Page 36 of Wine Whiskey & Lipstick

“What?”

“That it doesn’t sound like you enjoyed making out with all those beautiful women.”

Ben lifted a brow. “Would that surprise you?”

“If I’m honest, yes.” Dillyn returned her gaze to the stream. “I thought all men loved to be loved by women.”

“Hmm.”Somebody hurt this woman.“Selah talked me into it. The money we raise will go to a great cause. But that’s not why I came out here. I saw you from my window.”

“Oh. So, youwerestalking me.” Dillyn glanced up at his home. She wasn’t sure which window he may have seen her from. “You purposely sought me out?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “I guess you could say that.”

Dillyn needed to set the record straight. “Look, I know we kissed, but it wasn’t my idea. It was kind of forced on me by my friends. Unlike some of the women here, I’m not after you. I’m not interested in you like that.”

Ben released a hearty laugh. The tail on Ben’s laugh died down as he bent low to pick up a rock. He threw it, and the rock skipped across the stream several times. “Wow. Not sure if I’ve ever been shot down before I even made a move. Rest assured, Dillyn. I’m not interested in you like that either. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Dillyn should have been relieved, but his words had the opposite effect. “Good. Just so we’re clear.”

“Ma’am, we are clear.” Turning back, Ben pierced her with his gorgeous blue eyes. “So? How are you? Are you really good?”

Dillyn sighed deeply. “I’m fine.”

She didn’t sound like it, but Ben thought it best to let it go for now. “What brought you to Summer? Were you running away or toward something?”

Dillyn rolled his words around in her head before answering. “I don’t think either.”

“That’s a nonanswer.”

Dillyn fidgeted. “I don’t want to talk about me. What about you? What brought you back to Summer?”

Dillyn saw a shadow of darkness fall upon his face.

Ben turned and stared straight ahead into the crystal-clear spring water. “Moved back to be close to my family.”

She turned his initial question back onto him. “Were you running away from something or someone?” Dillyn could only assume he came back after his divorce.

“Neither. Summer is just home. I’m most at peace here.”

Dillyn nodded as if she understood. What had given her peace wasn’t a place; it was a person. Steven had been that. “Peace.” Dillyn sighed. “Not sure why it’s so elusive. It’s what I hoped to find when we moved here.”

“You haven’t?”

“We’ve only been here a little over a week.” Dillyn took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and let it go on a long sigh. “I’ve had moments where I think so, but it’s fleeting.”

“You’ve experienced a recent trauma?” Ben wasn’t asking.

“Why would you say that?”

“Just a guess.”

Dillyn took a minute to answer. “My whole life but most recently a divorce.”

He lifted his head in understanding. “Ah. How long has it been?”

“Officially, six months. But . . .”

He waited patiently for her to finish.

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