Page 53 of Resisting the Fall

“I’m going to change. I’ll be quick.” I had no desire to explain the situation further. Not that I’d done anything wrong. I just didn’t want my mom to draw an incorrect conclusion. And with the vibes she was putting off, she was clearly leaning in that direction.

Gathering my things from the drawer beneath the couch, I waited for Ben to bring down the towels before heading up to the bathroom. Not wanting to leave Penny and my mom alone with Ben for too long, I was ready in record time. But when I got downstairs, all evidence of our water fight, besides a pile of towels on the floor near Ben’s feet, was gone. Not that I was surprised, with Nurse Sharon on the scene. That woman had cleaned up a lot more with a lot less over her years at the hospital.

“That was fast,” Mom said.

“I was going to say the same about you guys.” I looked around the kitchen. “One would never guess the sink exploded.”

Penny, who sat on her knees rubbing Finn’s belly, glanced up at me. “Ben said you put a rubber band on the sprayer handle.”

I sent him an accusatory look. “Well, did Ben mention he was the one who opted to turn the faucet back on after I’d advised him not to?”

Ben grinned. “I can now see how that detail was probably important.”

Mom’s smiling gaze shifted between us, and I knew it was time for the three of us to be on our way.

“You two ready?” I asked.

“Is there somewhere I can throw this away first?” Mom held up a dampened paper towel she must have used to finish wiping up any lingering water.

Ben opened the cabinet with the garbage for her when his gaze caught on something inside the bin. He reached down and pulled out a crumbled brown bag with the words Maple Bar and Grill printed across it. Then his gaze met mine. “You already ate, huh?”

I pulled my lips inward, trying not to start into another laughing fit. “It was really good too. The french fries were extra salty, and the burger—oh, my heavens—cooked to perfection.”

Ben shook his head, fighting a smile. “Well, you missed out.”

“I don’t think I did.”

Again, my mom’s gaze shifted between us.

“Well, we’d better get going.” I took Penny’s hand, starting our migration toward the door. “We still need to buy tickets for the movie.”

“Is Ben coming with us?” Penny asked, glancing over her shoulder as I started down the stairs outside. “Because he can if he wants to.”

I gave a small grimace at Penny’s impromptu invite. “I think he has plans.”

His gaze flicked to me ever so briefly. “Unfortunately, I do. But maybe another time? I’m usually down to crash a girls’ night.”

Mom laughed. Penny nodded her head, like he was actually agreeing to hang out with us in the future. And I started toward the door again, attempting not to be irritated. I didn’t care that he had plans, not really, but it was annoying that he refused to tell me what they were. Which likely meant he was going to be out networking.

An image of his realtor friend popped into my mind completely uninvited. I let it remain there to push out the thought of Ben’s arms around me earlier.

On the way to the car, after Penny pointed out that Ben and I still hadn’t carved the pumpkins she’d picked out for us, Mom linked her arm through mine. “It’s good to see you and Ben talking again.”

“We’re only talking because we have to, so please stop looking at us like…” I waved a hand, not sure how to describe it “…how you were looking at us.”

“I wasn’t⁠—”

“Hey, Maven!” Ben’s voice had all three of us pausing to glance behind us. “I thought you might want this.” He held his fisted hand out toward me.

“What is it?” I asked suspiciously.

“A key.” He laid out his hand, palm up. “To the trailer. In case I’m not here when you get home.”

At the reminder of his late night out, I swiped the key from him. “Thanks,” I muttered.

Mom nudged her elbow into me, reminding me I had a young, impressionable mind present.

I cleared my throat, tucking the key into the pocket of my jeans. “That was kind of you. I appreciate it.”