Page 26 of Planning on Happily Ever After

“Fair enough, and you’re right, I do like to think about the player’s experience when I’m working, even if what I’m doing isn’t necessarily directly related to that.” He studied her for a long moment as he ate another fry, Holly keeping her eyes glued to his, lest she be swept up in thoughts of kissing him again. “Do you do the same thing? Picture yourself in the bride or groom’s shoes as you help them plan?”

It was a great question, one that Holly had never really pondered until then. “Actually, I don’t think I do.” She smiled at his raised brow, happy that he was actually taking an interest in her business outside of what he’d been forced to participate in by his mom. “For me, it’s more about guiding them on a path until they find exactly what will work for them. Every bride, every groom is different, so I can’t really put myself in their shoes, only help them find the right ones. Does that make sense?”

The analogy seemed like a good one in her head, but the longer Ben stayed silent, the more Holly wondered if it was completely lost on him. “It makes a lot of sense.” He reached over and laced their fingers together. “You're a happy person, so it seems right that you would spend your days helping other people find their joy.”

Holly squeezed his hand. “I’m not always happy.” She grabbed a fry and waved it at him. “If I hadn’t started eating, I probably would have gotten fairly unbearable.”

Ben smiled and pushed the rest of the fries closer to her. “Note to self: keep Holly fed.”

She smiled, but it faltered at the sound of the door opening. “Hey.” Henry dropped his keys on the entry table and moved toward them, his eyes snagging on their joined hands. “What are you guys up to?”

Ben pulled away, Holly feeling the loss of his warm touch and a slight blow to her happiness at the same time. “We were checking out some bands for my mom’s wedding.”

Henry’s eyes darted to the paused screen and back to them. “Cool.” He shrugged and leaned over to grab a few fries, ignoring Holly glaring daggers at him. “Don’t let me interrupt.” Her brother munched as he went into his bedroom, unfortunately leaving the door wide open.

Ben’s eyes moved from Henry’s room back to her. “I should probably head out.” Mood sufficiently killed, Holly nodded and walked Ben to the door, wanting more than anything to give him a goodnight kiss, but not with the lack of privacy. Ben smiled and brushed his soft lips against her cheek. “Talk to you later, sunshine.” With a wink, he sauntered down the stairs, Holly’s eyes glued to his retreating form until she heard her brother’s voice next to her.

“I didn’t mean for him to leave.”

Holly speared her brother with a knowing look. “Didn’t you?” She walked back to the couch to clean up the remnants of the meal she’d hoped would have lasted a while longer. “You left your door wide open like you were Dad or something.”

Henry sighed, his expression serious as he met her gaze. “I wasn’t trying to go all parental on you.” Holly gave him another silent stare down and he raised his hands in supplication. “Okay, maybe I was a little. Ben is my friend, and he’s a good guy, but you’re all sunshine and puppies and rainbows and he’s just...not. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Holly sighed, appreciating her twin’s perspective, especially given that it was the same as her own until very recently. “I understand that, and I know you did what you did because you care, but maybe I don’t need rainbows all the time. I think someone who’s a little more pragmatic might actually be good for me, keep me grounded.” That’s exactly what she felt with Ben, grounded, but not weighed down. More like she was safe to be her usual sunny self, but that someone would be there to hold her when she inevitably encountered a dark cloud.

Henry nodded. “Okay. I’ll butt out, just promise me you’ll be careful, for both yours and Ben’s sake.”

Holly smirked. “Afraid you’ll lose the only friend you have?”

Henry scoffed. “He’s hardly my only friend, but you’re right that I don’t want to lose him. More than that though, I don’t want him getting hurt either.”

Hurting Ben didn’t seem like something she was capable of, but Holly knew there was a tender heart under all that bluster, one she intended to keep as safe as possible. “I’ll try my hardest not to.”

Grabbing the rest of her burger, Henry stuffed it into his mouth. “Good,” he mumbled, taking the fries and escaping into his room once again.

Holly rolled her eyes at the walking garbage disposal that was her brother and headed into her own room, hoping that Ben intended to keep her heart as safe as she’d just promised to keep his.

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