CHAPTER 9

Thank you so much for reading, guys ! Please, let me know if you like it !

After spending two days at the stud farm having a good time with her friends and her grandmother, Rey had launched headlong into her search for a place to live in New York. By Sunday afternoon, she'd gone through all her contacts on social networks and looked through thousands of ads on rental websites. But then on Monday morning, Gwendoline Phasma had called her.

Her great-uncle Arthur was to be placed in a retirement home and the old man's daughter, Jane, wanted to quickly rent out his apartment. Gwen had therefore immediately thought of Rey.

It was a charming, refurbished two-room apartment, partially furnished and equipped, located in the heart of Carroll Gardens exactly 24 minutes drive from Brookdale Hospital. Gwen's cousin announced a fairly decent rent considering the location, and Rey had jumped at the opportunity. As a thank you, she'd even promised the surgeon that she would buy her all the pizzas she wanted at Lucali* for the next three months.

Mrs. Jackson, her landlord in Greenwich, had no objection to Rey signing her current lease over to her colleague Charlie, knowing that he was returning to his position at Whitegrove.

So Rey had pressed Rose and Poe into service to help her move on Wednesday morning. After loading mattresses, books, clothes, and all her decorations into Maz's pickup truck, she was able to spend her first night in her new cozy little nest.

Everything had happened so fast. She couldn't believe it. Ben had texted her several more times and even called her to tell her how happy he was to have her near Brooklyn Heights. He'd also told her about his conversation with his Uncle Luke and his crazy decision to work with him again on a new theater project. He seemed so excited that Rey immediately felt happy and proud of him. He was going to be very busy over the next few weeks with rehearsals and preparations for the play, but he had reiterated his urgent desire to see her again, and asked her to save her Saturday night for him if possible. Of course she had accepted, her hands suddenly clammy and stars in her eyes.

Today was Thursday, and she'd started her shift at the clinic feeling light-hearted and more motivated than ever. Ben had even sent her a little message of encouragement that she'd received as she got out of her car.

She'd been seeing patients nonstop all day long, and now, at 5:00 p.m., she was exhausted. She was chatting at the reception desk with Carmen, the secretary, when the clinic door opened and Ben Solo entered the small waiting room. The few remaining patients, busy checking their phones, raised their heads simultaneously and looked at him, eyes widening in surprise. The actor was walking around without glasses or a cap, and his appearance was bound to cause a sensation - plus he was holding a strange long package, wrapped in metallic gift wrap with a big red bow on top.

Just as astonished as they were, Rey watched him walk towards the counter, giving friendly nods to the people who had recognized him.

Did he always go around like this, without a bodyguard or anything like that? The young woman immediately focused her attention on the actor's approach - it was hard to forget her professional training - to see that everything looked fine. His posture was good and his movements as smooth as they'd been during their last session togetherat Whitegrove. He was also as tall and incredibly sexy as ever.

"Hey!" Rey exclaimed, finally regaining the use of speech, her heart about to beat itself out of her chest.

"Good evening, Miss Kanata. I was afraid you'd already left."

The greeting had been accompanied by a little smirk and Rey rushed to play the game.

"Good evening, Mr. Solo. No, as you can see I'm... still here."

Carmen, mouth hanging open and looking completely bewildered, was contemplating the scene from her desk. Ben Solo, the star of "Galactic Wars" himself, had just arrived at the Brookdale Clinic. It was surreal.

Rey noticed that more and more phones in the waiting room were pointing in their direction, but Ben didn't seem to care. He continued to gaze at her, smiling. Suddenly she had a crazy urge to kiss him and she thought she could read in his dark eyes that he wanted to kiss her too. But it wasn't a good idea - not in front of all these people with their cell phones.

"I'm not going to stay long," he announced, as if he'd read her mind. "I just came to bring a little something for Ethan."

He then handed the package to Rey, who took it.

"I know that he lives in the neighborhood, that he had been to the clinic before, so I thought maybe you have his parents' number here."

"We have it, yes," confirmed the young woman.

"Well, then, do you think it would be possible for you to contact them so that they can come and pick it up here? Or I could also have it sent to his house, if you were willing to give me his address?"

Rey weighed the box in her hands for a few seconds and suddenly her eyes lit up. She had just realized what was inside.

"No… Don't tell me it's…"

"His is broken," confirmed Ben with an adorable little grin.

In a split second, Rey felt desire wash over her.

"I'll take care of it, no problem. Ethan is going to be over the moon!"

"Great, thank you. I put a little note inside."

The actor then glanced around the lobby. Behind him, the murmurs had grown louder, the amateur photographers were no longer hiding, and Carmen was now staring at them with a dreamy look on her face. It was time to leave.

"I'll call you tonight, okay?" he murmured and Rey felt her cheeks warm as she nodded.

Ben then turned and walked across the hall again, but several people in the waiting room asked him to take selfies and sign autographs. He willingly agreed, exchanged a few words with them, and then thanked them kindly before slipping away.

"That guy is a dream…" stammered Carmen, who had just come out of her daze.

Eyes still glued on the front door, Rey hugged the package tightly against herself with a big smile.

"Yes, he is."

OoooooO

Rey weaved her way through cardboard boxes, toothbrush in her mouth, cursing the damn zipper of her boot that was still stuck. She'd finally managed to get her shoe on when she got to the bathroom and checked her makeup and hair for the hundredth time. She had put on a touch of eye shadow, a swipe of mascara on her lashes, and a veil of gloss on her lips. Not really an expert, she'd decided to keep it simple and light.

Her outfit was skinny jeans and a flowing emerald green blouse which, according to her friend Rose, who was the fashion consultant for the evening via FaceTime, complemented her skin tone beautifully and brought out the color of her eyes.

Hopefully her date with Ben wouldn't be in one of those fancy, stuffy restaurants where cocktail dresses and tuxedos were the order of the day. When she'd asked where he was planning to take her, the actor had answered that it was a simple, nice place, one of his favorites in Brooklyn Heights.

Rey arranged her collar and adjusted her cleavage a little more with a sigh. She should have pushed for more information, or at least checked out the level of restaurants in that area on Google Maps. But she hadn't had a minute to herself after receiving Ben's text message that afternoon offering to pick her up at home. Not knowing when she would be able to finish her shift at the clinic and how much time she would have to get ready, Rey preferred that they meet there. The meeting point was at the corner of Henry and State Streets, about a fifteen-minute walk from her new apartment.

Her heart was racing. She was both excited as hell and incredibly nervous. She thought back to what had happened in the clinic waiting room the day before and what Rose had told her at the stud farm. Going out in public with Ben Solo would have consequences. She might end up in the spotlight and her quiet little life would be turned upside down, at least for a while.

She quickly put the thought out of her mind and took a deep breath. She couldn't wait to see Ben again. Yet she couldn't help but think that despite the mess that still reigned in her living room, she should have invited him to dinner here instead. It would have been torture not to throw herself at him before dessert, but at least the two of them would have been alone together, in complete privacy.

Shit. Now she had absolutely indecent images in her head.

On the edge of the sink her cell phone chimed.

«Hi, how would you like to have coffee with me tomorrow afternoon? I'm leaving in three days and I miss the little coffee shop we used to go to in the West Village. In friendship of course.»

Her feeling of euphoria suddenly receded. It was a message from Finn. He had signed off with a smile emoji, and Rey stared at her phone for a moment, frowning. She wasn't sure what to think of the invitation and she didn't have time for it anyway.

So she went back into the living room, looked at the clock hanging on the wall and let out a curse. It was already 7:50 p.m. and she was supposed to meet Ben at 8:00. She grabbed her bag, stuffed her phone inside, put on her coat, took her keys, and stormed out of her apartment.

Rey arrived at the agreed-upon intersection a little out of breath, having made the trip at a jog. She was ten minutes late, and when she saw Ben he was chatting on the sidewalk with a beautiful woman with long curly light brown hair and cat eyes.

"Okay Ben, I think the one you've been waiting for is finally here," declared the stranger when Rey walked up to them.

"Good evening," she greeted them both. "I'm so sorry for being late."

Ben gave her a big smile.

"No problem at all. This is Zorii Bliss, my co-star in 'Don't Show That.' Zorii, this is Rey Kanata."

The two women shook hands and exchanged the usual pleasantries.

"Zorii and I just got out of rehearsal, and she offered to give me a ride," Ben explained.

"Yes, and I am going to leave you here because I'm running late too," she replied. "I have an appointment with my other half in SoHo, and then we're going to hit the dance floor until dawn! I have a feeling I'm going to pay for it tomorrow, but oh well!"

Zorii was indeed ready to party. Under her long black coat, she wore a gorgeous sequined dress, expensive heels, and… Oh my god… was that a real diamond bracelet on her wrist?

"See you Monday, Ben," she said, kissing the actor on the cheek. "Rey, I'm so happy to meet you. Have fun, you two!" she added before rushing into the sports coupe parked right in front of them.

"The restaurant is just a few feet away. Are you ready to go?" Ben asked, putting his hand against Rey's back.

"Lead the way," she answered, savoring the soft shiver which went down her spine to the small of her back.

"Fierce and wild, that's what he said," Ben laughed.

"Your uncle really said that? Well… I kind of agree with him," Rey replied in a mischievous tone.

She then brought her fork to her mouth for another bite of her dish.

Everything was perfect. Ben was perfect.

He had made a reservation at a small, cozy restaurant just two blocks from where they'd agreed to meet. The atmosphere was charming and friendly. There weren't many tables, and since the actor was a regular, the owner, Jamie, had set them up in a quiet corner away from prying eyes.

Rey had immediately felt at ease here, and now she was laughing heartily. The food was divine, the wine was delicious, and Ben looked even more handsome than the day before. Just like her, he was dressed casually. His eyes were shining and a few locks of still-wet hair were falling over his eyes. Rey couldn't help but stare at him, butterflies fluttering once again in her belly. Ben's deep voice telling her about his day yesterday was spellbinding, and seeing him moisten his lips as he spoke made her feverish.

"More wine?" he asked.

"Yes, please," Rey answered.

She had only drunk half a glass so far, but she already felt like she was drunk. Drunk on him.

"All right, now it's your turn to tell me what's been going on with you since we last saw each other!" said the actor.

Rey was getting ready to tell him about her week when her phone chimed with a notification.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I forgot to turn it off."

Embarrassed, she rummaged through her bag and unlocked the screen to see that she had just received another text from Finn.

«If you're free tonight (or tomorrow night), instead of coffee, can we go out for a drink? I'd really like to see you again before I go.»

Oh my God… Couldn't he leave her in peace?

Pursing her lips in annoyance, Rey switched the phone to vibrate mode and apologized again before resuming her conversation with Ben.

She told him about her move and her new routine at the clinic, as well as about the party planned for her grandmother's birthday. Then they talked about Ben's return to New York and Rey said she was looking forward to seeing him on Broadway.

"Are you nervous?" she asked.

"I'm scared to death. But I love it, that feeling. And above all I love this play. I acted in it once before, at Julliard."

Ben looked happy. It was so nice to see.

"Did you know that I was also in a play in high school?" the young woman confessed.

The corners of Ben's mouth lifted up and he leaned back in his chair, looking interested.

"How about that! Does Rey Kanata have other hidden talents?"

The young woman chuckled before rolling her eyes.

"Actually, I did it for a boy I had a crush on in the 10th grade. His name was William, he played lacrosse, was first in his class, and was a member of the theater club. So, when the club decided to put on 'Romeo and Juliet' that year, I auditioned for the role of Juliet in hopes that I'd be able to spend more time with him, and that he'd finally notice me."

"So did you play Juliet?" Ben asked animatedly.

"No. Heather Tobbins got the part. I got the role of the nurse." Rey chuckled again, immediately followed by Ben.

"I'm so sorry," he lamented. "What happened next with William?"

"Well, despite everything, I mustered up the courage after the performance to ask him if he wanted to be my date to his cousin's wedding the following weekend. His aunt knew my grandparents and had invited us. I knew he still didn't have a girlfriend so I went for it."

Ben listened with a smile on his face. He moved closer and put his elbows on the table, his chin propped up on both fists. Rey held his gaze. If she hadn't been sitting down, her knees would probably have started shaking. The effect this man had on her was incredible.

"He wasn't stupid enough to refuse, I hope?" he asked.

The timbre of his voice was deep and velvety, and Rey felt her heart begin to race once again.

"To my surprise, he accepted. So I bought a nice dress and fancy shoes that hurt my feet like hell, and spent two hours at the hairdresser. Me, the tomboy with the perpetually skinned knees... I even put on nail polish! I found William there, looking sharp in a three-piece suit. We spent the meal laughing and chatting. After the bride and groom had their first dance, we got up and danced like crazy for a good two hours with all the other young people. Then the DJ started to play slow music and William excused himself to go to the bathroom. I was pumped up, legs wobbly, determined to ask him to dance if he didn't do it when he came back. I was also hoping to get my first real kiss that night. I wanted everything to go the way I had dreamed of so many times."

Ben remained silent, drinking in her words. Rey was fiddling with the handle of her knife as the memories came to the surface.

"So I went to the DJ and asked him if he could play my favorite song of the moment."

"What was it?" asked the actor.

"A Lifehouse song, 'You and me,'" answered Rey, smiling as if she was reliving the scene in her head. "We'd agreed on a signal. As soon as William reappeared, the DJ was going to play my song. And that's what he did. All the other couples started dancing. I was standing in the middle of the dance floor waiting. Then, looking around the room, I thought I spotted William in a dark corner near the stage. I moved closer to see what he was up to and caught him kissing Heather Tobbins, the 'Juliet' of the play. So I left and walked back to my grandma's farm, crying, and tossed my high heels into a ditch along the way."

"Just as I was saying: he's an idiot," Ben blurted out, shaking his head in annoyance.

"Today he's married with four children and lives in Pennsylvania," Rey added in a tone that was both amused and melancholy. "And you, tell me: I bet you must have broken a ton of girls' hearts when you were a teenager."

"Kelly Baker…" Ben announced with a smirk on his face. "I made her a little figure out of modeling clay in kindergarten. I even added a hat and a bow tie. I was madly in love with her. When I gave it to her, she threw it on the floor and kicked it. I cried for a whole week, refused to go back to school for months, and, to be honest, I don't think I ever really got over it."

They both started laughing at their misadventures and the atmosphere around them suddenly seemed to heat up. The actor's hand moved slowly over the tablecloth to brush against Rey's, and her whole body shuddered. When Ben's gaze caught and held hers, she tried not to be swept off her feet.

"There is no age to fall in love," she whispered as their fingers intertwined.

"No, there's no age," Ben repeated as an old country tune, the clink of cutlery against plates, and hushed conversations echoed softly in the background.

When Ben and Rey got up to leave, Jamie came to warn them that a guy with a huge lens camera had been waiting across the street for a while, hidden behind a big SUV. Rey felt Ben tense next to her.

"Do you have a door in the back?" she asked.

Jamie answered with a smile and gestured toward the kitchen with his chin. Thirty seconds later, the two young people escaped through a small alley that opened onto Hicks Street, checking that no one was following them.

"I'm sorry," Ben said when they were finally out of sight of the restaurant.

He seemed really annoyed and Rey rushed to reassure him.

"You don't have to apologize. It's not your fault."

The air was quite mild despite the late hour as they started walking along the street, past the wrought-iron railings and red brick houses so common in that part of Brooklyn. They passed a few people who were out walking their dogs or, like them, just out for an evening stroll. But in the half-light of the street, punctuated only by the halo of lampposts, no one gave them a second glance.

Rey didn't want the evening to end, letting herself be carried along by Ben's footsteps. However, after a while, she finally realized that the harbor lights were getting closer and the Promenade was just ahead.

"Wait," she said, stopping suddenly. "Are we…"

"On my street, yes," Ben replied with a smile. "So now, I can issue a very cliched invitation for you to come up and have a nightcap in my apartment, or... I can offer to call you a cab."

Rey stepped towards him and looked up into his eyes. He was tall, he smelled divinely good, and she could no longer contain her arousal.

"Let's go to your place," she breathed out, moving closer and closer until she was almost pressed against him.

Ben's hand came to caress Rey's cheek and the young woman sighed, closing her eyes at his contact.

"Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay," he whispered, leaning imperceptibly towards her. "Problem is, I don't know if I'm going to be able to stop myself from kissing you here and now in the middle of the sidewalk. I've been dying to do so ever since you walked onto Henry Street."

"Then do it," she replied.

Ben's huge fingers slipped down the back of her neck and pressed gently to pull her to him. And that's when her damn phone started vibrating in her purse again.

Shit...Not now.

Ben stopped his gesture and Rey wanted to scream in frustration.

Was Finn still calling her? Regardless, the damn phone wouldn't stop buzzing, and Ben finally put his forehead against hers and laughed.

"I'm turning it off," grumbled Rey as she grabbed her phone with the firm intention of not allowing anything to further interrupt their evening.

She was about to switch it to silent mode when the impressive number of missed calls on the screen made her wince. Lulled by the cozy atmosphere of the restaurant and Ben's words, she'd heard absolutely nothing. Poe had left three messages at 9 p.m. Rose had left eight, and it was she who'd been trying to call just then.

An alarm immediately went off in Rey's mind, and she apologized once again as she pulled herself away from Ben's arms. She hit the redial button and Rose picked up the phone on the first ring.

"Rose? It's me."

"Rey! Finally! I've been trying to reach you all evening!"

The young woman knew by the sound of Rose's voice that something was wrong.

"What's going on?" she panicked suddenly.

"I'm with Poe at the hospital. It's Kaydel," Rose gasped. "She's hemorrhaging. She's in surgery right now."

Rey felt all the warmth leave her body. She took another step back, then two, and Ben watched her with growing concern. Rose continued to talk on the phone, but her words were now struggling to make their way through to Rey's brain. She understood, however, that Kaydel and Poe were actually visiting a cousin in Midland Beach for the weekend, so her friends were in the Staten Island Hospital right now.

Rey promised to be there in less than an hour.

Her evening with Ben was over.

OoooooooO

When Rey burst into the waiting room of the obstetric emergency room, Rose was pacing alone by the coffee machine. Her eyes and nose were red, and Rey immediately threw herself into her arms.

"Forgive me Rose," she begged, "I didn't hear my phone. How is Kaydel? Where's Poe? And the twins, are they…"

The swinging door at the back of the room suddenly opened and Poe appeared on the threshold, in tears and with his hands covering his mouth.

Time seemed to stop suddenly and the two friends also stopped breathing.

"She's fine," he finally blurted out between a nervous laugh and a sob, looking at each of them in turn.

Rey thought her legs would give way under the shock of the emotions coursing through her at that moment. She then silently praised all the gods of the universe as she swooped down on her friend to take him in her arms.

"She's fine, and the babies too," he repeated several times, his face now buried in her neck. "I was so scared of losing them, damn it, so scared…"

"I know, I know..." Rey whispered against his ear. "It's all over. Rose and I are here. We'll stay with you."

Rose hastened to join them and the three friends stayed like this for a long time, crying with relief and hugging each other in the middle of the waiting room.

OoooO

*Lucali: A famous pizzeria in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood in Brooklyn.