Page 44 of Trial Run

“He might not be ready to do that yet. But I know he’d like to come someday.” If Ben was able to go out, and if they had that much time left together.

Ben’s door opened as they pulled up to his house. Marco tore off his seatbelt and shot out of the car before Nell could open her own door. She leaned over the roof of the car and watched her normally shy son race up the steps and hold up his geodes for Ben to inspect. His animated chatter carried over the front lawn.

She shut her own door and went to them. Ben knelt down in the doorway, at eye level with Marco. From the breast pocket of his jacket, he extracted a pair of square-framed black reading glasses and slid them on. With his other hand, he held up the geode, inspecting it.

“These are very light, very clear. Definitely quartz. Sometimes, they look more cloudy. You did a great job.”

“I wanted to find amethyst, but maybe next time.”

“The more you look, the more different kinds you’ll find. But quartz are the most common.” He looked up at Nell and winked.

Her heart turned over in her chest. The glasses were too much, making him somehow several levels hotter. She had the strong urge to pull the glasses off and throw herself at him, but Marco was here, and that wasn’t why they’d come. And as far as Marco knew, they were just friends.

“Thanks for letting us drop by. I don’t think he could have waited until tomorrow.”

Ben straightened to his full height and smiled at her, tucking the glasses back into his pocket. “Of course. It is pretty exciting. Marco, would you like to see my backyard? I have a rock path and a fountain.”

“Can we?” Marco looked up at Nell eagerly.

“Sure, but maybe only for a little while. I’m sure Ben is busy.”

“Come on in.” Ben gestured to them to follow him inside. He led them through the kitchen and out the side door, onto a wooden patio. A pathway lined with rocks circled the yard, leading to a stone fountain by the brick wall at the back. The grass had been cut short, but otherwise, the yard held no other plants.

“Can I go look at the fountain?” Marco asked.

“It’s fenced all the way around. It’s safe,” Ben said.

“Yes, you can go play,” she told Marco, and he took off running, following the path to the edge of the yard. Immediately, he plunged his hands into the water streaming from the fountain.

“You have a nice yard. It could use more flowers, though,” she said.

“I’m sure it could. I’m not good with plants, like you. But I used to spend more time out here. Before. Do you want to sit?” He gestured at the wrought iron patio chairs.

“It’s okay for you? Being outside this long?” She scanned him for signs of anxiety.

“I think so. I’ve been coming out here a few minutes at a time, mostly at night. Trying to keep my streak going.”

“You do have a good streak.”

He nodded as they sat together. “Every day this week so far.”

Nell couldn’t stop herself from reaching over and lacing her fingers with his, greedy to feel his touch again.

“So. I got a babysitter for Saturday. My boss’s niece is going to watch Marco. So we can have a real date. No kids.”

Ben’s gaze snapped to hers. “That sounds good. Would you like to come over here? I can have dinner ready. Or we could try a restaurant …” His voice turned uncertain.

“Dinner here would be perfect.” She squeezed his hand.

“Good. It’s a date.”

Marco ran across the lawn and gathered a few rocks, then ran back to the fountain to rinse them off in the water.

Ben smiled. “He’s so curious about everything.”

“He really is. He likes to test out what will happen with everything. Put it in water, break it, throw it.”

“A little scientist.”

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