Twice in a Lifetime (Love Found) by Ruthie Henrick Page B

any trouble.”
    Ben sliced through his chicken breast, then raised his eyes. “Trey? Does he ever?”
    “Not that I know of.” A young girl sat perched in a wooden high chair nearby, blonde curls caught up in pink ribbons. Tiny white sneakers banged against the legs of her chair. Playing patty cake with her mother. Allie darted her eyes away, hadn’t meant to stare.
    He hadn’t said a civil word to her since.
    She breathed deeply of the clean mountain air, wished there was more time before she had to climb in the car.
    Ben finished loading their bags into the trunk and slammed the lid. “Hurry up. We need to get back.” Impatience radiated from him in waves. “We’ll be back for our anniversary next year.”
    Right now she wasn’t taking odds. “Sure.” She approached the car, climbed in. With a parting glance she scanned the oaks and the pines surrounding the house. Ben shot her an enquiring look and she nodded silently.
    Next year could only be better. For now, it was time to get home.
     

     
    Ben already had their bags in the house. After starting the wash, Allie stepped back outside and strode down the walk to the driveway, shoving her cell phone into the back pocket of her jeans. “Trey knows we’re back. I told him you’d be by to pick him up.”
    Ben was just tucking his phone away. Preoccupied, he glanced up and merely nodded. He ducked under the hood of the car, digging deep into the mysteries of the engine as the lavender of twilight settled around them.
    “This car’s almost out of warranty. I want to find a new one for you, something safe.” He jiggled and tugged, scowling into the dark recess. “The old girl needs a tune-up for now, though. I’ll trade vehicles with you one day this week, have Steve in the shop take a look at it.”
    Now he wanted to talk. And about the car, no less. Go figure. She paused on her way back into the house. “Are you hungry?”
    Ben slammed the hood back in place. “Not yet. Keep dinner easy. I’ve got a stop to make first, then I’ll get Trey.”
     

     
    Jake scowled into the darkened interior of his car. He needed a life. No, not just a life, a different life. Of the upgraded, new-and-improved variety.
    For fifteen years now he’d been hanging out, waiting. Surviving obscurely in the periphery of his own existence.
    Well, fuck that.
    Okay, so maybe he had women when he wanted them. Hell, he never claimed to be a saint. But they were merely diversions. An easy way to kill a few days, a few weeks at best. No relationships, no commitments, those were words to live by.
    But his life needed purpose. Next week was his birthday, and nothing made a person question their presence in this world like a birthday. Starting now, he was making changes. Moving on. He may be satisfied with his professional life—most days even proud—but his personal life was in the shitter.
    The company he ran with Ben—a company they built with hope and sweat—thrived. And at the end of the day Ben went home to Allie and Trey. But at the end of his day who did he have at home? Nobody, not even a dog.
    He was no longer a young man. The man in the mirror nowadays wore gray peppered in his temples and reading glasses tucked in his shirt pocket. He was now a middle-aged male—and lonely. It was past time to find someone to share his life with. What the hell was he waiting for anyway?
    He sighed loudly. Didn’t want to think too deeply about that.
    “Sure hope that frown’s not for me, sugar.”
    Jake jerked back to the present. Slipped his fingers around her hand and pressed it against her bare thigh. “Of course not. Guess I zoned out.”
    A sheaf of wheat blonde fell forward as Michelle stretched to turn down Brad Paisley, and the country superstar’s tune lowered to a hum. “I surely have been looking forward to slipping away with you.” Turned to face him, melted chocolate-colored eyes danced with excitement. “The bright lights, the action; I haven’t been to Vegas in