As much as she grew to love Steve—and vice versa, Anne couldn't help feeling as if she were cheating on Benjamin. Could she possibly love two guys at the same time?

When she got home from the park, she knew what she had to do. With mixed feelings she picked up the phone. Her heart sinking even more with each button she pressed, she half-hoped he wasn't home right now.

"Hello?" came the all-too-familiar greeting on the other end.

"Benjamin," she sighed, "it's me. Can you come over for a minute? I really need to talk to you."

"Sure, sweetheart," was the reply. "Something wrong? You don't sound like yourself."

"I'll explain everything when you get here," Anne sighed.

Every minute seemed like an hour, she thought, pacing the floor and alternating glancing out the window and at her watch. Finally she saw him walking up the driveway.

Before he even had a chance to ring the doorbell, she opened the door. "Hi," she said, smiling sadly. "Come on in."

Sitting down, she cringed as he put an arm around her and gave her a peck on the cheek. "What was it you wanted to talk about?" he asked.

"Benjamin," she said, sighing, as she took his hands, "I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"What is it?" he asked, lifting her chin with his hand for another tender kiss.

"There's someone new in my life," she sighed, tears streaming down her cheek. "And—I think—he intends to ask me—"

"Say no more," Benjamin smiled, though he couldn't hide the hurt in his eyes. "All I ever really wanted was your happiness. But—" He stopped, unable to keep the tears from falling, "is this the end for us?"

"It is the end," Anne sighed, "as far as romance is concerned, but—" She stopped to wipe away the tears that fell from that sweet face. "I hope we'll always be friends."

"Always," Benjamin promised, leaning in to kiss those lips he loved. "But if he ever breaks your heart—" He pounded his fist into his hand for emphasis, "you know where to find me."

Anne laughed, probably for the first time since he came over. "I sure do," she replied. Standing up, she took his hands in her own. "I do love you, Benjamin, just not as much as I thought I could."

"It's okay," Benjamin smiled, a real smile this time, "really, it's okay. I didn't get my hopes up too high, anyway. Besides, what was a pretty girl like you doing giving your love to someone like me?"

"Oh, Benjamin," Anne shook her head, "it wasn't you—it wasn't you at all." She smiled as she looked at him one more time. Perhaps the clothes were a bit mismatched, that sweater with those Bermuda shorts, but there had been something about him that enabled her to see past all that. "I can't explain it now, but I just feel like he's the one I've really been waiting for."

"OK, Anne," Benjamin said, as they got up. "Don't—don't worry about me. I don't want your happiness to be marred on account of me."

One last time their lips met, a kiss marred by the salty taste of fresh tears. One last time he held her in his arms, wishing in vain it was a dream, though in his heart, he knew he had to move on.

"Goodbye, Benjamin," Anne whispered, "I hope I'll see you again—with someone you can really love."

As he walked out the door, Anne watched until he was out of sight. Flopping down on her futon, she sobbed bitterly for what she had lost.