Beach Rental(27)
In fact, she cared about Ben, but within limits. And the limit was friendship.
Juli vowed to withhold deep emotions from their relationship. She would do her best to make this a worthwhile deal for both of them, but to allow too deep an attachment to grow for a man who was soon to die, would be foolish.
Chapter Nine
Juli put off dinner at Luke’s as long as she could. Finally, Ben insisted.
“I want you to get to know each other better.”
She resolved to make the best of it. “Where are we going?”
“He invited us to his home.”
“We were going to a restaurant.”
“He changed his mind.”
She kept her back turned, pretending to look out of the window, so he wouldn’t see her face. “What should I wear?”
Ben seemed to seriously consider her question. “You look wonderful in everything.”
She huffed. “Please.”
“Leave your hair long. I like it. If you don’t mind, that is.”
Juli remembered his kind words while dressing to go. She was foolish to be so apprehensive. It was only dinner.
She reached up and touched her hair, self-conscious, but smiling. Maia had convinced her to get it trimmed and add highlights. It still hung below her shoulders, but was much more flattering.
Juli wore a lightweight skirt with a scarf-like pattern and a solid red knit top, her clearance items. She checked herself in the mirror and was happy with the purchases. She tossed her head, pleased with how her new haircut fell back into place, cascading neatly over her shoulders. Juli agreed with Ben—she liked her new look.
Luke lived on the sound side of the island.
Ben drove. He asked, “Are you nervous?”
Juli stopped her fingers mid-tap and stretched them out on the arm rest. “Yes.”
“It’ll be fine. Luke is a great guy. We’ve been close all of our lives.”
The late afternoon light picked out the silver in Ben’s hair. She hadn’t noticed it before. “You’re both bachelors?” She laughed. “Or were, I guess.”
“I’ll tell you about Deb sometime. We were college sweethearts and our marriage was over almost before it began. I had a hard time of it when she died.”
“She died? I’m sorry, I assumed divorce.”
“That’s often what it is. People live longer; marriages last shorter.”
“It happens.”
“Luke divorced a long time ago. It was difficult at the time, but he’s moved on. No one likes divorce. It’s hard on everyone.” He was quiet for a moment. “Given time and purpose, people are resilient. It’s faith that gets us through the bad times.”
A flip remark was coming on and she curbed it. Instead, she asked, “What about Luke? Faith didn’t work for him?”
Ben sighed. “Luke fell away. When he needed faith in God and his church community the most, he turned his back.” He shook his head. “But it’s still in him, that seed of faith, and one day he’ll understand it.” Ben groaned. “And, I’m ashamed to say this is Luke’s business. I shouldn’t be talking about him like this.”
“No worries. I won’t say anything.”
The wide concrete drive curved around attractive landscaping. The house was tan-colored brick with red trim. It was low and wide, seeming to sprawl across the top of a rise of land. The ground sloped down to Bogue Sound on the backside and Juli expected the house was much larger than it appeared from the front.
They parked in the circular drive near the front door and near a wine-colored Toyota. Ben stared at the car. He didn’t move to get out.
“Whose car is it? Luke’s?”
“No, it’s probably a rental. My guess is Adela’s here.” Ben stared at the car.
“Adela? Your sister? From Ohio, right?”
“My older sister. Only sister, I mean.”
“You look concerned, Ben.”
“She can be difficult.” He turned to face Juli. “But it’s because she cares so much. It’s hard for her that I’m…ill.”
“Ben, I promise I’ll be nice. No matter what.”
“She’ll love you once she gets to know you.”
If Luke was anything to go by, and Adela was even more ‘caring,’ then Juli doubted Adela would ever like her. She did, however, expect courtesy and Juli knew how to hold her tongue and temper when she had to, no matter how provoked. Hadn’t she done that for years in every job she’d held?
“Luke probably thought it would be easier for us all to get to know each other in a private setting rather than a restaurant.”
She didn’t hear conviction in Ben’s voice.