Tricia’s light green eyes immediately turned wary. “What about Ben?”
“Um, well, you seem mighty happy with him.”
“I am happy with him. He’s a gut friend.”
“Is that all he is to you?”
She leaned back, effectively putting up her guard. “What do you suspect him of being?”
“Tricia, I was not born yesterday. It’s fairly obvious that you two are courting. Furthermore, as your aunt, I feel I should let you know that I’m starting to get worried about how serious things have gotten between you two.”
“Aunt Beverly, I thought you liked Ben.”
“I do. I like him verra much. But it, um, seems like you two are, um, progressing a little fast.” There. She said it.
Tricia looked down at her hands, which were now folded in her lap. “I’m not doing anything wrong.”
“I didn’t say you were. Only that I am hoping to save you from getting hurt, Tricia.”
“Ben isn’t going to hurt me.”
“You don’t know that for sure.” Of course, the moment she said that, Beverly wished she could take back her words. She sounded so judgmental. Almost like an old maid.
“You don’t need to be concerned with this, Aunt Beverly. This is my personal business. Not yours.”
That hurt. It also made her feel that she’d been correct when she’d told Eric she didn’t have the right to offer Tricia advice. She wasn’t the girl’s mother. “I am not judging. I simply wanted to warn you. And tell you that I think it would be better for you in the long run if you slowed things down a bit.”
“Slow things down?” Looking extremely annoyed, Tricia said, “Aunt Bev, what do you think we are doing?”
“Nothing bad, of course. I’m worried about your heart, that’s all.”
“My heart is fine.”
Beverly got to her feet. It was obviously time to retreat. “All right, then . . .”
“You know, I got my heart broken at home. Not by a boy but by my friends.”
“Anyone can be thoughtless,” she said slowly. “That is why I want you to be more cautious.”
“But Ben understands me.”
“How can he understand you? He doesn’t even know you.” With a sigh, she added, “Tricia, all I’m saying is that a girl can sometimes get carried away by romance when she needs to keep a clear head.”
“A clear head,” she echoed, her voice flat.
“Jah.” Feeling a little defensive, Beverly lifted her chin. She was well aware that she hadn’t just dispensed the greatest advice ever given, but she was doing her best. She didn’t have much experience counseling younger women.
“Aunt Beverly, did you say all this to Penny when she fell in love a couple of months ago?”
“Of course not.”
“Did you warn Michael to keep a clear head?”
“Nee, I did not.” She’d learned her lesson about interfering when Michael was recuperating from surgery at the inn. When she’d tried to tell Penny to keep her distance because she was an employee, Michael had not been shy about telling Beverly what he thought about her becoming involved in their business. Now she did her best to stay out of her guests’ lives.
“Hmm. Well, what about Zack Kaufmann and Leona? They just got married. From what I heard, their romance happened rather fast.”
“That was different,” she said quickly.
“Why?”
“Because they were different,” she snapped, knowing she wasn’t making a lick of sense. But what she really meant was that none of those people were Tricia.
“It sure sounds like you think they’re more deserving of love and a good relationship than I am. Or do you just think I’m not deserving of love at all?”
“Of course I don’t think that.”
“It sure sounds like it to me. It sounds like you aren’t taking me seriously at all,” Tricia countered. Then, to Beverly’s dismay, her bottom lip quivered. “I trusted you, Aunt Beverly. I can’t believe you just said all that!” she exclaimed before running out of the room.
Sitting alone again, Beverly glared at the phone. Oh, that Eric. He’d been so right. She should have prayed before broaching this subject with her niece. And she should have waited. Yes, she really should have prayed a whole lot more and waited until the right time.
It seemed she still had much to learn about curbing her tongue and keeping her opinions to herself. Perhaps she should take some time to remember what she’d told Eric, as well. Tricia’s future was in the Lord’s hands. Not Tricia’s.
And definitely not Beverly’s.