Romance: Love Left Behind - A Mystery Romance: (Romance, Mystery, Mystery Romance, Romantic Suspense) by Paige Powers
Authors: Paige Powers
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wife could manage to convince him down.
But as much as he cared about Mina’s emotions, there was no way that Ben could make it through the entire gala with only one drink. So, ignoring her fiery stare, he took a sip before answering. “It’s about lost love. I wanted to really capture the emotion and the pain of loving someone and not having that as a part of your life. It’s beautiful, really.”
Halloway snickered. “Sounds a bit cliché, buddy.”
Ben took another sip of his drink, savoring the words he was about to say. “Well, sorry I can’t write about the important things in life like the recent dog beauty pageant they held downtown,” he said smoothly, referencing Halloway’s last article. It had been in the newspaper and Ben had laughed about it when it came out, before Mina snidely told him that it was written by one of her coworkers. But apparently it was the right thing to say then, as Jack Halloway immediately shut up, his face turning red.
The sound of a bell rang out of Ben’s pocket. Someone was calling. At first he ignored it, enjoying the sting of his insult and the look on Halloway’s face. He knew that Mina was probably furious at him and that he’d hear all about it later, but in that moment, it was worth it. But then the bell rang again, and again, and again. With a final sip of his drink, he excused himself to take the phone call.
He wound himself around all of the people blocking the space and went outside. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he saw that there were three missed calls from his mother. Immediately he became nervous. His mother wasn’t one to repeatedly call, so something must be wrong. He dialed back, every ring increasing his worry.
“Hello?” he said when he heard heavy breathing on the other line. “Are you okay?”
His mom took a shaky breath. Even over the phone, Ben could tell that she was crying. Mrs. Brindell, fighting back tears, whispered, “Your Grandpa Cole passed away, Ben. I…I just…”
“What? When?”
“It was the cancer, Ben. He passed away this afternoon.” A heavy sob escaped from his mother’s mouth. Ben felt himself overcome with sadness, both at the loss of his grandfather and from hearing his mother cry. No child ever wants to hear their parent cry. “I just wanted to let you know. The funeral is this weekend. It would mean a lot to your father and me if you would come home for that.”
“Of course, Mom. Of course I will,” Ben said. “I’ll leave tonight and come home, okay? I’ll see you soon. I love you so much.”
He hung up the phone and stood there on the sidewalk for a few seconds, trying to process the emotions that were bubbling over inside of him right now. He pushed the phone back into his pocket. It was time to leave the gala. All he wanted to do was go back to the apartment, pack a bag, and head back to Bellen as soon as possible.
As he went to leave and walk back to the apartment, a fuming Mina came storming out of the front doors, screaming at him. She was so angry that spittle was flying out of her mouth and her words were blurring together.
“Don’t you dare walk away from this gala,” she shouted, grabbing his elbow. “Get back inside right now. You’re embarrassing me. You always embarrass me.”
“You’re embarrassing yourself right now,” snapped Ben.
“Go. Inside.”
Ben yanked his arm away, sending his girlfriend spiraling away from him. Tears began flowing down his face, hot and fast. “My grandfather died today and I just found out. So I don’t give a single crap about your gala, okay? I care about my family. I’m hurt. I’m going back to the apartment and I’m leaving for New Jersey tonight. Goodnight, Mina.”
With that, he turned on his heel and marched off down the sidewalk. With the back of his hand he wiped the tears from his face, partially ashamed that he was crying. He
But as much as he cared about Mina’s emotions, there was no way that Ben could make it through the entire gala with only one drink. So, ignoring her fiery stare, he took a sip before answering. “It’s about lost love. I wanted to really capture the emotion and the pain of loving someone and not having that as a part of your life. It’s beautiful, really.”
Halloway snickered. “Sounds a bit cliché, buddy.”
Ben took another sip of his drink, savoring the words he was about to say. “Well, sorry I can’t write about the important things in life like the recent dog beauty pageant they held downtown,” he said smoothly, referencing Halloway’s last article. It had been in the newspaper and Ben had laughed about it when it came out, before Mina snidely told him that it was written by one of her coworkers. But apparently it was the right thing to say then, as Jack Halloway immediately shut up, his face turning red.
The sound of a bell rang out of Ben’s pocket. Someone was calling. At first he ignored it, enjoying the sting of his insult and the look on Halloway’s face. He knew that Mina was probably furious at him and that he’d hear all about it later, but in that moment, it was worth it. But then the bell rang again, and again, and again. With a final sip of his drink, he excused himself to take the phone call.
He wound himself around all of the people blocking the space and went outside. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he saw that there were three missed calls from his mother. Immediately he became nervous. His mother wasn’t one to repeatedly call, so something must be wrong. He dialed back, every ring increasing his worry.
“Hello?” he said when he heard heavy breathing on the other line. “Are you okay?”
His mom took a shaky breath. Even over the phone, Ben could tell that she was crying. Mrs. Brindell, fighting back tears, whispered, “Your Grandpa Cole passed away, Ben. I…I just…”
“What? When?”
“It was the cancer, Ben. He passed away this afternoon.” A heavy sob escaped from his mother’s mouth. Ben felt himself overcome with sadness, both at the loss of his grandfather and from hearing his mother cry. No child ever wants to hear their parent cry. “I just wanted to let you know. The funeral is this weekend. It would mean a lot to your father and me if you would come home for that.”
“Of course, Mom. Of course I will,” Ben said. “I’ll leave tonight and come home, okay? I’ll see you soon. I love you so much.”
He hung up the phone and stood there on the sidewalk for a few seconds, trying to process the emotions that were bubbling over inside of him right now. He pushed the phone back into his pocket. It was time to leave the gala. All he wanted to do was go back to the apartment, pack a bag, and head back to Bellen as soon as possible.
As he went to leave and walk back to the apartment, a fuming Mina came storming out of the front doors, screaming at him. She was so angry that spittle was flying out of her mouth and her words were blurring together.
“Don’t you dare walk away from this gala,” she shouted, grabbing his elbow. “Get back inside right now. You’re embarrassing me. You always embarrass me.”
“You’re embarrassing yourself right now,” snapped Ben.
“Go. Inside.”
Ben yanked his arm away, sending his girlfriend spiraling away from him. Tears began flowing down his face, hot and fast. “My grandfather died today and I just found out. So I don’t give a single crap about your gala, okay? I care about my family. I’m hurt. I’m going back to the apartment and I’m leaving for New Jersey tonight. Goodnight, Mina.”
With that, he turned on his heel and marched off down the sidewalk. With the back of his hand he wiped the tears from his face, partially ashamed that he was crying. He
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