Chapter Thirty-Six
"He's finally asleep. Man," he said. Rubbing a hand over his face. "Why didn't you tell me how tough it was to get that kid into bed--sleeping?" he asked. Taking a seat beside her on the steps and studying her profile. She laughed softly and said, "I thought it was some shared Bennett trait." A smile on her lips. He chuckled in embarrassment. Remembering that night. Holding her in his arms. Talking to her. Listening as she poured her heart out.
"You still haven't told me why. Why you and Jake just showed up here. With just the clothes on your back. Why Gwen? What happened?" he asked. Waiting patiently for her answer. Giving her all the time she needed. He watched in concern as the smile left her face, and she clasped her hands her knees. Staring. At something only she saw in her mind's eye. "You," she said finally. "It was you."
He took a moment to compose himself before he spoke. "Me? What do I have to do with this?" She took a deep breath. Turned to face him. Eyes boring into his. Before she answered. "Don't you know?" she said in a shaky voice. "It's all about you. It has been for a while now, Bennett. I left because of you." He was shocked. Speechless. He felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him as he looked into her eyes. Seeing the truth and sincerity in them.
She continued. Her voice gaining strength with every word. "I couldn't take it anymore. Mother said some things. Awful things. Against you. I couldn't let her talk about you that way. Because she's wrong. You're not everything bad like she thinks. You're everything good in my life," she revealed with a smile. He felt a lump develop in his throat at her words. He was the king of flippant remarks--the joker. And this woman nearly had him in tears.
"You've given me so many things," she said. "Your friendship. Helped me find myself. And most importantly you gave me Jake. This little boy I adore. This little boy who is so much like his father it isn't even funny," she laughed. He laughed with her. It was true. He saw so much of himself in Jake.
"I love him so much," she said. Taking his hand in hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. "And I think...I think," she paused. "What do you think?" he asked. Barely a whisper. Afraid to trust the hope he felt rising in his chest. Searching her eyes for an answer. "Gwen?" he asked quietly, wiping the single tear that had escaped from her eyes away with his thumb.
"I think I love you," she said quickly. Panic in her eyes. Panic and hope. "Just think," he said. His brown eyes twinkling. A grin appearing on his face. One he found impossible to erase. "A girl ought to KNOW when she loves Hank Bennett. He's a pretty special guy." His grin grew even bigger when she burst into laughter. Shoving him playfully.
"What do I have to do to convince you that you DO love me?" he asked. His laughter dying down. And they were serious once more. "Oh, I don't know," she replied with a slight smile. "Do I have to list all my hugely appealing qualities to remind you?" "No," she laughed. "Besides, you tend to be a little full of yourself at times." "Who? Me?" he asked in mock indignation.
"We have to get to the truth of the matter. Any way we can," he said. Leaning closer. Closing the gap between his lips and hers. Smirking at her when she replied. "Yes. Any way we can." Breathlessly. Her huff of annoyance when he stopped just inches from her lips only made him smile more. He loved teasing her. He loved her, he thought as he kissed her. Pulled her closer. Threading his fingers through her hair and kissed her for all he was worth.
He pulled back reluctantly. "So...what's the verdict? Did that convince the lady of her true feelings?" He waited expectantly. And was rewarded a moment later. "Yes," she said seriously. Leaning her forehead against his and closing her eyes. "There's no doubt. I love you," she breathed. Placing a gentle kiss on his lips. He sighed in relief and happiness.
"Sure took you long enough to figure it out," he joked. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me too much longer." "Hank," she groaned. Rolling her eyes. "Sorry, babe. You're going to have to learn to live with it. Comes with the territory. I knew there was a reason I loved you." This time she kissed him. Senseless. From the window a voice rang out. "Yes! Alright!" They broke apart. Laughing. Rose to their feet. And went inside. Hand in hand. "I should have known."
"He's finally asleep. Man," he said. Rubbing a hand over his face. "Why didn't you tell me how tough it was to get that kid into bed--sleeping?" he asked. Taking a seat beside her on the steps and studying her profile. She laughed softly and said, "I thought it was some shared Bennett trait." A smile on her lips. He chuckled in embarrassment. Remembering that night. Holding her in his arms. Talking to her. Listening as she poured her heart out.
"You still haven't told me why. Why you and Jake just showed up here. With just the clothes on your back. Why Gwen? What happened?" he asked. Waiting patiently for her answer. Giving her all the time she needed. He watched in concern as the smile left her face, and she clasped her hands her knees. Staring. At something only she saw in her mind's eye. "You," she said finally. "It was you."
He took a moment to compose himself before he spoke. "Me? What do I have to do with this?" She took a deep breath. Turned to face him. Eyes boring into his. Before she answered. "Don't you know?" she said in a shaky voice. "It's all about you. It has been for a while now, Bennett. I left because of you." He was shocked. Speechless. He felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him as he looked into her eyes. Seeing the truth and sincerity in them.
She continued. Her voice gaining strength with every word. "I couldn't take it anymore. Mother said some things. Awful things. Against you. I couldn't let her talk about you that way. Because she's wrong. You're not everything bad like she thinks. You're everything good in my life," she revealed with a smile. He felt a lump develop in his throat at her words. He was the king of flippant remarks--the joker. And this woman nearly had him in tears.
"You've given me so many things," she said. "Your friendship. Helped me find myself. And most importantly you gave me Jake. This little boy I adore. This little boy who is so much like his father it isn't even funny," she laughed. He laughed with her. It was true. He saw so much of himself in Jake.
"I love him so much," she said. Taking his hand in hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. "And I think...I think," she paused. "What do you think?" he asked. Barely a whisper. Afraid to trust the hope he felt rising in his chest. Searching her eyes for an answer. "Gwen?" he asked quietly, wiping the single tear that had escaped from her eyes away with his thumb.
"I think I love you," she said quickly. Panic in her eyes. Panic and hope. "Just think," he said. His brown eyes twinkling. A grin appearing on his face. One he found impossible to erase. "A girl ought to KNOW when she loves Hank Bennett. He's a pretty special guy." His grin grew even bigger when she burst into laughter. Shoving him playfully.
"What do I have to do to convince you that you DO love me?" he asked. His laughter dying down. And they were serious once more. "Oh, I don't know," she replied with a slight smile. "Do I have to list all my hugely appealing qualities to remind you?" "No," she laughed. "Besides, you tend to be a little full of yourself at times." "Who? Me?" he asked in mock indignation.
"We have to get to the truth of the matter. Any way we can," he said. Leaning closer. Closing the gap between his lips and hers. Smirking at her when she replied. "Yes. Any way we can." Breathlessly. Her huff of annoyance when he stopped just inches from her lips only made him smile more. He loved teasing her. He loved her, he thought as he kissed her. Pulled her closer. Threading his fingers through her hair and kissed her for all he was worth.
He pulled back reluctantly. "So...what's the verdict? Did that convince the lady of her true feelings?" He waited expectantly. And was rewarded a moment later. "Yes," she said seriously. Leaning her forehead against his and closing her eyes. "There's no doubt. I love you," she breathed. Placing a gentle kiss on his lips. He sighed in relief and happiness.
"Sure took you long enough to figure it out," he joked. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me too much longer." "Hank," she groaned. Rolling her eyes. "Sorry, babe. You're going to have to learn to live with it. Comes with the territory. I knew there was a reason I loved you." This time she kissed him. Senseless. From the window a voice rang out. "Yes! Alright!" They broke apart. Laughing. Rose to their feet. And went inside. Hand in hand. "I should have known."