by Nella Tyler
It only took me a minute or so to decide what to do. Stiffening my shoulders and lifting my chin, I turned my back on Ben’s house and began to walk down the driveway; blinking back tears every step of the way. By the time I got to the bus stop, my emotions were in turmoil – again. I couldn't take much more of this. By the time the next bus arrived, I was emotionally wiped out. I felt numb. This was turning out to be a hell of a week.
Chapter 4
I had barely gotten back to my apartment before I got a text message from Ben asking where I was. I ignored it. I literally stewed for the rest of the day, distracted from anything, including job hunting. I wavered between anger, tears, frustration, and affection for Ben – around and around and around I went. By the time I got ready for bed I was once again emotionally wiped out. I think I stared at the ceiling for a couple of hours, trying to clear my thoughts and trying to purge every bit of anger from my brain as I could so that I could sleep, but it took every effort.
By the time I woke the next morning, I decided that I needed to go back to Ben's house and confront him about Savannah. What was going on between those two? Why would Savannah go to his house and how did she know where he lived? I had never told her.
I texted Ben at about nine o'clock, telling him I was on my way over. I didn't get a reply, but I wasn't really expecting any. After all, I had pretty much blown him off yesterday.
By the time I once again took the bus to his neighborhood, walked the short distance to his house, and up his driveway, I felt nervous again. Still, enough was enough. It was time to figure out what the hell we were doing. I wanted to know where I stood with him, and I needed to tell him where he stood with me. We could move forward or call it quits, but I needed to know. I had a life to plan.
When I rang the doorbell, I only had to wait a couple of moments before the door opened. He was standing there, a blank look on his face. For a moment, my worst fears were realized. He was having an affair with Savannah. I was convinced of it. "We need to talk," I said.
He said nothing but merely stepped back, opened the door, and gestured for me to come inside. I did, waited for him to close the door, and then he tipped his chin toward the living room. Without waiting for him to invite me to do so, I sat down on the couch. He stood by the coffee table, eyeing me, as if wondering what the hell I was thinking.
"Would you like something to drink, Maggie?"
I shook my head.
"What the hell is going on?"
He didn't sound angry, just confused. "I came yesterday, like I said I would, but when I got to the top of the driveway, imagine my confusion when I saw Savannah leaving the house."
He said nothing, but I saw the frown that wrinkled his brow. Once again, I felt as if my worst fears had been confirmed. "Are you seeing her, Ben? Have you been stringing me along while you've been sleeping with her? Just tell me already, won't you? What the hell was Savannah doing here?"
"You’re having some trust issues, Maggie," he commented.
"You're right," I said. "I'm definitely having some trust issues, especially after everything that's happened this week. Now I’m not leaving until I know the truth. What the hell is going on between you and Savannah?"
He acted like he didn't want to answer. He hesitated. A myriad of emotions swept through me. Heartbreak. Pain. Anger. Dismay. What the hell kind of game was he playing? He had been avoiding the question too long, and I began to grow tired of it. "Just tell me!" I insisted.
"Okay, Maggie," he said. "The truth is, Savannah came here to blackmail me."
I hadn't expected that. In fact, I think my mouth dropped open in astonishment.
"Savannah is angry about getting fired-”
“That’s her own damned fault-”
“She believes it's all your fault, and she threatened that if I didn't pay her, she was going to expose the fact that you were suspicious that I was cheating. She said that if she wanted to, she could make it so that you couldn't get another job in Atlantic City."
I was dumbfounded. Hurt. I thought Savannah and I were best friends, but I realized that all she was interested in was money. I glanced up at Bean, feeling chagrined that I had immediately thought the worst of him. Then again, how was I supposed to know when neither one of us really talked?
"You thought I was sleeping with her?" he asked, his expression and his voice calm.
What could I do but reply honestly? I nodded. "Yes, Ben, I thought you were having an affair with her."
He sat down on the couch, but not too close. "Look, Maggie, I know that you have a history of an ex who cheated on you. I also know that having a job means a lot to you, and I want you to know that I couldn't let Savannah ruin any chances you have of finding a job here in the city-"
"What did you do?"
He shrugged. "I paid her off.”
I was stunned. "What? You paid her off? But why?"
"Because you're more important to me than anything in the world," he said quietly.
I was still reeling with what he had done. "How much did she demand from you, Ben?"
"That's not important-"
"Tell me," I insisted.
"Twenty grand."
I nearly had a heart attack. "Oh my God, Ben, you shouldn't have paid her. I'm so sorry that you had to do that, or felt as if you had to. I don't want to be responsible for you losing that kind of money. Can you break off the deal? I don't have to work in Atlantic City. As a matter of fact, I'm thinking about moving out of the city altogether-"
"I don't care about the money," he said. "I told her that that was all she was ever, ever going to get, and if I ever saw her again, I would have her arrested. Besides, I don't care about the money as long as it means that your reputation will be safe. I'm not quite sure I can trust her, but I told her what would happen if she didn't keep her word."
I didn't even want to know about that, as I was sure that it involved murky connections, but I had no doubt that he could make sure that Savannah herself never worked in the city again if she went back on her word. Still, I wasn't sure what to say. The thought that Ben had given so much money to her for my sake overwhelmed me. I looked at him, and he looked at me.
"You mean everything to me, Maggie," he said. "I want you to know that I didn't mean to insult you by asking you to move in with me. I just hate to see you working so hard, especially when I can help make your life a little bit easier."
"I'm sorry I got all huffy, Ben. I have to admit that your offer was more than generous, but it made me feel like I was a failure-" He leaned toward me, wrapped his arms around me, and then whispered in my ear.
"Never, Maggie," he said. “You couldn't be a failure if you tried. In fact, you've taught me quite a bit during the last few weeks. Most of all, I've learned that there are lots of things in life that are more valuable than money…"
Well, I have to admit that one thing led to another, and we spent most of the day talking. Sometimes we went out by the pool, other times the Jacuzzi, and then eventually, we ended up in his bedroom. By the time darkness settled over his property, it was though we had tried to cram our entire lifetime, our hopes, our dreams, and our feelings into the space of an afternoon. For the first time, I felt as if I understood Ben and he understood me. When I fell asleep in his arms that night, I felt right with the world, and for the first time in weeks, at peace with myself.
*
The next morning, I succumbed to my curiosity. What he had mentioned before didn't sound quite so insulting anymore. He had been genuinely honest when he said he would do anything for me, and I appreciated that, I really did. I was curious about what he had planned; in the event I did agree to move in with him. If I did though, I would have to make it clear that I would not be a kept woman; I would expect to get a job and be a productive member of society.
When I glanced at him, I saw his eyes open. He was watching me.
"What are you thinking, Maggie?"
I hesitated and then just blurted it out. “If I did agree to
move in with you, Ben, what do you have planned? I want you to know that I can't be idle. I have to think about a job, my future security, whether we work out or not."
He smiled. "Then think of it as a vacation. Ideally, I would buy an RV and we could travel around the country, playing the casinos…" He paused. "Honest, no cheating or counting cards or anything like that, but just having fun in places where we could both try our luck at the table, tour the country a little, give you a little break from the pressure, and then we can decide what to do or where to go."
I thought about that, but said nothing. A vacation. It sounded wonderful.
"You could, of course, agree to move in with me, and you wouldn't have to worry about anything while we were away. You could do some thinking, decide what you wanted to do, if you want to go to school… We could get to know one another, just basically have fun together. We could plan a route through the country and check out different casinos, and try them out."
A vacation. Traveling with Ben in an RV, just touring the country and the casinos. I glanced at him. "No more counting cards?"
He shook his head. "No more counting cards. That got way out of hand and cost you your job. It'll take me a while to make up for that, and I don't want to ever put you at risk again."
I thought about it for several moments, lying on my back in his luxurious bed, just imagining how nice it would be to not have to worry about things, at least for a few weeks or maybe even a little longer. A vacation. I turned to him. "Can I have a day or two to think about it?"
He grinned as he leaned closer to kiss me. "Take all the time you need. I’ll support whatever decision you come to. But before you decide, Maggie, I want you to know that you mean a lot to me. No matter where we end up, I want you to know that, okay?"
I nodded. No doubt about it. I had a lot of thinking to do.
I went home, looked around my apartment, and realized a huge opportunity loomed before me. What was holding me back? I didn't have a job and it would be nice to be able to take a break, think about things, and decide what I wanted to do with my life. Ben had given me the perfect opportunity to do just that. The more I thought about it, the more the thought appealed to me. It wasn't like I was asking for any long-term commitment from him, and I didn't expect one. But for the first time in my life, maybe I needed to take a chance.
By that evening, I had pretty much decided what I wanted to do, but I texted Ben and told him that I would come by in the morning and give him my decision. He sent me back a brief message telling me that there was no rush, to take my time, no pressure, followed by a few x's and o's. I smiled.
Deep in my heart, I did hope that Ben and I could establish a solid relationship, and maybe a road trip was just the ticket to do just that. I went to bed that evening, feeling a thrill of excitement, of hope, of possibilities.
By the time I returned to Ben's house the next morning, I felt excited. My stomach was filled with butterflies. I knocked on the door, surprised when his butler answered, but he smiled at me and gestured for me to come inside.
I felt nervous, excited, and anxious all at the same time, so much so that I might just explode. I had never done anything like this before, and while I didn't know how it was going to turn out, I had resolved that if I didn't take chances in life, life would pass me by. I didn't want that to happen anymore. My coming here this morning and giving Ben my decision would bring me one step closer to actually pushing myself out of my comfort zone and taking a chance – on life, on Ben, on deciding the future.
The butler had just gestured for me to wait in the living room when Ben came down the stairs. He paused and smiled at me. I couldn't wait any longer. I rushed past the smiling butler, took a few steps up, and then literally threw myself in Ben's arms. He wrapped his arms around me and laughed. Our lips gently caressed, and then grew more passionate. By the time I pulled away, my heart was pounding and I saw the vein in his own neck pulsing, as well.
"Have you made a decision?"
I nodded and smiled. "I'm ready for the adventure of a lifetime," I told him. "Let's do it!"
*
The next few days passed in a blur of activity. Although I only had a month left on my lease, I gave my notice, and Ben graciously paid my obligation for breaking the contract. He helped me pack my belongings and in a matter of days, a moving van stood in front of the apartment complex. The boxes and my few pieces of furniture were heading over to Ben’s mansion, where most of it would be stored in his basement until we made some more long-term decisions. For now, it was good enough.
I packed some of my more personal keepsakes and favorite items in my old car, which I had insisted on keeping, even though Ben had told me he would buy me something better. I told him it didn't matter because we would be going on a road trip, anyway. He had purchased an RV, and to my surprise, told me that our road trip, rather than being a few weeks in length like I had imagined, could take up to a year.
I had gaped in surprise and then decided that it didn't really matter how long we were gone. I had a lot of decisions to make, Ben and I had to get to know each other a little better, and an RV was a perfect place to do just that.
I had told him that I wanted to keep all my things, and being completely honest, explained that if things didn't work out between us, I didn't want to start out with absolutely nothing. He seemed to understand and nodded in agreement, although he did say that he had a feeling that things would work out between us just fine.
As the last of my things were loaded into the moving truck and I headed to my car, ready to follow it to Ben’s house, he stood beside my car door, gazing down at me.
"Are you ready?"
I smiled up at him through the open window. "I've never been more ready for anything in my life."
He chuckled as he leaned down, resting his forearms on the windowsill. He leaned forward and kissed me, passionately. I returned the kiss with equal feeling. Then, when he broke the kiss, he stared at me for several moments, his expression serious.
"I love you, Maggie," he said.
The words thrilled me and sent a warm sensation rushing through me. He had spoken the words with confidence. For my part, I also felt conviction and excitement at the prospect that I was loved and cared for. "I love you, too, Ben," I said. "I can't wait to go on this road trip with you and see what happens."
He smiled and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small, black, velvet-lined box. I stared up at him in amazement as he lifted the lid and showed me the engagement ring inside. Oh my God. I gazed at the ring, then up at him.
"You’re my Queen of Hearts, Maggie, and you always will be. By the time we get to Vegas, I'm hoping that you will accept this ring and I can place it on your finger. But I want you to know that I'm not going to rush you. No pressure. It's going to be in my pocket the entire way. When you're ready, and when you want me to slip this ring on your finger, you tell me, all right?"
Tears filled my eyes – but this time they were not tears of pain, betrayal, or heartache. My heart thumped with excitement. While I didn't feel ready to accept his engagement ring right this minute, I knew that he was giving me time, and time was what I needed most of all. I wanted to feel perfectly right about everything and I appreciated the fact that while he held out hope, he wasn't going to pressure me.
Even with everything happening so fast, I knew that I couldn't be more excited – or happier – to begin my new adventure with Ben. And I had no doubt, that by the time we hit Las Vegas, we would do so with his ring on my finger.
THE END
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TRY – THE COMPLETE SERIES
By Nella Tyler
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirel
y coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 Nella Tyler
PART 1
Chapter One - Mackenzie
Fifteen minutes after work ended for the day, I made my way to my favorite bench, not far from the children’s physical therapy center where I worked. It was cold outside, of course, but I’d been stuck in the stuffy, heated office for long enough that it was a nice change, especially with a hot drink in my hands to keep them from freezing in my gloves. I sat down and took a sip of the thick, sweet hot chocolate, looking into Amundsen Park. It was late enough—and dark enough—that the park itself was mostly deserted, but the quiet was nice.
I took another sip of my drink and thought about Thanksgiving; it had seemed to come so much faster than usual this year, and I’d been taken by surprise when the office announced the closure. Nobody—least of all kids—wanted to do physical therapy on Thanksgiving, and very few people wanted to do it the day after. The holidays were a little different; with vacation happening and parents trying to get their shopping done, they were more than happy to schedule as many sessions as their insurance would allow. All day at work I had been debating whether or not to put myself on the on-call list for overtime during the week of Christmas; I had a few days to make up my mind still, but I didn’t know how I felt.
I sighed, snuggling deeper into my coat, trying to convince myself to get up and start for home. I had a ton of shopping to do—and of course, with Thanksgiving being over, and the first full week of the holiday season starting, it was going to be a madhouse anywhere I wanted to go. I was tired just thinking about it, especially after a long day of working with kids who were almost frantic between one school holiday and another. I grinned to myself as I drank down some more hot chocolate, remembering little Ruby-Lee; she had made a lot of progress since I had started working with her three months before, and she had wanted to show off the fact that she could actually walk a straight line finally—by trying to run along a balance beam set on the floor until she’d nearly twisted her ankle.
