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There was no Cinderella run for the Canyon Cats. The euphoria of squeaking into the playoffs evaporated the first time they played the top-ranked team in the division, and though they put up a fight, they went out in the first round, four games to none.
Benjamin had the satisfaction of knowing the players and coaching staff had done their best. They hadn’t rolled over and died, but had been beaten by a better team. His chance to redeem himself by winning the championship was over. Not just for this season. For good.
And he was at peace with that.
The morning after their final loss, he knocked on Peterson Brewster’s door and entered when bid. The bluff businessman seated behind the desk waved him to a chair. “You wanted to see me?”
“Yes.” He sat, keeping his feet flat on the floor and resting his palms on the arm of the chair. “I wanted to let you know I’m turning down the head coaching job in Minnesota. I won’t be moving with the team.”
Brewster’s eyes narrowed. “I recommended you for that job. The new owners wanted to clean house, but I told them you deserved a chance.”
“And I thank you for that, for your faith in me. But I’m not the right man, not for this. I think you should throw your support behind Levi.”
Brewster’s eyebrows rose. “Levi? You don’t even like the guy.”
“Maybe not, but I respect him. He’s a good coach, is extremely knowledgeable, and the players respond to him. Most of all, he wants the chance to prove himself.”
“And you don’t? I can’t believe you’re throwing this away, Benny.”
Certainty filled him with euphoria. “It’s Benjamin.”
Brewster’s forehead wrinkled. “What?”
He repeated himself with quiet confidence. “It’s Benjamin. Not Benny.” Standing up, he extended a hand across the desk. Brewster took it with a confused air. “And I’m not throwing away anything. I finally know what I want, and it is something other than hockey.”
He wanted Lynn. It had been more than two weeks since she’d shocked him with her declaration of love. More than two weeks since they’d last spoken. He hoped he hadn’t left it too late, but he’d had to put all the pieces in place first. He needed to show her how he felt, not just tell her.
She’d said she’d be patient. He prayed she’d meant it.
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IT HAD BEEN THE LONGEST two weeks of Lynn’s life. Even longer than the final two weeks of her pregnancy, which she swore had lasted seven years.
Alone in the administration office, Cynthie and Sarah having left for lunch, she opened her cooler bag and took out the sandwich, apple, and granola bar she’d packed that morning. She’d taken to eating at her desk and working through her break so she could head home earlier. The less time she spent in the same building as Benjamin the less chance she might snap, race to his office, fall onto her knees, and beg him to make a decision.
She had experienced a glimmer of hope when the announcement the Canyon Cats were moving to Minnesota hadn’t included a mention that the head coach was moving with them. But there were many possible reasons for that omission, and the continued suspense consumed her. She couldn’t sleep, could barely eat, and was running out of the patience she’d promised.
It went against every instinct she possessed, but she’d given Benjamin the space he’d asked for, swinging from hope to despair, anticipation to terror with every beat of her heart. She’d placed her future in his hands, relinquished all control.
She was going to kill him if he broke up with her now.
Her resolve had cracked last night. Knowing it was her final chance to see Benjamin behind the Canyon Cats’ bench, she’d left Oscar with Makayla and used a staff pass to get through the gate. The arena was sold out—a fact that should have thrilled her but barely registered through her Benjamin-induced haze.
Though they put up a valiant fight, the Canyon Cats had lost a heart breaker in overtime. The entire game, she’d stared hungrily at Benjamin as he’d paced behind the players, exhorting and encouraging. He’d looked in his element, and a revelation had slapped her like an open palm.
She couldn’t ask him to give that up. It would make her as selfish as her father, expecting Benjamin to abandon his passion in order to soothe her fears. When the time came and he told her he was moving to Minnesota with the team, she would be nothing but supportive and loving. It was the right thing to do.
Too restless to remain at her desk, she shoved her lunch kit in a drawer and jumped to her feet. Her three-inch heels weren’t made for long walks, but would suffice for a couple of circuits around the concourse to clear her head. She pulled opened the interior office door, took two steps into the concourse—
—and barrelled into Benjamin.
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EVERY CELL IN BENJAMIN’S body reacted to the weight of Lynn leaning against him. His arms encircled her, steadied her, and then refused to let go. She stared at him with wide blue eyes, an O of surprise parting her lips, a flush rising in her cheeks.
“Sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going.” Her voice was breathy and low. Though she was stable on her feet, she clutched the lapels of his sport coat.
“I was coming to talk to you.” A tremour shivered through her and he drew her closer. “The playoffs are over.”
She nodded. Her tongue flicked across her bottom lip and his mouth dried. His hands slipped to her hips, warm and curvy and she gave a little wriggle that sent all the blood in his brain south.
The crash of a push-bar on a nearby door echoed off the concrete walls and gruff voices reverberated, growing louder. “I’m going to text you an address. Will you meet me there this afternoon? Bring Oscar.”
“Where is it?”
The voices were nearer, heavy steps a drumming counterpoint to the as-yet indistinguishable conversation. “I’ll include directions. It’s not far.”
Two men rounded the far corner of the concourse. Damn it, he didn’t care who saw them. He kissed Lynn with passion and determination and promise. She tugged at his jacket and returned his caress with equal zeal. The footsteps passed them, accompanied by low chuckles.
Breathing heavily, he dragged his mouth away. “I’ll text you.”
He felt her stare on the back of his neck as he hurried out the main doors of the arena and into the parking lot.
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WITH GRIM PRECISION, Lynn followed the GPS directions to the address Benjamin had provided. She had no idea what this was all about as he’d refused to answer any of the questions she’d peppered at him via text.
She ended up on a rural road just a few minutes out of town. At first, older homes on large lots lined both sides, but then the populated area was replaced by a densely wooded patch. Benjamin’s car was parked on the side of the road not far past the last driveway. She pulled in behind.
He strode toward her and opened the rear door as she climbed out of the driver’s seat. Oscar babbled a cheerful greeting as Benjamin unbuckled him from his car seat. Apparently unfazed by the fact he hadn’t seen him in weeks, he settled onto his arm and patted his cheeks.
“Benamin.”
Lynn stared. Benjamin stared back.
“Did he just say...?” Benjamin swallowed and reared his head back to look at Oscar. “Did you just say my name?”
Oscar patted his cheek again. “Benamin.”
Tears prickled on the roof of Lynn’s mouth. “I guess he did. He must have missed you.”
Looking shell-shocked, Benjamin stood stock still. Lynn’s heart beat once, twice, three times before he broke out of his trance. “I missed you, too, little man.”
The swell of love staggered her. She couldn’t let fear keep her from sharing in something so wonderful as the sensations coursing through her. Stephanie was right. In a tug-of-war between leaving her home with Benjamin, or Benjamin leaving her and Oscar, there was no contest.
They belonged together. All three of them.
She took Benjamin’s free hand and snuggled up next to him. “So. Why are we here?”
He shook his head and blinked. “Right. I have something to show you.”
“Go on then. Show me.”
He used his chin to point across the road. “There. What do you think?”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Trees? What do I think of trees?”
“I’ve put an offer on the lot. I thought it might be a great place to build a house. Raise a family.”
She gripped his bicep as the earth shifted under her feet. “You bought land? Here? But you’re moving to Minnesota.”
“No to both.”
It was her turn to shake her head. She had to do something about the buzzing in her ears. Obviously, she wasn’t hearing clearly. “I’m confused.”
“I put an offer on the lot. But it’s conditional. If you don’t like the area, don’t like the idea, I can get out of it. As for Minnesota”—he rolled his shoulder, the muscles under her hands flexing and bunching—“I turned down the job.”
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“I NEED TO SIT DOWN.” Lynn opened the driver’s door and lowered herself onto the seat. Benjamin shifted Oscar to his other arm—the boy had grown like a weed since he’d last seen him—and watched her carefully.
Waiting.
It wouldn’t be April for a few more days, but spring was in the air. The breeze was soft and scented with the smell of melting snow and water-filled ditches and budding leaves. The seasons were changing, and so was his life. No matter what Lynn decided, he had designed a new game plan.
He hoped she’d help him play it.
“You’re not going to Minnesota.” She looked up at him, her brow creased, eyes dazed. “But I thought...”
“So did I. We were both wrong.” A muted barking reminded him he had other news. “Just a second.”
He strode to his car and opened the rear door. A lolling tongue and laughing eyes greeted him. With one hand he unclipped the safety harness and took up the leash. “Come on, Scout.”
The black and white dog leaped off the seat. Benjamin nudged the door shut with his hip while Oscar crowed and squirmed and Scout dragged him toward Lynn.
“Lynn, meet Scout.” The dog planted his front paws on her knees, leaving muddy prints before Benjamin could tug him off. “We need to work on his manners.”
“You have a dog?”
He was rather enjoying her poleaxed expression. “I do. Since last week. I tried to get Rascal but he’d been adopted months ago.” Scout zigzagged back and forth on the road, nosing an invisible trail until he reached the end of his leash. Whining, he looked over his shoulder at Benjamin.
“Come on. Let’s take a look at the lot.”
She followed him across the gravel road. A roughed-in driveway crossed the ditch, the culvert underneath shiny and new, and led through a band of trees to an open area that was showing signs of being reclaimed by nature.
“Will you let Scout off the lead for me? He won’t go far.” Despite being a rescue, the dog had bonded quickly and didn’t stray far from Benjamin’s side. The fact he had a pocket full of pepperoni probably didn’t hurt.
She unlatched the leash and Scout set off to explore. It was actually his second visit to the lot, since he’d come along when the real estate agent had shown it to Benjamin a couple of days ago.
Between attempting a playoff run, the search for property, and becoming a dog owner, it had been a busy couple of weeks. And as much as he was determined to start anew for his own well-being, it would be joyless without Lynn.
She stood at his shoulder, surveying the scraggly space. In his mind’s eye he saw a modern home, a well-kept yard in summer, a backyard rink in winter. Could she see their future here? Or only his delusions?
He cleared his throat, nerves sparking with anxiety. “The current owners got as far as putting in access and clearing this space. Then the wife died and the husband decided to sell.”
“You’re going to build a house.”
He couldn’t blame her for sounding dubious. “Well, not with my own hands, but yes. I told you I wanted to show you something. Well, I wanted to show you I’m in this for the long-haul. Anyone can buy a ready-made house. But committing to building one—that takes months. Months of planning and dreaming and compromising.” He touched her chin and turned her face toward home. “All the things I want to do with you.”
“You’re staying.” Her eyes shone with wonder. “You’re not leaving. You got a dog.”
Oscar struggled in his arms and he lowered him to the ground. He wore bright yellow rubber boots and a rain suit that covered him from neck to ankles. A little mud wouldn’t hurt him. He toddled off a couple steps then plopped down next to a pile of rocks.
“I love you, Lynn.” He kissed her to the accompaniment of Oscar banging stones together and Scout barking at an irate squirrel. “I’m never going to leave you.”
She burst out laughing.
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SHE COULDN’T HELP IT. Her joy had to go somewhere, and since the ground was too muddy to tackle Benjamin she let it loose in laughter.
“Are you going to let me in on the joke?” His eyes were amused but she could see his uncertainty. He probably hadn’t been expecting guffaws when he’d confessed to loving her.
“I have also been speaking with a real estate agent.” She giggled and snorted. “I wanted to know how much I could get for my house. So we could buy one in Minnesota when we moved there.”
Benjamin’s mouth dropped open. “You were planning to move? Because of me?”
“Of course because of you. It was pretty simple in the end. Life with you or without you. I choose with you, no matter how uncertain your career. Because you are the one thing I am certain of.”
He hugged her fiercely. His whiskers caught in her hair when he spoke. “Speaking of careers. You understand I won’t be coaching anymore, right?”
She blinked and pushed just far enough away to see his face. How had it escaped her until now that if he was staying in Prince George he’d have to find a new job? She blamed it on too many shocks to her system. “What are you going to do?”
“I made some decent investments when I was playing, so I can afford to buy this land, build a house, and still have a buffer.” His gaze darted away, landed on Oscar, tracked Scout as he snuffled the edge of the clearing, and came back to her. She watched in fascination as his cheekbones reddened. “I thought I’d go back to school. Take psychology or social work. Maybe become a counsellor.”
His ambition floored her. There had to be a story behind it, given his initial reaction to the White Spruce presentation, but she could ask about that later. “Wow. That’s perfect.”
“You think so?” His expression was bashful and hopeful.
Tenderness blossomed in her chest and she wrapped her arms around his waist, rested her head on his shoulder. “You’ll be an amazing counsellor. I just know it.”
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LATER THAT NIGHT, LYNN watched Benjamin sleep. Across the hall, Oscar snored softly in his crib, and Scout had made himself at home on the couch in the living room.
She’d once thought of being with Benjamin as colouring outside the lines. Instead, she’d found a fierce, abiding love between them.
He had called his real estate agent and finalized the offer on his lot. Scratch that—on their lot. The legalities still had to be figured out, but he had been firm on that point. They were buying the lot together. Would build the house together.
For once in her life, Lynn didn’t need to have the future mapped out in detail. She trusted Benjamin, and she trusted herself. Together, they could handle whatever surprises the future held.
He stirred and opened his eyes, his lids drowsy. “You’re awake.”
“I’m too excited to sleep.”
“I thought we took care of that. You know, before.” He waggled his eyebrows.
They’d made love with an intensity that would have frightened her only a couple of weeks ago. But in the shiny new glow of their commitment, it had only seemed natural.
It hadn’t been enough though. She didn’t know if she’d ever get enough of this man.
“I guess you were wrong.” She lifted the covers and slid onto him, skin to skin, heart to heart. “We’ll have to try again.”
“I’m up for that.” His hands slid from her ass, up her spine and under her arms to cup her breasts. “All you have to do is ask.”
“Consider this me asking.” She fused her mouth to his.
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WANT TO READ MORE about the Silverberry Book Club? Book Three, Turn the Next Page, is available for pre order here!
High school sweethearts, Aubrey and Phillip’s marriage was shattered by tragedy. Thirty years later, a startling confession reignites long banked embers.
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THANKS FOR READING Loving Between the Lines. I hope you enjoyed it!
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SLOW COOKER Sausage and Peppers
8 – 10 uncooked Italian sausages (can be any flavour)
1 onion, sliced
3 peppers (any colour), sliced
5 – 6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bag baby potatoes (or equivalent amount of regular potatoes cut in large cubes)
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
¼ cup water
1 bay leaf
Brown sausage in frying pan. Set aside.
In large bowl mix next eleven ingredients. Spoon enough of this mixture into greased slow cooker to cover bottom. Add layer of sausage, more sauce, another layer of sausage, and the rest of the sauce, covering the sausages.
Add bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving.
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BRENDA MARGRIET writes savvy, slow burn, contemporary romances with ordinarily amazing characters. In her own ordinarily amazing life, she had a successful career in radio and television production before deciding to pilfer from her retirement plan to support her writing compulsion.
Readers have called her stories “poignant,” “explicit and steamy,” “interesting, intriguing and entertaining,” and “unlike any romance you’ve read before” (she assumes the latter was meant in a good way).
Join Brenda on social media—she is most active on Facebook and Instagram. And you can always discover more about her and her books on her website, brendamargriet.com.