Yours For The Taking Part 31

It had been forever since Gina held an infant, probably since Rafael, but it was like riding a bike, or so she a.s.sumed, since she'd never actually learned to ride a bike.

Maria grabbed Gina's nose, so she took her pudgy little hand and kissed it. When she looked up, she caught Ben staring at her with a faraway look in his eyes. She didn't want Ben to get any ideas, but she wasn't interested in handing Maria off either. Holding her was nice-she had that wonderful baby powder smell and everything about her was soft and cuddly. She was comfortable, and the way Gina felt right now, comfort was appreciated.

She turned her back on the three adults and concentrated on Maria who looked as if she was used to being the center of attention. It must be nice to have parents who so obviously loved you and know there were people everywhere willing to give you whatever you needed. "You are one lucky little girl."

"Oh yeah, and she knows it."

Gina turned to find Annabelle standing right behind her. "I just came over to relay a message. Ben said he'd be right back. He ran down to grab a shower. How is Joe doing?"

Gina waited for Annabelle to take Maria back and was relieved when she sat in a nearby chair. Gina rocked the baby, not quite ready to give her up yet and shrugged. "It wasn't a heart attack per se. They're going to do an angiogram in the morning. From there they'll see if they need to do an angioplasty or bypa.s.s surgery."

Annabelle nodded. "Joe is strong as a bull. Either way, I'm sure he'll be fine."

"I hope so. The rest of the family should be here any minute."

"Family? What family? Ben's an only child and his parents are dead."

"Yeah, but he has Kate and his cousins."

Annabelle raised her eyebrows. "So, you got close to Ben's family while you were on your pseudo-honeymoon, huh? And from the looks of things, you got even closer to him."

Gina shrugged and moved Maria to her other arm. "His family is great."

Annabelle touched Gina's hand and gave her that no-nonsense look Rosalie had down pat. It must run in the family. "Ben and I have been close friends for a few years now and I've seen a myriad of women come and go."

"Annabelle-"

"Don't interrupt me. This is something you need to hear so just listen and nod until I'm finished."

If Gina wasn't holding Maria, she really would have stuck her fingers in her ears and started with the "la la las" because this was one conversation she most definitely did not want to have.

When Annabelle was sure she had her full attention, she put her hands on her skinny little hips. "You broke Ben's heart. I've never seen him like this before. He spent the last week stomping around the loft like some kind of weird zombie. He wouldn't eat, he wouldn't talk except when Joe yelled at him, and he's been drinking heavily. He never does that."

"Yeah, well, it hasn't been all fun and games for me either."

"Then you need to do something about it."

"What?"

"Fix whatever it is that's broken, and move on."

"Annabelle, I really appreciate what you're trying to do here, but I can't fix it."

"Why?"

She jiggled Maria who had started to fuss. "Because I'm what's broke. I don't do relationships. I'm not good at them. It would be better for both of us if we just ended it."

"Oh really? Then why are you here?"

"Because-"

Annabelle held up her hand. "That was a rhetorical question. You're not supposed to answer, you're just supposed to nod and listen, remember?"

"How much longer are you going to lecture me?" Maria rested her head on Gina's shoulder, found her own thumb, and sucked.

"As long as it takes. Now stop interrupting and listen." Annabelle's hands went into motion. "I'm gonna tell you why you're here. You're here because you're just as in love with Ben as he is with you. And you're not broken, you're just a little battered and bruised. The only thing you need is to get your head out of your a.s.s long enough to see the writing on the wall, Gina. You're miserable without Ben, and Ben's miserable without you. You'd both be a lot less miserable together. You're already married, so just suck it up, and solve your problems instead of avoiding them."

"Is that what you did?" Gina cradled Maria in her arms.

"Yes, and look how well it turned out."

She lowered her voice when she saw Maria was having a difficult time keeping her little eyes open. "Mike didn't leave you."

"You're wrong there. He did leave. But Gina, the thing is, he came back. If you had stuck around long enough, Ben would have too. When you left Idaho, he sat in the park for a week waiting for you. That has to count for something. If he didn't love you, he never would have worked so hard to get you back."

"He didn't. When I told him I wanted a divorce, he said he'd give it to me."

"No, he told me you wanted him to live up to the stupid deal the two of you made. That's different. It's a guy thing. Good men never go against their word. He may give you a divorce, but that doesn't mean he's going to stop trying to get you back."

"It doesn't?"

Gina set the sleeping baby back in her car seat and kept an eye on the hallway waiting for Kate and the others to arrive to save her from Annabelle.

"What are you looking for?"

Gina turned to face her. "Ben's family. They're supposed to be here any minute, Kate, Trapper, Hunter, Fisher, and Karma. Though I'm not sure if Fisher can make it."

Annabelle's eyes went wide. "You're kidding me, right? Karma, Trapper, Hunter, and Fisher? Who would pick out names like those?"

"I did."

Chapter 19.

Gina heard Kate's voice and smiled at Annabelle before turning. "Kate! I'm so glad you're here." She hugged her and held on tight. Once she let go, she turned and got hugs from Trapper, Hunter, and Karma too. "Annabelle Flynn, this is Kate, Trapper, Hunter, and Karma Kincaid. Everyone, this is Ben's partner and good friend, Annabelle Ronaldi-Flynn, and her darling little girl, Maria."

Karma smiled and moved toward Annabelle. "So, you're the one Ben proposed to right before you married that doctor."

Annabelle's eyebrows rose. "Yes, that would be me."

Gina never noticed it before, but Karma looked like a blonde version of Annabelle. It might explain why Annabelle and Ben were never anything but friends.

Trapper brushed his cowboy hat against his thigh. "So, how's Grandpa Joe?"

Gina shrugged. "The same, he's resting. We talked to the doctor and they're going to do an angiogram in the morning. From there they'll decide whether to do an angioplasty or a bypa.s.s."

Kate rubbed Gina's back. "Where's Ben?"

"Oh, he's showering. He should be back any minute. He came here right after his run. Annabelle was nice enough to bring him a change of clothes."

Trapper motioned to the door. "Speak of the devil."

Ben and Mike returned and all the Kincaids but Trapper went to greet him. Trapper sat down and patted the chair next to him so Gina took a seat. He twirled his hat around on his finger. "So, have you two worked things out?"

She shook her head. "No."

He gave his hat another twirl. "Yet here you are."

Gina moved closer to whisper. "What was I supposed to do, Trapper? Just let Gramps languish in the hospital all by himself? No one was able to reach Ben, and we are still legally married."

Trapper shrugged. "Ben's been here how long?"

Gina turned toward him. "Gee, Trapper, I never thought you'd be the type to beat around the bush. Why don't you get it over with and say whatever it is you need to say?"

"Yes, ma'am. I just think it's funny that a woman who is so desperate to divorce her husband would choose to sit for hours in a hospital waiting room with him and his entire family, that's all."

"I care about Joe. I told him I'd take care of Ben."

"And the whole family. Thanks for inviting us to stay with you."

Gina crossed her arms. "My pleasure."

Trapper nodded. "That's the first honest thing I've heard you say. Well, that and you care for Joe. You can't fool me, Gina. I'm a judge, remember? I'm trained to recognize the truth."

"If you know so much, why are you bothering to talk to me?"

"Because I don't know if you know it. Sweetheart, if you're really out to divorce Ben, then you should leave and we should get hotel rooms. Dragging this out won't be any good for you, Ben, and especially not Joe."

"You want me to leave?"

"No, I want you to take Ben back. He loves you and for some unknown reason, you seem to love him."

"Trap, stay the h.e.l.l out of my marriage." Ben had come out of nowhere... Okay, it wasn't nowhere, just across the room, but Gina for once hadn't been aware of his every move. She shivered when she saw the look on Ben's face. He sported the same one right before he left her. It was enough to make all the hair on her arms stand straight up.

A slow smiled crossed Trapper's face. He rose and stood nose to nose with Ben. "I was just keeping your lovely wife company, Ben, hardly a punishable offense."

"Leave it alone."

"Done. But it doesn't look to me as if you're having any luck." He turned and walked toward the rest of the family who were taking turns going in to see Joe.

Ben sat beside her, ran his hands through his still-wet hair, and leaned over, resting his elbows on his knees. "I'm sorry."

Gina rubbed his back. "It's fine. I can handle Trapper. How did the reunion go?"

Ben shrugged. "Well, it looks as if everyone is talking to me again."

"I never told them to stop."

Ben sat back and put his arm around the back of her chair, his fingers brushed back and forth against her upper arm. "I didn't think you did. They took it upon themselves to punish me. It's their version of tough love. As if losing you wasn't torture enough."

"I'm sorry."

Ben's every emotion showed in those big blue eyes of his. The man was scared, heartsick, and even though he was now surrounded by his family, he looked like a lost little boy.

Gina stood when she saw the last group return. "Come on, everyone. There's nothing we can do here. Let's go home and get you settled in. We need to be back early."

Ben stood and watched as everyone gathered their things. "I guess I'll go back to my place."

Gina couldn't let him do that. "Oh, no. You're not getting off that easy. I won't let you leave me all alone with your whole family. You're coming with us."

Ben shook his head. "You don't need to do this."

"Ben, stop telling me what to do and just come home."

"If you're sure."

"The only thing I'm sure of is I don't want you to be alone right now." Gina didn't know if he felt it was a pity invite, but at this point, she didn't have the energy to even think about it.

The two cabs carrying Ben, Gina and the entire Idaho contingent pulled up to the house. Everyone piled out and stared at the ma.s.sive brownstone.

Ben opened the front door and was surprised to find Jasmine sitting on Fisher's lap in the living room while he talked with Tina and Sam.

"When did you get in?" Jasmine jumped off Fisher, stumbled over her own feet, and ran to Ben. He bent down to pick her up.

Fisher gave Ben a guy-hug around the puppy. "Just about a half hour ago. I didn't think I'd get in to see Grandpa Joe tonight, so I just came here. How is he?"

The whole family gathered while Gina introduced Sam, Tina, and Jasmine to the brood. She stood so close to Ben that she kept brushing up against him. Every time she did, it felt as though an electric current ran through him. For the first time since he was thirteen, he was at a loss of what to do with his hands. Part of him wanted to put his arm around her and pull her to his side, but he wasn't ready for the rebuff, especially in front of his entire family. He stuffed his hands firmly in his pockets to keep from doing something stupid.

After a quick head count, Ben realized if everyone got a room, they'd be short one. His mind raced. He supposed he could take the couch since he didn't think he was capable of sharing a bed with Gina and not losing what little was left of his mind.

Tina and Gina brought out snacks and drinks while the group caught up on the news of Gramps' condition. Before he knew it, Sam and Tina were showing everyone to their a.s.signed rooms. Ben hung back, saying good night to everyone until he and Gina were the only ones left on the first floor. "Where's Jasmine's leash? I'll take her out for a walk." He definitely needed to clear his head and figure out what to do next.

Gina went to the hall table and held the leash. "I'll go with you."

Ben raised an eyebrow wondering if now was when Gina would give him the brush-off. Jasmine pranced around waiting to go out and Gina chose this time to show him how well Jasmine had learned to sit. It took a few tries but she finally sat before Gina clipped the leash to her collar and smothered her with praise. She handed Ben the leash, grabbed a bag, and pulled her keys out of her purse. "I'm ready."

He was glad someone was, because Ben wasn't ready for anything else to happen today, unless it was good. He'd had about all the bad news he could handle. He held the door open for the girls and followed them out. He might have held the leash, but Jasmine walked with Gina. When Gina noticed he was hanging back, she stopped and slipped her arm through his. Okay, things were looking up and not just in his pants. "Cold?"

Gina looked up to him and smiled. "A little. Not as cold as I was at the ranch, though."

He slipped his arm around her and let Jasmine lead them around the park.