Page 97 of Lacey's Fight

If Opal was doing what she and Ben had, making the same mistakes they’d made, then she hoped something would come along to open up her sister’s eyes.

They had all suffered so much, it was time to find peace.

While Lacey might not be ready to talk to Ben just yet, she still needed some time to get her head on straight, and maybe since she’d made a move last time and been rejected, she needed Ben to make the next move. Childish perhaps, but it was more about protecting herself. She was a little vulnerable right now and couldn’t handle any more rejection if Ben was here out of guilt and not because he truly wanted her.

Still, as she fiddled with the charm bracelet Ben had found on the estate in England and held onto because he knew it was important to her, she knew she had to do something.

“No corners, no more hiding,” she promised as she reached for her cell phone and tapped out a message to Ben thanking him for the gifts.

It was a start. To what she wasn’t sure, but it felt good.

It felt right.

* * *

August 21st

3:13 P.M.

He’d given her all the time he could.

If he didn’t see her soon, Ben was pretty sure he was going to lose his mind. It was hell being this close to her but not being able to go to her, spend time with her, touch her, and kiss her.

But he was trying to do the right thing.

In reality, it had only been four days since he’d last seen her, but it felt like so much longer. Felt like he had been waiting for her and the bright light she brought with her for three long years.

Part of him might even have been waiting for her forever.

Knocking on her door, he found himself holding his breath as he waited for her to answer.

Would she answer?

He suspected that she would, it was what kind of reception he would receive that was worrying him the most. Lacey was a warm, forgiving person, but you could only push someone away so many times before they took the hint and left.

Ben was praying she wasn’t at that point yet.

After maybe forty-five seconds the door opened and there she was. Something inside him settled as he finally laid eyes on her. Although logically he knew she was okay, they’d gotten to her before the extreme heat made her organs fail, she had not received any life-threatening injuries. She was alive and whole, she wasn’t going to suddenly drop dead, his brain just needed to see her to reassure itself she was okay.

Or maybe it was his heart.

Whatever it was, seeing her standing before him was sweet relief.

They hadn’t spoken since she walked away from him on the plane, but she had texted him that first morning after they’d gotten home. When he’d seen the text come through, he’d been so overjoyed that she’d reached out, even if it was only a single word.

Even if he hadn’t been the one to give her the gifts he’d chosen, he was thrilled she was enjoying them. Thrilled he’d done something right. After so long doing everything wrong it filled him with a weird sort of pride to know he’d made Lacey happy.

He only wished he’d been there to witness the smile on her face when she’d opened the gift basket.

A smile she wasn’t gifting him with right now.

Suddenly awkward, Ben resisted the urge to shuffle his feet and stuff his hands in his pockets. He’d given her time and space, but now it was time for him to be there for her.

“I was hoping we could talk,” he said, making himself meet her brown eyes directly. There was no anger in them, but neither was there any welcoming warmth. Guess he’d have to take what he could get.

“Of course.” Lacey stepped back to allow him to enter her apartment and Ben had to curl his fingers into fists so he didn’t reach for her.

She made no move to reach for him either.

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