Page 19 of Live Like There's No Tomorrow
Ben sighed. “You said I’m not ready to let go of my past.”
She nodded.
“You’re right. I’m not. Because Charlotte’s my past and she’s going to be my future.”
“I understand.”
She thought she understood. Ben could see what she was thinking—that he was still just clinging to memories and hope. He tried to talk gently; for some reason it was important to him not to hurt her. “No, you don’t understand. I heard from her this morning. She’s coming back.”
“Oh.”
Ben nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh, don’t be! I feel so stupid. I’m sorry, Ben. And I’m happy for you. I really am.”
“Thanks.”
“I should go.” She turned around and scrabbled with the door handle before pulling it open and bolting past Smoke who was waiting outside.
“What the…” Smoke asked as he came back inside the office.
Ben shook his head sadly. “Angel came to tell me she was happy to wait for me while I figure out that I like her.”
“Ah.”
“Yeah. I told her that Charlotte’s coming back.”
Smoke shook his head.
“What?”
“I don’t know. It’s almost as though Charlotte somehow knows.”
“Knows what?”
“That she needs to get her shit together and fast. She’s left you dangling all these years, and now—the first time there’s a woman you’re interested in, she’s finally going to deign to come back.”
Ben frowned. “That’s sounds as though you don’t like Charlie.”
Smoke shrugged. “It’s not that. I don’t know her to dislike her. I guess I’m still just wary of women and how scheming they can be.”
“Charlotte’s not like that.”
“No, I’m sure. She sure has a great sense of timing though.”
“Her timing sucks if you ask me. I wish she’d come back years ago.”
“Yeah, and I hate to mention it, but you haven’t denied what I said about there being a woman you’re interested in.”
“No.” Ben sighed. “I haven’t let my mind go anywhere near that. I can’t afford to. I love Charlie. That’s all I need to know. Angel is a good person, a good friend, a good-looking woman. We get along well, we work well together, that’s all.”
“Apart from you like it when you get to hold her, like you did last night?”
“No! I mean yes. I mean. I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. It was a one off. An accident. I didn’t mean to hold her, she just …”
He met Smoke’s gaze.
Smoke shrugged. “Don’t mind me. I’m just playing devil’s advocate here.”
