Finding Home by Aine Kelley

last night. He mentioned Beth a few times, and I can see the loss and grief that consumes him still.” I try to blink away the tear I feel threatening to fall. “To have a love like that must have been amazing. Some of us never get to experience that kind of love. I only hope I do someday.” My hands clutch my shirt. “Jenny, I don’t know what to do.”
    She gets up from the bed and crosses over to the window to look out. “I’m not going to lie. What they had was special, but I believe that she would want him to move on. People can love again. I believe that he can. Sometimes you just need a little nudge.” And then that familiar mischievous smile creeps across her face. “Operation Ben in Love is underway!”
    I whack her arm. “What are you talking about?”
    “I’m going to help you and Ben fall in love. This is perfect. I can see he wants you, and he’s clearly attracted to you.” She moves toward me. “What do you think? You want to fall in love?”
    I shoo her off the bed and turn her shoulders to face me. “You can’t make people fall in love. It has to happen naturally, not by force. Besides, I’m not sure what I want. Just leave it alone, Jenny. If something’s going to happen, it will on its own.” My grip on her doesn’t lessen. “I mean it. Promise me you won’t meddle. Let it go. Let Ben move at his own pace.” I move away from her and look out the window. Ben is coming out of the barn. He’s so beautiful. “Promise me. Promise you’ll leave it.”
    “Okay, I promise. But don’t think I won’t provide some encouragement now and then. I want you two happy. I hear what you’re saying, but it’s just hard for me not to help.”
    That’s probably the most I can get from her, and it’ll have to do. I’m sure she’ll attempt something, but she knows not to mess with me. Ben’s heart is broken, and he needs to repair it on his own terms. I want to help him heal, but mine’s barely recovered. I continue to look out the window with longing, not even aware that Jenny left. My eyes stay on him, not breaking away. He must sense my stare because he looks up at the window. His smile is beaming and full of promise. He waves, and I wave back. It’s then that I realize I want to give him a piece of my heart. But can I handle it, and can I heal his?

 
     
     
    I feel her eyes on me. It’s weird, but I do. I’m setting up the outdoor tables and chairs for the tastings this week. I don’t want to turn around, but my body has other plans. Turning to my window, I glance up and see her. She’s looking down at me like I knew she would be. She looks gorgeous. There’s no way I can contain my smile, and I don’t want to. I fucking wave like a stupid teenage boy, and she waves back at me. My heart feels weary yet invigorated by her.
    I’m enjoying my coffee on the porch when she joins me.
    “I brought out some muffins in case you are hungry.”
    “Thanks, I’ll take one. There’s coffee, too, help yourself.” She hands me the muffin and her fingers lightly brush mine. It warms me.
    “I’ll stick with water. I don’t drink coffee.”
    “You don’t drink coffee?” The alarm in my voice reddens her face.
    “I know I’m probably one of the last people on the planet that doesn’t like coffee. I love how it smells, but the taste? Yuck!”
    I chuckle at the grimace on her face. “I can’t wake up without it. This is my second cup. How do you get moving in the mornings?”
    “I’m a morning person. No caffeine needed to fuel this body. Besides, there are other energy-inducing ways to wake up in the morning.”
    The coffee sputters out of my mouth and onto her shirt. Shit, this girl lays it all out there .
    “Sorry! Shit! It seems I say that to you a lot.”
    “It’s okay, but I’m not sure why you spit at me.”
    “Well, you were talking about other ways to wake up in the morning. It kind of shocked me. I mean, you did blurt it out!”
    She looks surprised. “What did you