Page 249 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

Ben was about six feet tall with warm, slate-gray eyes, and Anna liked the way his caramel-colored hair fell across his forehead. It looked soft and touchable. Matt was a couple of inches taller than Ben, with curly blond hair and blue eyes. He reminded her a little of Kurt.

“Hi.” Anna glanced at her friend and shrugged. “I guess we’ll come.” Jenna grinned.

They walked to a nearby restaurant. Despite being tired from her trip, Anna was able to relax and have a good time. Matt was easygoing and funny. Ben was more laid back. Greg was quiet, but very observant.

“So, how long have you lived in the Sapphire?” Ben asked.

“Since June,” Anna answered. “You?”

“Couple of years. We moved in after we graduated college.” Ben laughed. “Matt and I have been friends practically our whole lives. I can’t get rid of him.”

Matt grinned. “You know it, buddy.”

Anna studied them closely. Were they gay? They didn’t seem like it. Matt and Jenna were flirting furiously with each other. Greg seemed amused.

“So, what do you do for a living?” Anna asked Ben.

“Lawyer. We both are.” He winced. “You don’t have a thing against lawyers, do you?”

“My guardian’s a lawyer.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” He gave a sly grin.

She shrugged. “Jenna’s dad is one, too.”

“That doesn’t tell me if it’s good or bad.” Ben raised his eyebrows.

“I prefer to judge someone by who they are rather than what they do for a living.”

“Touché.” He laughed. “Nice diplomatic answer.”

Anna smiled.

After dinner, the group made their way upstairs to an enormous room filled with all sorts of video games. Anna stopped and stared. The walls were adorned with vibrant posters of virtual worlds, and rows of video games filled the area. The noise of electronic beeps and flashing lights was overwhelming.

Anna’s eyes widened as she took in her surroundings, feeling a combination of curiosity and nervousness. Jenna, eager to dive into the fun, pulled Matt with her toward the far corner of the room, leaving Anna in the company of Greg and Ben.

She looked at them sheepishly. “What do you do here?”

Ben laughed. “Haven’t you played video games before?”

Anna shook her head.

Greg frowned and muttered under his breath, but when he saw her looking at him, he quickly replaced it with a friendly smile.

“Well, then, I’ll have fun teaching you,” Ben said with a smile. He took her hand and guided her through playing various games, occasionally standing behind her to offer guidance with a gentle touch. Anna’s heart fluttered. Greg, meanwhile, kept a close eye on them, almost like a watchful chaperone.

Ben and Greg bantered with each other while Ben taught Anna how to play Skee-Ball. Matt and Jenna joined them a while later and Anna was happy to see them getting along so well.

As they headed home, Anna learned more about Matt and Ben. They both hailed from Seattle and had attended UC Berkeley for their law studies. Ben had both an older and a younger sister. He’d graduated at the top of his class and secured a position at one of San Francisco’s top law firms. Matt hadn’t done quite as well at school, but worked at the same law firm.

Ben was confident without being arrogant and very gentlemanly. The corners of his eyes crinkled when he laughed or smiled, which was often. He reminded her a bit of Tommy, though he was older and more mature.

“When will you be in class, Anna?” Jenna asked as they paused at the stoplight across from their building.

“Probably Monday. I have to—‍” She glanced at Ben. “Um, be somewhere early afternoon tomorrow, so I thought I’d just wait until after the weekend.”

“I can’t believe you’re coming in as a soloist. I mean, I can believe it, but it means we won’t get to spend as much time together as I’d hoped.” Jenna stuck her lip out.

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