One Hot Summer

Chapter 13: Wine Makes Me Brave

RILEY

I’d been trying to steer clear of Ben ever since Brynn had left for Spain. Aside from work we didn’t see each other at the house. He’d been having girls over every couple of nights so I knew he wasn’t lonely. Though it shouldn’t have bothered me, it did.

I missed James, or at the very least I think I just missed having someone to cuddle with and kiss. James still hadn’t let up trying to talk to me. No matter how angry I was at him I couldn’t bring myself to block his number. Maybe I was wrong not to but my heart wouldn’t let me.

Work had been busy. Lots of occupants to keep an eye out for. I had been sitting at the station by the shallow end when I caught eyes with Ben. He was staring. I quickly look away thinking that he was probably looking past me.

“Ri?” I hear a deep voice call out to me. I glance down from my seat and lock eyes with a familiar set of slate blues.

I let out a sigh, surprised it took him long enough to physically seek me out.

“What are you doing here James?” I ask, my eyes continuing to dart around the pool.

“You wouldn’t talk to me, I miss you baby” he says. I chuckle and shake my head.

“Baby, please just let me explain” he says placing his hand on my leg.

I flinch away and glare down at him.

“You have 5 minutes” I tell him looking back at the pool. My eyes drift up locking onto Bens. He’s staring at me intently, his face looks angry. I look away quickly.

“Baby, you know that I love you. We were good together. I know I have been preoccupied lately and I know what you think you saw at the party but..” I cut him off abruptly.

“What I think I saw? James, you had her ass in a death grip. I saw your hands all over her. Don’t try to gaslight me right now. I know what I saw and I have a feeling she wasn’t the first you’d done that with during our time together” I say before blowing my whistle.

I slowly climb down from my station and begin moving to the next lifeguard stand.

“Baby..come on. Don’t you miss me?” James says following me.

“I miss the idea of you James. I miss what we had in the beginning” I tell him climbing my next station.

“Everything okay here?” I hear a deep voice chime in.

James and I whip our heads around to see Ben standing there. I nod at him.

“You again? Listen, this isn’t your house so you can’t kick me out. I’m just here to talk to my girlfriend” James says, his posture already becoming defensive.

Ben chuckles, “this may not be my home but it’s my place of work and Riley aside, I take my job seriously and if one of my coworkers feels uncomfortable because of a guest then I will step in” he says. My heart does a flip and I feel heat rush to my cheeks.

“Thank you, Ben. I’m fine. James, I’m not your girlfriend anymore.” I say getting settled.

“You will be though. I’m going to win you back Riley Ann” James says gripping the sides of the lifeguard tower.

“Everything okay here?” I hear another voice appear. Nick and Ben are now standing with arms crossed and my only concern is that there are now two stations not being covered

“I’m fine. James was leaving.” I say trying to end the situation.

“Need help finding the exit, jimmy?” Nick says with a grin.

“It’s James and I’m here as a guest. I’m sitting right there” James says pointing to the lounger directly behind me.

“Well then, If you don’t mind going back to that seat so we can do our jobs that would be great” Nick says escorting him away. I can feel Bens gaze in the side of my face.

“You have to get back to your station, Ben” I say without looking down. I know that if I make eye contact with him right now, every feeling I’ve been trying to suppress will surface and that’s the last thing I need right now.

The rest of the day I felt on edge. James stayed the entire time the pool was open. I felt uncomfortable knowing he was probably watching me. What I didn’t seem to understand was why. James could clearly find someone else easily. Why did he insist on stringing me along in his life?

My mood had completely changed and by the end of the work day I was drained. Olivia helped me avoid James on my way out to my car. I had no desire to speak with anyone after the day I had.

Tucking the salad I bought at the store under one arm and a bottle of red wine under the other I made my way out the back doors of the house. The sun was setting, giving the world around me a warm glow. My legs dangled in the water below as I twisted the cap off of my cheap bottle of wine. I took a big drink and laid on my back, closing my eyes.

I must’ve drifted to sleep for awhile because when I opened my eyes Ben was sitting beside me, the sun had gone down, and half my salad was gone.

I jerked myself into sitting position.

“Nice nap?” Ben asked taking a drink of wine.

I rubbed my eyes and chuckled, “uhm, yeah. I can’t believe I fell asleep” I say leaning forward. I grab the bottle from Ben and take another large swig. My stomach burned as the alcohol hit it. I realized that I hadn’t eaten anything all day.

My eyes fell to the salad sitting in Bens lap. He looked at me then down.

“Oh, sorry. I was only going to take a bite but it’s actually really good” he says handing me the container. I laugh and started shoveling in what was left.

Bens eyes widened, “hungry?” he asked. I nod, “I haven’t eaten all day” I laugh. I glance at my phone to see that id fallen asleep for almost 2 hours.

The conversation began to flow easily. Before I knew it we were on our second bottle of wine, laughing as we swapped stories of our crazy lives.

“Did Brynn tell you why she went to Barcelona?” Ben asks. I shake my head taking another sip of wine.

“Figures” he says stealing the bottle away from me. I knit my brows together and look at him. My brain feels fuzzy as I take in the masculine features of his face. His bronze skin, the way his stubble moves freely in one perfect direction, his long dark eyelashes that hood his perfect hazel eyes. My eyes fall to his lips, the lips I’d been craving since we first kissed. The way they moved as he spoke. Breaking out of my head I clear my throat.

“What do you mean?” I ask trying not to sound nosey but curious.

“I told her the truth about our mom and dad” he says looking at me. It could’ve been the alcohol inducing my imagination but for a brief moment it looked like Bens eyes fell to my lips. Instinctively I dart my tongue out to moisten them.

I look away quickly, “and?” I ask taking another drink of wine.

Ben clears his throat this time as he explains to me about how his dad left after finding out that his mom cheated. The pain in his voice struck a cord inside of me. I wondered how his dad could’ve left him and Brynn at such a young age. How could someone leave their children and not keep in touch?

“I’m..sorry Ben” I say, looking over at him.

“Bennett” he replies flashing me a brief smile.

“Call me Bennett” he adds. I smile and look down at my hands.

“Have you ever thought about trying to find him? Getting answers? Or at least closure?” I ask boldly, the wine certainly removing any filter left in my brain.

Ben..er Bennett nods, “I’ve thought about it but I’ve been scared. I’ve built up this great idea of my dad and who I remember him to be. What if he’s not what I remember? What if he’s not great?” He says.

“I understand, I’m sorry…I can’t even..” I start but Bennett grabs my hand.

“Don’t be sorry” he says. My eyes fall to our hands before moving back up to his eyes that are glued to me.

I swallowed hard, a knot forming in my throat. Suddenly the embers barely flickering inside of me ignited, blazing with a passion as Bens hand gripped the back of my hair tilting my head backwards. The look in his eyes screamed that this was a bad idea and I knew in that moment that I could’ve stopped all of this and walked away.

However, wine makes me brave and the last thing I wanted was to walk away.

Bens mouth crashed against mine, the sweet taste of alcohol lingering on his lips. The kiss was brief, way more brief than I wanted it to be.

As we pulled away Bens eyebrows met in the middle as he looked at me with confusion. My heart raced. My cheeks were hot and I wasn’t sure if it was from the alcohol or the sheer blush from kissing this man.

“I..uh. I’m sorry” Bennett says putting distance between us. The same heart that had been soaring moments ago was now weighted down by Bennetts words.

“No, uhm…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…” I begin. “…it was the wine” Bennett cuts me off. My eyes, now glazed over as I fight back tears reach his.

“…right. The wine” I say, as if I’m trying to convince myself.

Without another word I quickly gather my things and leap to my feet.

“Im going to head upstairs for the night” I say before turning on my heels to make a quick exit.

The walk up the stairs is a slow one. One where I had to physically remind myself to lift each leg. Bennett ignited feelings inside of me that I had never felt before. Even on my best days with James, I’d never felt the swirling buzz that I currently felt zipping through my body. Even laying my head down to rest that night I could’ve sworn his scent lingered in my nostrils. This summer wasn’t turning out at all like I had imagined it would.