Page 19 of Standing Still

Chapter Nine

“I still can’t believe I cried all over Ben.”

Dawn laughs, then pulls my hands away from my face. “He let you? That’s great.”

“Great?” I frown at her. “How?”

“He let you do it. So that means…”

“What?” I still don’t get it, or want to admit I get it.

The emotion snuck up and washed over me like a violent wave when I heard what happened with my dad. Turning into Ben had been the most natural thing in the world. And he’d held me, gently. He could have been a prick about it, stood back and basically let me know I deserved all the pain and more for not bothering to show back up here for all these years, but he didn’t.

“Well, he’s kinda angry about the whole situation, but he still comforted you. Oh, come on Elle,” she nudges me with her elbow. “You write romance books for a living. As if this isn’t one of those moments."

"Please don’t." I pick up my coffee and take a few sips, catching the eye of another waitress at the cafe. I have noticed her lookingover a few times, which isn’t an uncommon occurrence these days.

“Yes, it’s like a second chance romance,” Dawn nods enthusiastically. “Like your book,Dreams on Fire, urgh. Owen was so dreamy and hot. You know, he kind of reminds me-”

“Believe me,” I turn to her, cutting her off before she gets carried away. “As someone who writes romance, I know better than anyone those kinds of things do not happen in real life.”

“Not if you don’t have an open mind,” she grins and picks up her hot chocolate.

“You’re out of your mind. Besides, we still haven’t been able to figure out what to do about dad’s crazy plan. Last night was a total bust. We barely even talked about what we’re going to do.”

“It’s obvious to me.” Dawn rubs the top of her stomach and I turn a little in my seat to look at her. “You have to agree. Oh, Elle, it would be so great to have you back here for part of the year. And once this thing is out,” she points to her protruding stomach. “Think of the fun we can have.”

I notice her rubbing her stomach again. Momentarily, my mind is taken off the conversation. Even though it is ridiculous. “Are you okay?”

“It’s just reflux. I shouldn’t have eaten that croissant.”

I nod, though I’m not entirely sure. I recall Adrian’s sister making a similar gesture right before she gave birth. Although Dawn is on her third, so surely she knows the signs.

“Seriously, you’ve been here two nights now and you still don’t know what you want to do?”

“I’ve no freaking idea,” I tell her with a heavy sigh. “I came here thinking I would get in and out. I never even booked a place to stay after last night and I’m getting kicked out because the room has been booked by someone else.”

“Oh shit, where are you going to stay?”

“There are plenty of other places in Mystic.”

“You do realise the River Jam Festival starts at the weekend?”

“Shit, really? Well, I doubt the hotels will have sold out of rooms for that.”

“Yeah, no. I know that. You could stay with us?” she scrunches up her face as she suggests it. “Ha, yeah, that would be hell on earth for you with my brats.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll find something. Don’t worry.”

“In Mystic, though, not out of town.”

“I’ll go where there is a room.”

“You could always ask Ben. He has that big old house. I’m sure he has a spare room,” she winks.

“I think you need to lay off reading my books,” I laugh at her.

“Well, my cousin works at the Hyatt. Do you want me to see if he has anything?”

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