Audrey adjusted the clips in her hair. "So things are heating up?"
Nichole took another long sip of her coffee and considered what was being asked. "I can't say they're heating to anything. He brought over dinner and helped the boys out with their homework."
"Ah-ha, so he just happened to be in town when he lives forty-five minutes away?"
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