5
Beth
She really didn’t expect much, if she was being honest. Hope Falls didn’t sound like a “hopeful” place; more like it was where hope came to die. And with the way things had gone since they broke down, she thought her assessment had been on point.
But, she was happy to say, the place was absolutely gorgeous. Even with the winter month, there were plenty of autumn colors to be seen, greens and blues mixed in as well, and the nightlife displayed twinkling lights and corner street music. It was almost as magical as she imagined their destination would be.
“There are some trusting people here,” Ben mused as he handed a few bills over to the guy behind the bowling counter. Beth nodded, telling the guy her shoe size. Amanda and Justin and the entire staff at Mountain Ridge Outdoor Adventures—minus Bertha, who was their very straight-faced and straightforward cook—were probably the nicest people she’d ever met, and that included her sweet Kindergarten teacher who’d set the bar up for every person she encountered thereafter. After discovering the piping problem, Jane, the reservation coordinator, got to work on setting them up in another room on the property while Amanda let them use the main house to shower—which put a pause on their sexy time, but at least they were clean now. Then when Ben babbled his plan to take Beth out, Amanda insisted they take her car. Justin reluctantly handed over the keys, but not before making sure there was only enough gas in it to drive around town and back.
So maybe not all of them were super trusting.
“Lane 3.” The guy directed, pointing over his shoulder at all the lanes, the sound of pins crashing and falling echoing around them as they made their way over. A whoop of excitement fell from her lips, her feet practically bouncing. Bowling was her thing… sure, she was horrible at it no matter how many times she played, but she loved watching Ben studiously step up to the line. He would pat the ball three times, whisper something to it—something she still hadn’t gotten him to admit out loud—and then send the ball down. Nine times out of ten, he gutterballed.
It was off-the-charts sexy.
“Wow… we’re lucky we got a spot,” Ben teased, eying the two lanes that were occupied next to the many other empty ones.
“You must’ve pulled some heavy duty strings.”
“Only the best for you.”
She bit away a grin and turned to the rack of balls to select the lightest one that came with adult-sized holes. Had she gone back in time? Seven years ago? Five? Maybe even just one, when they were in New York, she had a job she loved, and everything seemed so right for their future.
With one hard shake, she blinked out of her brain and back to the present, hoping her thoughts wouldn’t send the storm clouds blowing right back overhead. He was trying to make the most of this trip, and damn it if she ruined it with her attitude.
She grabbed a bright green marble-looking ball and trotted back to him, planting an unexpected kiss on his cheek. Just like in their room earlier, his shock was equal parts adorable and disheartening. It shouldn’t shock her boyfriend of seven years whenever she displayed an ounce of affection.
Her lips upturned as she attempted a flirtatious tone. “I’m going to break a hundred tonight.”
He let out a light laugh, leaning further into her. “If you break fifty, I’ll worship at your feet for an entire month.”
“Don’t you already do that?” She playfully wrinkled her nose and then wiggled her butt as she got up to the line. Her stomach barrel-rolled with the idea of Ben watching her in the jeans she picked specifically for potential butt-watching. She rarely got nervous in front of him anymore, but there were moments when she wanted to be sexy for him, wanted him to be just as excited today as he was when they’d first met. She certainly felt that way around him, even if her mood didn’t always back that up.
A long breath fell from her lips, and she smiled at her shaking hands. Nerves weren’t usually her friend, but the fact that she had them, that warm fuzzies were Velcro-ing themselves all through her extremities, that she could feel her heart thudding underneath her chest… it was a beautiful relief… to finally feel it all again.
She recalled the chant she normally did before letting the ball soar down the lane and hit pins—or gutter. Her eyes drifted over her shoulder briefly, a grin on her lips as they connected with Ben.
“Ashes, ashes,” she started, his laughter the exact reaction she wanted. She took her steps forward to the beat. “They all fall down!”
The ball left her fingers with a pop, the holes too small for her fingers, and it took flight for about a foot before finally crashing to the lane. Beth covered her mouth, hoping the expletive that slipped off her tongue wasn’t heard by the little kids just a few lanes over.
“Oh… oh!” Ben said through his laughter, rising a few inches off his seat. “Look, you’re gonna get—”
The pins crashed, exploding like she’d only seen other players accomplish, but never herself. Only one was left rocking on its end, trying to stay standing.
“Go down!” she shouted through her wide grin, stomping a foot on the floor, hoping that by some miracle that helped nudge it into a strike. But the stubborn thing regained balance, and the mechanical pin setter got ready for round two.
Strong, warm arms came around her waist, and a swarm of electric bees buzzed through her abdomen. Ben hoisted her up, spinning her in a circle while she batted at his hands.
“Put me down, ya crazy!”
“Nine pins, babe. Nine!”
“Yeah, I know. I saw.”
Her feet landed on the floor, and she swiveled, hoping a giant kiss was coming her way. But Ben surprised—and embarrassed—her yet again, taking her hand and raising it high into the air.
“Attention Lone Pine Bowling patrons!”
“Ben, no—”
“This beautiful woman just hit a new personal record.”
“Oh my gosh, stop.”
“And I hereby bestow the trophy of perseverance, the highest honor one can achieve.”
“You are incorrigible.”
“Can I get a round of applause for this fantastic lady?”
Confused and amused people started clapping, the kids showing the most excitement over it and the adults looking at them like they’d just won the cutest couple award in the yearbook. Beth covered her fire-engine face, playfully smacking Ben in his belly. Through the fun fog, she noticed him sucking in and his smile fading slightly.
The rest of the room returned to their own games, and Ben grabbed her by the shoulders, his face lit up and so sexy she nearly toppled off her feet.
“Ready to pick up that spare?”
She snorted. “Like you really believe I can do that.”
“I’ve been proven wrong many times. By you, in fact.”
She went to playfully hit him again, but with how he reacted before, she thought better of it. Picking up her ball, she swiveled, did her chant, and watched in utter amazement as the ball brushed by that stubborn pin and finally knocked it over.
She turned slowly, her eyes zoning in on Ben as she silently gloated. He sat down, shaking his head, but he wasn’t shocked. And thank heavens he wasn’t going to do another building-wide announcement.
“I think it’s your lucky night,” he said.
She lifted one shoulder. “Maybe it is.” And if things kept going the way they were, it’d be his lucky night, too.
***
The room was brightly lit and had fresh mints on the pillows as Beth opened the door wide enough for the two burly men to shuffle through.
“I think I hit the only patch of ice in the entire town,” Ben joked, hobbling in while one of the town’s police officers helped him to the bed. Chief Maguire happened to be patrolling when Ben hit the ice and wrenched his ankle. Beth was sad to admit she’d laughed pretty hard, but when she’d noticed he’d really hurt himself, she became much more sympathetic.
“You wanna grab more ice?” the chief asked, unwinding Ben’s arm from his shoulder. Beth nodded and grabbed a towel and their room bucket. She’d planned on leaving to get it, but she was happy to find some already inside. Someone on the staff must’ve heard already—news traveled wickedly fast in this town—and taken care of it.
Beth took a spot next to her boyfriend, carefully cradling his sore ankle and placing the towel of ice against it. Chief Maguire fixed his uniform, his chest rising and falling with the exertion of carrying Ben. He was a very fit guy, giant even, but they’d had to walk quite a ways to get here, so Beth didn’t blame him in the slightest.
“I’ve got an extra brace, if you want,” the chief offered.
“That’d be great.”
He nodded and went to his patrol unit to retrieve it. Beth turned to Ben and smiled as he gave her a face.
“What?”
“I’ve yet to meet an unattractive person in this place.”
“You want me to leave you two alone?”
“It’s just a little ego popping.”
She shook her head, letting her eyes drift down to the ice. “You probably fit right in, then.”
He let his head fall back, a small thump sounding through the room as it hit the wall. “I’ve never felt more out of place.”
Her brow furrowed, and she had the urge to lean up and kiss his worries away. Ben was never one to be uncomfortable anywhere—maybe his parent’s house. But he was the outgoing, happy-go-lucky, social guru. Beth had once been that way, too, but only because she was in her comfort zone. Was Ben outside of his? She’d never known it if he hadn’t said anything. He was always so happy, so upbeat…
But was he? She’d seen him frustrated, upset, angry… but this past year he’d been anything but those things. Was he really happy or was he just tiptoeing around her?
She ran a hand up his leg, rubbing him reassuringly. She nearly commented on how toned his legs were, how much she loved grabbing his arms and feeling all the muscles he used when fixing cars, but her words stayed on the tip of her tongue.
A hint of a smile hit his lips, and his eyes connected with hers. “Sorry I ruined the mood.”
“It’s okay. We have our whole lives to have sex.”
He groaned, covering his face with his hands. She stifled a giggle, and Chief Maguire popped back inside.
“You want me to show you how to put it on?” he offered.
“I have one just like it. Thanks.”
“No problem.”
“Would you drive Justin to get his car?”
The chief half-smiled, something like gratitude sparkling in his uniquely colored eyes. “Amanda’s already on it. Thanks for thinking of it, though. Anything else I can do for you?”
Ben shook his head and held out his hand. “No. Thanks, sir.”
They clasped hands, and then Chief Maguire tipped his chin and left them alone. Beth secured the brace then cuddled up against Ben’s shoulder. He’d taken some pain meds, nothing major, but Ben was a lightweight when it came to pills. He’d be out like a light in no time. But there was a buzz in her lower abdomen that was getting stronger and stronger the more she thought about his arm around her, her hand on his chest, her leg canted up, her thigh awfully close to being tucked up between his legs. Her breathing quickened, and she thought of crawling on top of him, kissing him deeply, pulling her shirt off, and pressing her skin against his like they had earlier. Her skin was on fire just thinking about it.
“Ben?” she whispered. He mumbled something unintelligible, his eyes closed, his breathing heavy and deep. A wave of disappointment fell over her, and she half-smiled up at her beautiful man. She’d let him sleep, and she’d enjoy wanting to be close to him in this moment. If she really had snapped out of whatever blue mood she’d been sucked into over the past year, they had plenty of time to be intimate with one another.