Finding Home by Aine Kelley Page B

all my stuff so we can head out now.” Just stop talking.
    “Okay, let me help you with your things. This isn’t too bad. Are you having some things shipped out?” He bends down to secure my luggage on the cart.
    “No, I really don’t need much. I put most of my furniture in storage at my Dad’s house and donated a bunch of other stuff. I’ve got my essentials, and if I need anything else, Jenny will take me shopping.” I fidget with my backpack straps to keep my body busy. I remove it from my left shoulder and begin to place it on my right one. I swing it with as much force as I can due to its weight. This, of course, causes me to lose my balance. Fortunately or not, it smacks Ben right on the side of his bent over body, and he goes down to the ground taking me on top of him. Could this get any more awkward?
    My body is frozen. Holy pecs . Instead of saying sorry and getting up, I blurt out the first thing that comes into my head. “Holy chest! Fuck, I mean, are you okay? Sorry.” The fact that he just stares at me puts my nerves into overdrive. “Could this be any more awkward? I’m certainly making quite the first impression.” My voice starts strong but ends with a whimper. I mentioned his chest, stupid ass.
    I can’t read the look on Ben’s face. I’m thinking it’s a mixture of surprise, amusement, and something else. Something I haven’t seen in a man’s eyes for a long time. It looks like longing, or maybe its lust? He stutters a bit. “I … I think as far as first impressions go, I’d say, so far so good. It’s not every day I have a beautiful girl fall on top of me.” He winks at me, and I feel something stir low in my belly. He thinks I’m beautiful.
    “What? Is it like only every other day that a girl falls on top of you?” I try to act smooth as I get off him and reach for my backpack. I hear him laugh as he gets up, helping me with my backpack.
    “Hey, be careful with that thing. You could really hurt somebody. What’s in there anyway?”
    “Well my e-reader and laptop, but both are pretty light, so I’m thinking you’re just wimpy.” I fight back my laughter, but it slips out when he feigns being hurt.
    “But not my chest, right?” Smug bastard! “Let’s get this stuff loaded up in the car and get out of here.”

 
     
     
    We drive in companionable silence as we make our way out of the city. I point out some of the various sites along the way, and she’s truly excited to see everything. I try my best to keep my eyes on the road, but I sneak in a few glances now and then. She’s beautiful. Her skin is lightly tanned with a few freckles across her cute button nose. Her hair is a light brown with natural golden streaks mixed in. Her eyes are big and brown, and her lips are full and have a light pink color to them. As far as I can tell, she’s not wearing any makeup. She’s naturally stunning. But what really gets me is her smile and how when she laughs it reaches up to her eyes. She simply takes my breath away and that scares the shit out of me.
    As I drive, I try to come up with something to talk to her about, but the only thing I can think of is what my sister told me. I clear my throat and go for it. “So Jenny said that you needed a change of scenery. I know last time we talked you sounded pretty down. Do you want to talk about it?” I can see out of the corner of my eye that she’s contemplating whether to answer me or not. Her face scrunches up a bit, and it makes her look even cuter.
    “Ah, well, are you sure you want an answer?”
    I nod my head and briefly look at her, hoping she takes that as a sign to keep talking.
    “Okay, how about I give you the abridged version.”
    “Sounds good to me. I mean, we are stuck in the car together for the next hour or so.”
    I hear her take a deep breath and let it out. I catch a quick glance at her, and I can see what I think is pain on her face. I wish there were a way I could remove that look. “You and Jenny are so