Riverstar (3) (32 page)

“Five-hundred percent.” He squeezed her hand. “But you need
to tell Gennie tonight, not later. She’s going to be crushed but it will be
much worse if we elope without her knowing. Annie says she’s
headed to the house now.”

“You’re right. Of course. I’ll do it tonight.” She turned to look at his profile. How had this man who understood something as subtle as this particular dynamic between women appeared so suddenly in her life? It should not be questioned, she thought, just welcomed
with gratitude. “I love you, Benjamin Fleck. This is all I can think to
say.”

He grinned at her, before bringing her hand to his mouth once again and keeping it against his lips as he answered. “I love you, too. And this is all we need to say.”

***

That night, after Bella was fussed over by Annie, called “badass”
by Alder, and given a large glass of one of his finest bottles of Washington wine by Drake, she took Gennie’s hand and led her into the sitting room. They sat on the hearth of the stone fireplace, holding glasses of red wine in one hand and clasping one another’s
hands in the other. Indicating the glass, Bella raised her eyebrows. “So I have to almost get killed for you to risk staining your teeth?”

Gennie smiled but unshed tears made her eyes glassy. “Oh,
Bella, I’m so grateful you’re all right. If anything happened to you, well, I don’t know if I could get through it. You’re family to me.”

“I know. Me too.” She leaned her head on Gennie’s shoulder. “Listen, about the wedding.”

“Yeah?” Gennie’s voice sounded wary, as if she knew what was coming.

“Ben and I want to go to Vegas. Just the two of us.”

Gennie sat up straighter, dropping Bella’s hand and scooting
away
several inches to look at her face. “But why? I don’t understand
why.”

Bella took a deep breath. “Because my mother’s dead.”

Gennie’s eyes filled; several tears escaped from the corners of her eyes and ran untethered down her perfect cheeks. “Oh, Bella. Yes, I understand.”

“You do?”

“I do.” And that was it.

They hugged, in soundless agreement that sometimes nothing
more needed to be said between two people who loved one another, who understood one another. Because despite their flaws and demons
and expectations that wanted to pull their love asunder, they
understood
this was not the way of true friendship. No, it grew between the
silences,
through all the words unsaid, all the ways love could not be
expressed except in silent acceptance of the other.

THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING
Bella and Ben sat at the
counter of Amanda’s newly opened diner. Fred, sitting two seats from them, nibbled on a BLT on wheat and sipped coffee as he told them of his recent transfer over to the Echo Grove police force.
“Darnedest thing. From what I can piece together, Peter Ball made some phone
calls and next thing I know I’m being called in for an interview.”

The diner was cozy, only a dozen tables plus the counter and decorated in shades of blue. The menu was simple: traditional breakfasts served all day and soups and sandwiches starting at eleven. The clientele had been steadily growing, helped enormously
by the movie crew, still filming for another two weeks after a short break for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Amanda set a plate of blueberry pancakes in front of Bella and a Denver omelet in front of Ben. “I liked it better when Fred worked
out here,” she said. “Nothing ever happens in River Valley. Well, I guess that’s not true but, you know, for the most part we don’t have anything too dangerous, and now I’ll be worried about you all the
time.”

Fred pushed aside his plate, having eaten everything but the
crusts. “Honey, it’s nothing to worry about. I’m still a small town cop. Not much happens in Echo Grove either.”

Bella pointed her fork at Fred. “I, for one, am thrilled to know they’ll get an honest cop in Echo Grove considering what Ben went
through.”

“Amen to that,” said Ben.

“You guys really eloped?” asked Amanda.

“Yep,” said Bella, sliding her eyes over to her new husband.
Would she ever stop feeling so utterly smitten with this man?

Fred wriggled his finger at them as if they were in trouble. “And you two don’t look one bit guilty for denying your friends and family the pleasure of a wedding.”

“That’s because we aren’t,” said Ben before taking a large bite of omelet. “This is really good, Amanda.”

Amanda lowered her voice to just above a whisper. “Don’t tell
anyone but I hired my cousin to cook for us. He used to cook in
prison.”

“Really?” asked Bella, intrigued. “What was he in for?”

“Insider trading.” Amanda said this like it was a dreaded
disease. “He took the fall for his boss.”

“That’s terrible,” said Ben, shuddering. “How long was his sentence?”

“Five years. But he learned how to cook really well in there and now he’s here for a second chance,” said Amanda, still talking just above a whisper.

“River Valley’s the place for that,” said Bella.

“Something about the healing powers of the river, according to Annie,” said Ben.

“The river will teach you your name, Amanda. Tell your cousin the minute it warms up in the late spring to jump in head first,” said Bella.

Amanda put her hands on the counter. What was this? A ring? “Wait a minute, did you guys get engaged?” asked Bella.

Fred grinned; Amanda blushed. “Fred asked me last night under the stars. We haven’t told anyone yet.”

“I guess this marriage thing is contagious,” said Ben, slapping Fred on the back. “Congratulations.”

“Maybe the river makes people fall in love too.” Bella laughed and stole a bite of Ben’s omelet.

“Or the stars,” said Amanda.

They spoke for a moment about wedding plans, Bella and Ben assuring them that eloping was the way to go if they could possibly get away with it.

“You’ve never met my mother if you think that’s even close to a possibility,” said Fred.

“Same with mine,” said Amanda. “That’s why we’re keeping it to ourselves for a while before all the madness starts.”

My mother.
Ben squeezed her knee under the counter. He understood.

“I hear from Mike you guys are full-force ahead on your
business,” said Fred.

“That’s right,” nodded Ben. “Bella’s going to be famous. We have the business plan of all business plans.”

“Being married to an MBA is so hot,” said Bella, teasing.

“Being married to a makeup mogul is so hot.” He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the mouth. “You taste like blueberries.” He
whispered this in her ear, causing her to shiver with desire. They
should finish up lunch and head home for an afternoon nap.

“What’re you naming it, Bella?” asked Amanda, pouring more coffee into Ben’s cup.

“Bellalicious.”

“Sounds delicious,” said Amanda, her innocent eyes wide.

Fred glanced at his watch. “Shoot, I’ve got to get back to work. I’m still on duty here in River Valley for another week and who knows, we might have another big crime.”

They said goodbye and congratulations once again before Bella happily took another bite of pancake.
Bellalicious
. She couldn’t wait to tell Stefan tomorrow at Annie and Drake’s Thanksgiving dinner. Gennie had already given her blessing on the name. She’d actually
flushed with pleasure when Bella had told her. She couldn’t help but think it had something to do with the fact that Stefan was the
originator.

When Amanda left the counter to tend to another customer,
Bella leaned close to Ben. “I’m not giving up hope on Stefan and
Gennie. You know that, right?”

“I would expect nothing less from my blushing bride.” His eyes
were laughing as he leaned over to kiss her.
Laughing eyes.
Her husband had laughing eyes. And there were blueberry pancakes to
eat and the
possibility of Gennie and Stefan falling in love and her gang of misfits joining together in a feast tomorrow and babies and kissing in the rain and honorable work. All of these small and large joys that were love must be gathered close, experienced fully, knowing all the
while they were fleeting and elusive. And in that moment she understood it
was only this, only love that offered meaning and even possible redemption in a world too often dark, too often difficult. Just this. Just love.

***

“You did what?” asked Annie, her eyes as angry and shocked as Bella had ever seen them. She slid forward on her chair, almost knocking over a bowl of yams. “Please tell me I didn’t hear you
right.”

Alder shook his head, sounding resigned to the inevitability of
fate. “They eloped.” Sitting next to Bella at the long table filled with
all their friends, he leaned close enough so only she could hear. “You’re in so much trouble.”

“Don’t sound so happy about it,” she whispered back.

Linus, sitting on the other end of the long table, had both of his hands covering his mouth. “Oh, sweetie, what have you done?”

“But I was going to walk you down the aisle,” said Drake,
looking positively mournful.

“And a dress?” said Annie. “Didn’t you want a dress?”

“Hey, it was my idea,” said Ben, putting his hand up in protest. “Don’t blame Bella.”

“Bullshit,” said Annie, her eyes wild, scanning the table as if for confirmation. “Everybody knows the woman makes the decision.”

“Well, that’s not always true,” said Tommy. “I decided what kind of wedding we had.”

Linus guffawed. “Yeah, but you’re not a normal straight guy and Lee could care less about girly stuff.”

Lee scowled at him. “That’s not true.”

“Honey, it kind of is,” said Tommy.

“Well, we’re staying out of this anyway,” said Lee, with a
pointed look back at her husband.

“Right. Of course,” said Tommy.

Annie was looking almost accusingly at the silent Gennie. “Did you know about this?”

“I’m sorry, Annie. But it was what Bella wanted.” Gennie moved her wineglass in a circle, her gaze fixed downward and her voice soft. “Sometimes motherless girls can’t pick a wedding dress without pain ripping the whole thing to shreds.”

The table went quiet. Finally, Drake reached out across the table
and took Bella’s hand. “Congratulations.” He looked at Ben.
“Welcome to the family.”

Stefan, sitting next to Gennie, put his arm around the back of her chair. “Maybe we could have a reception. You know, just a party or something.”

Her gaze on Gennie, Bella nodded. “That would be wonderful.”

Ellen, sitting next to Verle, raised her glass. “Here’s to the happy couple.”

Verle, nodding vigorously, raised his glass as well. “Mazel tov.” Everyone raised their glasses and toasted them. She looked over at Ben, who winked at her.

“If you’re all so hellfire determined to have a wedding to plan, Verle and I have decided to go ahead and get hitched.” Ellen straightened her dessert fork and sniffed. “So you know, feel free to go crazy on the planning.”

“Badass, Momo,” said Alder.

Ellie-Rose clapped her hands together. “Yay, Momo.”

“You don’t even know what we’re talking about, Munchkin,” said Alder, shaking his head and laughing.

“Thank you, children,” said Ellen before looking over at Tommy and Lee. They were staring at her as if she were a stranger that had suddenly come in from the street to join them for dinner. “And I
want a big wedding. Huge. Pulling out all the stops.” She took a
large sip of wine. “What? You two can afford it.”

Tommy laughed. “It’s not that. Whatever you want, Ellen, I’ll give you. We’re just surprised.”

“Good.” She turned to look at Linus and then Gennie. “Feel free to take over the planning if you’re so inclined. I’ll be much too busy preparing for the big day to bother with all the details. I mean, I
am
almost seventy-five. I may get a little Botox before the big day.”

“Do you even know what Botox is?” asked Lee.

“Botulism injected into your skin,” said Alder, matter-of-factly.

“You’re not getting Botox,” said Lee. “It’s ridiculous.”

“I may or I may not,” said Ellen.

“I’m sending you on a honeymoon,” said Drake. “Wherever you want to go.”

“I’ve always wanted to go to France,” said Verle, who had methodically worked his way through a heaping plate of food, never
ceasing except during the toast to Bella and Ben. “I live for bread and cheese, you know.”

“Done,” said Drake.

“I do not think it’s a good idea for you two to go to a foreign country alone at your ages,” said Lee. “Absolutely not.”

“You’re not the boss of me,” said Ellen.

“We’ll talk about this later,” said Lee.

“I’m excited to help plan your wedding, Ellen. I’ll get my
planner
on it right away,” said Gennie, already typing something into her phone.

“I don’t think so, Missy,” said Linus. “I’m doing the planning.”

Gennie looked over at him and put up her hands. “Of course.
Just let me know if you need anything.”

Stefan leaned close to Gennie, whispering something in her ear that made her blush. Bella wondered what he’d said. What was going on between them?

“Bella, could I throw you guys a party? At my house in Malibu,” said Gennie. “Nothing fancy. Just however you want it. You can all come and stay at my house. Enjoy the beach.”

“Like a big barbeque type of party with tequila shots and chips
and guacamole?” asked Bella, blowing her friend a kiss. “And can
we have cake? White with raspberry filling?”