Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 65489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
I wanted to fix things, but I didn’t know how. I didn’t know how anything could be like it was.
I considered a million excuses for why I couldn’t attend, but between Ford insisting I needed to get out and Eudora telling me she’d personally come get me if I tried to skip, I gave in and told her she could send her car for me as usual.
35
MILES
During dinner, I told Ford I didn’t want to talk about Ben or work, I just wanted to hang out. Otherwise, I knew I might walk out and never go to the stupid book club. I’d hated the book; it was just unlikeable people saying nonsense to each other. I had no desire to discuss it with Ford’s law school friends.
The problem was, if I went home, I would mope and seethe just like Ford had accused me of doing. I’d been so desperate to stop thinking of Ben the night before that I’d gone drinking with Worth, which had made this morning even worse.
Ben had loved the dandelions. He still had them on his desk in a water glass even though they were wilted now. I was contemplating what else I could do for him that would make him happy when the car stopped at the curb.
I looked out to see where we were. “What are we doing at Eudora’s house?”
“She’s hosting.”
“Wait, I thought Thursday nights was when Ben had knitting club. I know Ben—” I turned to Ford. The fact that he wouldn’t meet my eyes told me everything. “You brought me to knitting circle.”
“Maybe.”
“Is he in there?” I gestured toward the house.
“Who?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You know who.”
“I’m not sure if Ben is here yet or not.”
“But he’s coming.”
“Unless Eudora failed to convince him.”
Eudora never failed at anything. “He’s coming, and he doesn’t want me here.”
“Do you want to be here?”
“No. Yes. Fuck, what am I supposed to do.”
“Go in there and be civilized and see how things go when you two are outside the office.”
“I’m always civilized.”
Ford raised his brows. “You stalked him like prey, then claimed him as yours.”
“And he—”
Ford held up a hand. “Don’t give me more details than I want to know.”
I smiled and followed Ford to Eudora’s door.
She greeted us, kissing me on the cheek and linking her arm with mine. When we stepped into her living room, Ben’s eyes widened as he asked, “What are you doing here? Eudora, you said—”
“A woman my age is allowed a few little white lies.”
Ben looked back at me. “You knit?”
“What? No. I thought this was….” I ran a hand over my hair.
Ford grinned. “I might have said book club instead of knitting circle.”
“And I….” I looked down at the book in my hand. “I actually read this shit.” Heat filled my cheeks as I realized how thoroughly I’d been had by Ford, and that pissed me off. I never blushed.
“It’s awful, isn’t it?” Ford said with a laugh. I wanted to punch him.
“Good for you,” Eudora said. “Everyone should read daily. Now, have a seat. Would you like a glass of wine?”
Everyone else in the room was pretending to focus on their knitting, though Robert hadn’t been able to keep from laughing.
When I chose a chair on the far side of the room from Ben, Ford cleared his throat. “You’re in my seat.”
“You have assigned seats for knitting?”
“That’s where I always sit.”
The only other place to sit was next to Ben. He glanced my way, but I looked down quickly.
Ford gestured for me to get up. “This seat has better lighting, and you’re not even knitting.”
“But you are?”
“He’s been here every week.” Ben looked surprised he’d spoken, like he hadn’t meant to jump into the conversation.
I glanced back at Ford. “You told me you had a book club on Thursdays.”
He huffed. “I don’t have to share everything.”
“Do you mean you’ve only been pretending to read pretentious shit like this, and you’ve actually been knitting?”
Ford nodded.
“Did you think I would make fun of you?”
“Maybe, more Worth and Carter than you, but….”
I glared at him. “Don’t do that again.”
“I won’t.”
“Good. Have your damn seat.”
I sat down next to Ben. I could feel him looking at me, but I had no idea what to do. I hadn’t been shy or unsure like this with anyone I’d been interested in since I was in college.
I’d seen him just a few hours ago at the office, but there, with him at his desk in the lobby, I couldn’t say much to him, certainly not anything vulnerable. This was different. I could easily ask him to step out of the room with me. Eudora would encourage it. I forced myself to turn his way, but the words I’d intended to say stuck in my throat.
After a few moments of awkward silence, Ben held up his knitting. “I’m making a scarf. It’s a little wonky, but I’m relearning how to do this.”