The Street Where She Lives Read online

  Gracie was back.

  Ironic, really, when she thought about it. Her life had come full circle.

  And yet there could be no denying, things had changed. She’d learned to feel, to love, to really love…

  Too bad it had come too late.

  “Rach?”

  “I don’t know, Mel.” Or was it too late? “I’m thinking about it. All of it.”

  Emily came back into the room with a tray of goodies.

  “Do you have your dad’s cell phone number handy?” Rachel asked her.

  “What’s the matter?” Emily looked worried. “Why do you need him?”

  Melanie stared at Rachel, then slowly smiled as she put an arm around her niece. “She’s done thinking.”

  “Huh?”

  “She’s going after him.”

  Rachel smiled. Yep. She was going after him. With her stomach in her throat, she dialed his cell. Heart pounding, palms sweaty, she wondered what she’d say.

  Turns out it didn’t matter, because she got the message “the cell user you are trying to reach is not available.”

  The story of Ben’s life.

  “You miss him,” Emily said with a smile. “I knew it. You just miss him.”

  “I miss him,” Rachel agreed softly, and cupped Emily’s face. “And you know what? I just realized I haven’t left South Village in far too long. What do you say to a vacation?”

  “I have three days left of school before summer break.”

  “It’ll take three days to pack.”

  “For where?”

  “Where else? Africa.”

  Emily’s grin spread.

  IT ACTUALLY TOOK two weeks to prepare for the trip. Ben wasn’t so easy to track down. All Rachel had known of his plans ahead of time was the name of the place he’d hoped to stay at while covering his story, and once they got the details on the rugged, isolated terrain they were heading into, she had to swallow hard.

  This was no cozy little planned-out vacation. This was an adventure of the highest magnitude. This was going against the grain. She’d be leaving behind her three Ss—security, stability and safety in a big way. She felt as if she were perched on the edge of the steepest cliff.

  And yet she wanted to jump. Couldn’t wait to jump.

  And then finally they had their bags packed, their tickets in hand, their passports ready. Melanie had gone to get her car. She was taking them to the airport, to the trip that would hopefully change their lives forever.

  Assuming Rachel could convince Ben to give them another shot, that is. A real shot. Their first real shot. She looked at Emily, waiting so patiently and trusting for her to get her life together, and love swamped her. “Emmie, I love you.”

  “Oh, no! You’re changing your mind!”

  “No, I’m not.” Rachel laughed at the horror on Emily’s face. “I just wanted to say I love you, that’s all.”

  “Oh. Okay.” Obviously not believing her, Emily tugged on her hand. “Come on, let’s wait outside for Aunt Mel, I think I hear her coming now.”

  Outside was good, it would get her one foot closer to Ben. With a deep breath, she hauled the door open and nearly plowed right into…Ben?

  Her heart stopped.

  He looked right into her eyes and gave her one of his slow smiles, the kind that never failed to tip her heart on its side, but this time his seemed shaky. Uncertain.

  “Ben?” Uncertain herself, she twisted around to look at Emily.

  Emily shook her head. It wasn’t any crazy new stunt of hers to bring him here this time, which meant… She whipped back to face him. He stood there looking bleak and hollow, leaning on the jamb in a way that spoke of bone deep exhaustion. Misery radiated off him, matching the misery she’d pretended not to feel since he’d been gone.

  Since she’d sent him away.

  “Yeah. Just me,” he said in a grainy voice, and with a heavy limp, stepped inside. He hugged and kissed Emily, then turned to Rachel.

  Her heart, which had stopped only seconds before, began a heavy, dull pounding. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

  He took in their packed bags, and lifted his gaze to hers. “You were just leaving.”

  “Yes,” she said with a half-hysterical laugh. “We were coming to—”

  “No. I’m sorry, Rachel, but I have to go first. I’ve been thinking of this for fifteen thousand miles.” Taking her shoulders, he drew her closer, grimacing a little when she stumbled and he was forced to support her weight for a moment.

  “Ben!” She tried to look down at his leg, but he’d cupped her face. “You’ve got to sit down.”

  “I’ve got to tell you something first.”

  “But you’re shaking!”

  “That’s not because of my leg.” He lowered his forehead to hers. “I wanted to roam the earth. I wanted that with every thing I was.”

  She felt her heart crack at the desolation in his voice, in his eyes, and stroked a strand of hair out of his eyes. “I know. It’s who you are, it’s always been who you are. Ben, I shouldn’t have—”

  “No, listen. When I got there this time, it no longer worked for me.”

  She stared at him, forced herself to breathe. “Go on.”

  “I want a home, Rach. I want it with you and Emily. For keeps.”

  Her mouth fell open. A little laugh escaped. “You’re going to really wish you’d let me talk first.”

  But he wasn’t done trying to convince her. “You can tell me to go away all you want, but you’ll have to convince me that’s what you really want this time. No more hiding, no more pretending what we have doesn’t exist. I love you, damn it, and I always have.”

  “Ben—”

  “So go ahead,” he dared. “Tell me you’re not interested. Make me believe it.”

  “Ben—”

  His mouth came down over hers, and proceeded to melt all her brain cells with the hot, greedy, needy connection. When he lifted his head, she clung to him, a little stunned that he could have sidetracked her with one simple kiss when she had so much to say. “Can I talk now?”

  He looked wary. “I’m not sure. You going to tell me to go?”

  “No.” She looked at Emily, who lifted her hands and covered her eyes.

  “I’m not looking, Mom. Just don’t make me leave, I want to hear this! Tell him. Tell him quick or I will.”

  “Tell me what?” asked the poor, confused man who’d done the unthinkable and come back for her. He’d come back.

  Rachel put a hand on his chest, which he reached up to hold there over the steady beat of his big, beautiful heart.

  “Ben…” She let out a low laugh. “We were coming to you. We were going to hike through all of Africa, if that’s what it took to locate you.”

  “You…what?”

  “I love you back,” she whispered, her eyes filling. “I never should have sent you away. I want another chance to prove we could make this work, even if we have to plan out a time schedule on how to meet up between your jobs. We belong together, Ben, even if we have to be apart for long periods of time. It doesn’t matter. I love you,” she said again, stronger now. “And I always have.”

  Ben stared at her for one beat before hauling her even closer, burying his face at the crook of her neck, his arms banding tight around her body. They were both shaking, she realized as she hugged him back.

  “I want to be here,” he whispered. “Here. With you.”

  “Not Africa?”

  “Not Africa.”

  “Not South America?”

  “Not South America.”

  “Not—”

  “With you, Rachel,” he said, and reached out for Emily, pulling her into the fray. “With Emmie. The three of us.”

  Rachel pulled back, bit her lower lip. “I was wondering how you would feel about four.”

  Ben stared at her, then dropped his stunned gaze down to her still-flat belly. “Four?”

  “No, not yet…I was just wondering…”