Page 81 of Cups of You

“Or,” Olivia dragged out the word before giving him a pointed look. “You could finally ask Amber to move in with you.”

Benjamin stumbled catching his balance at the last second before he went tumbling headfirst onto the walking path and dragging Olivia down with him. Olivia’s expression didn’t look the slightest bit repentant at almost costing him his life or his pride.

“Well, that was certainly an unexpected suggestion.”

“Why? She stays over sometimes anyway.”

He nodded slowly before glancing up and making sure Amber wasn’t listening in. “Right, but that’s different than living with someone full time, bean.”

She huffed out a breath. “I know that, but it’s not like you haven’t been considering it anyway.”

“How did you know that?”

“A little birdie told me.”Randy, he thought with amusement. He would need to have a talk with his friend about keeping his mouth shut sometimes. “Plus, I found the ring you were hiding in your drawer. You should probably find a better hiding spot after she agrees to move in.”

Benjamin blinked rapidly mind slamming to a stop. “How did you—bean, you really have to stop snooping.”

“I didn’t snoop,” she insisted. “You were keeping it in your tie drawer, and I saw it when I went looking for the blue tie you said I could borrow last week. Remember?”

He vaguely remembered her asking about borrowing something for her spirit week at school last week, so he relented.

“I guess. Does Amber know?”

Olivia shrugged. “I never said anything, so if she does, she didn’t hear it from me.”

Benjamin nodded slowly. “And you’re okay with it? If I asked Amber to move in and the other thing.”

Olivia stopped walking and he stopped with her. “Dad, seriously? We’ve had this conversation like a million times. I like Amber. She’s cool and she makes you happy.”

“Yeah, she does.” He smiled as he looked over Olivia’s shoulder. Amber was still talking to the tour guide and he didn’t doubt she had a list of pre-determined questions in her head to get answers to. “So, since you saw it, what do you think? Do you think Amber will like it?”

“She loves you dad; that’s all that matters. The ring is just icing on the cake.”

He chuckled and pulled Olivia into a hug. She squeezed back and Benjamin had to swallow back his emotions. In a month, she would be leaving for a summer trip to Europe with her mother and then two months after that she would be coming back to Georgia Tech’s campus for good. It was the ending of an era in his life, and Benjamin was trying to understand how it had happened so quickly.

“Is everything okay?”

Olivia pulled away and Benjamin reluctantly loosened his grip. Amber was looking at them her expression slightly concerned. When her ebony eyes turned his way, he was once again amazed that of all the people to come into his life, he somehow met the woman who was perfect for him. Olivia was right. It was time for the next step.

“We’re okay.”

“Yeah. The old man was just getting weepy about me leaving.”

Benjamin swatted at her and Olivia giggled as she danced away. Amber’s lips quirked up and she gestured to the tour guide.

“I asked him if he would show us where the library was. We’re supposed to meet Tamryn there, right?”

“Oh right,” Olivia exclaimed. She pulled out her cell phone. “I’ll give her a call and let her know we’re headed there now.”

Benjamin watched her walk away the sun setting her wavy hair aflame. It was a bittersweet feeling, but one he had been preparing for over the past few months.

“You going to be okay Ben?”

He turned his focus back on Amber as she walked over to him. He slid his arms around her waist when she got close enough and pulled her closer to him. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

“It’s okay if you cry. I’ll still think you are the manliest man that ever manned even if you do.”

He laughed and pinched her side. “I am perfectly secure in my manliness.”

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