Page 13 of Cups of You

She scowled. “I’m not a child dad.”

“Still my kiddo.”

“Oh my gosh,” she exclaimed throwing her hands up. “Will you just ask Ms. Amber out already? I know you like her.”

Benjamin froze the air knocked clean out of him. “Liv. I can’t do that.”

“Why not? She seems nice, and I know you think she’s cute. Heck, I think she’s cute and I am one-half you so at least part of you has to agree.”

“Liv—”

“Plus, she’s not married, she’s not old, and she’s not jailbait; a combination which is pretty rare around here. And she has ties to town so it’s not like she’s some floozy riding through looking to have a vacation fling with a local.”

“Bean. She has a boyfriend.”

Olivia stopped dropping her arms at her sides. “What? No way. Seriously?”

He nodded. “Yeah. That’s who she was talking to before she left.”

“Well, she must not like him very much,” she countered. “She looked pissed off instead of crazy in love. Maybe they broke up.”

“Regardless, she isn’t single.”Never mind how much I wish she was.“And she doesn’t seem to like me very much.”

Olivia looked him up and down. “It’s probably because you smile so much. I told you sometimes you look like serial killer when you don’t change your expressions.”

“Liv!” Benjamin exclaimed but with laughter coating his words. He pulled her back into a hug. “You are the reason I’m going gray.”

She wrapped her arms around him. “It blends well. Besides, some people like silver foxes.”

“I don’t know what that means, and I don’t want to. Just, finish the dishes and I might teach you how to make a drink or two.”

She pulled back lips split in a toothy smile. “Really? Deal.” Benjamin nodded chuckling at her enthusiasm. “I still think you need a girlfriend.”

“Noted.”

She hooked her arm around his as they walked back towards the door. Benjamin pushed down his own feelings of disappointment at the revelations of the day.

It couldn’t be helped.

Small towns were great for the feeling of community and how people often banded together to support one another, but they were crap when it came to dating in your thirties.

Sure, there were single women who were around his age, or at least there were according to Tinder the one and only time he checked it out. But nothing had worked out and he hadn’t been that into it to begin with. It seemed like a jerk move to try dating someone when he already wasn’t in the right mindset.

But something in him was intrigued by Amber. Perhaps it was because she spent most of the time scowling at him. It didn’t make any sense as to why he found it cute instead of concerning. Or it might have been the way her face lit up when she took in the aroma of her drink. For a brief moment, the scowl had melted away and he saw the beginnings of a smile stretch her lips. It was the same expression she’d had on her face when she was relaxing on the couch today before her phone had rang.

Maybe if you go over there, you can get to know her more and she will warm to you. She might even smile at you for real this time.

The thought brought equal parts hope and contrition. Amber had a partner and no matter how much he wished it weren’t true, it was. Benjamin knew the pain of being betrayed by the person you loved, and he wasn’t about to be part of doing it to someone else.

“Hey dad.”

“Yeah, what’s up?” He straightened from where he was pulling milk out of the fridge. Olivia was pulling her apron over her head.

“Mom is here.”

Benjamin turned to look out the window and saw his ex-wife’s car parked out front. She didn’t get out and come in which he appreciated. He might be over her, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be around her.

“Oh. Did you bring your stuff?” He put the milk on the counter.

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