Page 36 of Betting on Lizzie

“Is this circus about to end?” Lizzie asked. “Don’t y’all have kids to get home to?”

“Bella probably is overwhelmed with all the babies,” Emma said. “We should go.” She and Dirk said their goodbyes and left hand-in-hand.

One by one, the rest excused themselves, leaving her alone with Ben.

“Sorry about that,” Lizzie said. “It’s not only my grandma. The whole lot is nuts.”

“What about you?” He smiled, and her heart twitched. This palm-wetting nervousness whenever he was around was a foreign feeling, and it made her uncomfortable.

“Oh, I’m crazy too,” she admitted. “Just in a whole other way.”

“Well, who isn’t?” he said. “I came over to say goodbye. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

At her nod, he waved and turned to go. Lizzie stayed and helped close. She wanted to make sure they’d be able to do it without her the next day.

“I can’t believe you’re taking off on the second day we’re open,” Brett said. “That’s so not like you.”

He wasn’t wrong. Besides her family, and now Charlie, the bar was her life. And if asked a week ago if there was a man on the planet that could pull her away from it, she’d have said no way.

“I know,” she said. “I’m going out with a friend who has limited time on his hands.”

“He’s dying?” Brett gasped.

“No.” Lizzie laughed. “That’s not what I meant. He has a daughter, and it’s tough to get away.”

“Uh-huh. Interesting.” He dragged out all the syllables and waggled his eyebrows.

“Don’t.” She held up a finger. “I get enough of that from my family. Call if you need anything. See you Saturday.”

It was just another date. Ben was just another guy. Why was everyone making it a big deal? As far as Lizzie was concerned, her relationship with Ben would run its course just like all the others. She would make sure of that.

Eighteen-year-old Lizzie had vowed to never let a man have control over her again, and thirty-year-old Lizzie wasn’t about to break that oath. The pledge was made after she told her year-long, high school boyfriend she loved him, to which he’d said, “Thank you.” A week later, she caught him cheating and dumped him.

From that moment on, she promised herself no one would hurt her emotionally or make her feel as vulnerable as she had then. If she never got close to anyone and didn’t take any relationship too seriously, she could protect her heart.

Her MO was to always have the upper hand and never get too attached. It had worked like a charm for the last twelve years, and things with Ben would be no different. They’d have fun on a few dates, and by then, he’d give her some reason to end it. Easy peasy.

CHAPTER TWELVE

The next night, Ben stood outside Lizzie’s door, wiping his palms on his thighs. He kept telling himself it was just a date. Sure, it had been a while, but he was a grown man, and men did this stuff all the time. So what if Lizzie was mysterious and intriguing? Who cared that she was a pro-level serial dater? She was still just a human being.

He rolled his neck, took a deep breath, and knocked on her door. She answered with Charlie by her side, dressed in leg-hugging jeans, black boots that came up to her knees, and a black sweater and coat. So much black. He wondered if that meant something.

“Hey,” he said lamely. “You ready?”

“Yeah. I was just explaining to Charlie that he has to stay here.”

Ben pet the dog on the head. “Maybe next time, pal.”

She locked up, and they walked to his Tahoe.

“You said to dress warm,” she said. “Where are we going?”

“Thought we’d go to Union Point Park and try ice skating. You know how?”

“Technically, yes, but I’m no good at it.”

“Me either,” he said, and she laughed.

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