The Ex-Girlfriends' Club Part 16

IT TOOK E EDEN APPROXIMATELY thirty seconds to fully comprehend what had just happened, and by that time Bennett had already made his exit. thirty seconds to fully comprehend what had just happened, and by that time Bennett had already made his exit.

She jumped from the booth, shoved past Kelly and hurried after him. She ran into Kate on her way out. "I'm sorry, Eden," Kate told her, looking miserable. "I tried to stop her."

"Go explain to them," she said, jerking her head toward the back. "I've got to find Bennett." He couldn't have gotten far, Eden thought. He didn't have a d.a.m.ned car. And there was still the matter of a crazy woman looking out there for him tonight.

She hurried up Main, fear and adrenaline and shame rushing through her with every quickened heartbeat. She should have known this would happen, dammit. When had Kelly, the bitter b.i.t.c.h, ever let anything go? Jeez, G.o.d, this was all her fault. She should have leveled with him, should have told him the truth days ago, but she'd been too caught up in being with him again-loving him again-to run the risk of ruining their time together.

Right up until this evening-until he'd handed her that wooden heart and told her not to break it-there'd been a niggling doubt in the back of her mind as to whether they would really really make it this time. She'd wanted it, of course, and had wanted to believe it. But old habits die hard, and she'd been more familiar with Bennett-the-magician than Bennett-turning-over-the-whole-tree. Was it so terrible that she hadn't wanted to spoil any of their time together by revealing how petty her friends were, not to mention her part in it? make it this time. She'd wanted it, of course, and had wanted to believe it. But old habits die hard, and she'd been more familiar with Bennett-the-magician than Bennett-turning-over-the-whole-tree. Was it so terrible that she hadn't wanted to spoil any of their time together by revealing how petty her friends were, not to mention her part in it?

Eden spotted him up ahead and ran harder. "Bennett!"

He didn't slow down, didn't even acknowledge that he'd heard her. "Dammit, Bennett, stop! stop!" Eden shouted.

Something in her voice must have reached him, because he finally halted near a streetlight. "What?" he drawled. "Want to come rub some salt in the wound?"

Eden finally caught up with him, then bent at the waist and sucked in some much-needed air. A st.i.tch pulled in her side, but she forced herself upright. "No," she gasped, looking up at him. Pain lined his face and disappointment rounded his shoulders, making her ache for him. "You know me better than that."

He looked away, as though the sight of her hurt too much to bear, and his jaw worked angrily. "Is it true?" he asked. "Did they ask you to do that?"

"They did."

He smirked and chuckled darkly. "And what did you tell them?"

"I told them I would-"

Another bark of dry laughter broke from his throat and he turned and walked away again.

"But I never intended to do it. Surely to G.o.d you know me better than that."

Bennett stopped, turned around and stared at her. His troubled gaze bored into hers, anchoring her to the pavement. "I thought I did. But given your idea of justice..." He shrugged, leaving the rest unspoken.

Eden chewed the inside of her cheek and crossed her arms over her chest. She could feel Bennett's wooden heart nestled between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and the thought brought tears to her eyes. "There is a difference between justice and purposely hurting someone for the sheer sport of it, Bennett." She let go a breath and looked away. "Look, I'm sorry. But if you think that's what this has been about, then...I don't know, maybe it wasn't a good idea after all." Liar! Liar! a little voice screamed. a little voice screamed.

Bennett swore, kicked a rock at his feet. "I love you, dammit. It was was a good idea. It's the best d.a.m.ned idea that's ever happened to me." He shook his head, rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. "I'm just..." a good idea. It's the best d.a.m.ned idea that's ever happened to me." He shook his head, rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. "I'm just..."

Eden sidled forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, breathed a silent sigh of relief as he settled his arms around her shoulders. "Terrified," Eden supplied for him.

Bennett looked down at her, his dark gaze rife with churning emotion. "Yeah," he said thoughtfully. "I am."

She chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw. "Welcome to my world, baby," she told him. "Me and fear are old friends. The heavy b.i.t.c.h sits on my shoulder every time you walk away."

She felt Bennett draw back and he peered down at her again. In that instant Eden knew he got it. got it. He finally understood. "I'm sorry," Bennett said softly. "Really, truly, desperately sorry." He finally understood. "I'm sorry," Bennett said softly. "Really, truly, desperately sorry."

Happiness bloomed over her heart, pushing a smile to her lips. "And I really-" she kissed his cheek "-truly-" then his eye "-desperately-" and finally his mouth "-love you."

Bennett kissed her deeply, pulling a groan of pleasure from her body. He tasted like joy and home, good mornings and better nights. He tasted like...hers.

"Can you take me home?" Bennett asked, nuzzling her jaw.

Eden smiled against his lips. "Oh, yeah. That's doable. doable."

Epilogue.

"SO WHAT SCARED YOU MORE?" Grady wanted to know. "The chicken livers or the hamburger meat?"

Gathered at Ice Water for Eden's naming ceremony, Bennett peered around his grandfather and Devi and searched the crowd for Eden. "Er...I don't know. They were both pretty d.a.m.ned gross."

Devi released what sounded like an exaggerated huff. "Well, you have to pick one," she insisted. "One of them had to have scared you more than the other."

Bennett didn't know why this was so d.a.m.ned important. Ever since they'd arrived, Devi and Grady had been badgering him about Artemis525 and her threats. Ultimately she'd never made her promised move-which he was eternally grateful for, particularly as he was happier now than he'd ever been in his life. Instead, Artemis525 had posted to the message board that she'd heard that Bennett had learned his lesson and his imminent demise was no longer necessary. It had been as odd as her other posts, but frankly Bennett had just been glad the whole d.a.m.ned business was finished.

He had too many other things to focus on. Namely his fiancee, who'd disappeared the moment she'd walked through the door.

"Chicken livers or hamburger meat?" Grady demanded. "Pick one."

Annoyed, Bennett finally heaved a breath. "Fine. The hamburger meat," he snapped.

Grady cackled with joy. "I told you," he crowed to Devi, who for reasons that escaped his immediate understanding was scowling at him. "I told you the boy didn't like raw hamburger meat." Grady poked himself in the chest. "That one was my idea," he said proudly.

Bennett paused and frowned. His gaze darted between the two of them. He knew there'd been more to them than met the eye-and he and Eden had caught them in the act, in the living room, no less, when they'd returned home on the twenty-fifth. Eden had been shocked to learn that Grady had been her aunt's secret lover all these years, but Bennett had caught on relatively quickly. They bickered too much to be anything less than head over heels in love.

"What do you mean that was your idea?" Bennett asked, another suspicion taking root.

"You never really had a stalker, dear," Devi confirmed. "We just wanted to give you and Eden a little nudge."

Flabbergasted, Bennett felt a disbelieving smile slide over his lips. "What?"

"Ah," Devi said, looking past his arm. "There's my niece. I need to go ask her about her name." Eden's aunt frowned. "She hasn't shared it with me yet."

Unless she'd picked one since they'd walked through the door this evening, she hadn't settled on one yet, Bennett thought. He smiled.

Other than taking his, of course.

"You're not mad, are you?" Grady asked once Devi had moved out of earshot.

Bennett shook his head. Of course not. How could he be, when their lunatic machinations had resulted in the greatest happiness he'd ever known? He was marrying the love of his life in a little over a month. He'd settled into h.e.l.l mostly without incident and found that his grandfather had been right-perspective had changed things.

With the exception of Kelly Brisoe-who would never forgive him because she didn't want to-each and every one of the members of the Ex-Girlfriends' Club had shamefacedly apologized to him for their part in his humiliation. His "b.a.s.t.a.r.d" mug shot had been removed from the Web site, and the new design-which would not feature him in any shape, form or fashion-would be going up soon.

Eden's mother had uttered only a tight-lipped congratulations upon hearing about their engagement, but her father had shaken his hand and told him he looked forward to having him for a son-in-law. He'd been sincere, which had meant surprisingly more to Bennett than he would have imagined.

"So here's the thing," Grady told him, interrupting his thoughts. "I reckon me and Devi's going to go ahead and tie the knot, as well."

Bennett blinked, then felt a slow smile spread across his lips. "That's great, Gramps. I'm happy for-"

"We were kind of hoping that Eden would sell her place to us. You and Eden take the farm. It's bigger, after all. Better for raisin' a family, and you got your barn to work in."

Bennett swallowed, humbled by the offer. "You'd do that? You'd live in town?"

"I think I'd like it," Grady told him. "Being right in the heart of things, a block away from the square and all."

He and Eden had already been thinking about a permanent living solution and had actually talked about building near the farm. But actually having it...that was infinitely better. Bennett slung an arm around his grandfather's shoulders. "I'm sure Eden will be thrilled with the idea. Thanks, Gramps," he said, his voice going a bit rusty.

"You're welcome," Grady told him. "You're a good man and I'm proud of you."

Thankfully Eden chose that moment to stand on a bar stool in the center of the room and garner everyone's attention. Otherwise close inhabitants would have noticed that bada.s.s Bennett Wilder had just been moved to tears.

"Good evening, everybody," Eden called out above the din. "Thank you so much for being here at my naming ceremony. This has been a longstanding tradition of the Darlaston women-one I admire. But I have to tell you, choosing my name has been sheer h.e.l.l." She smiled and ducked her head. "In fact, it only just occurred to me a few minutes ago."

A chuckle eddied through the room at this admission, and Bennett caught her mother scowling. Devi, on the other hand, merely smiled fondly and shook her head.

"When choosing a name as an adult, one has to really give it some special thought. Am I a Sophie? No. Lisa? No. Penelope? No." She paused. "If you think about it, it's pretty d.a.m.ned hard. But, after years of agonizing contemplation, I have finally chosen...Athena."

The room erupted in applause and Eden waited for it to fizzle out before speaking again. "You all know me to be fair," Eden told them. "But if the old adage that with age comes wisdom holds true-" her gaze drifted to Bennett and lingered "-then I've certainly wised up lately."

A knowing chuckle moved through the room and significant glances darted between him and Eden.

"So," Eden said, "while you are all here, I'm going to share another secret." Her gaze tangled with his, pinging him with her love and excitement. "I'm not just adding a middle name next month. I'll also be changing my last name-to Wilder."

A series of delighted ohs, catcalls and general goodwill moved through the room, enveloping him like a warm blanket.

Eden hopped down from the bar stool and made her way to him. Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his waist, then looked up at him. Her clear green eyes sparkled with his future-love, joy, desire. Everything he'd ever wanted but never dreamed he'd have.

"What do you say we sneak off to the bathroom for a few minutes?" Eden asked him, jerking her head toward the back.

Bennett grinned wickedly. "I'd say that's doable."