A week had passed, and Anna was feeling more comfortable with everyone on the Triple C. Especially Ben, Charlie, and Wyatt.
She had enjoyed a stroll along the walkway and gardens, meeting Ben along the way.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” Anna returned the greeting as Ben stopped to speak with her. She was sitting on a bench where three initials were etched inside a heart. She had been tracing the letters when Ben arrived.
“How are you feeling today?” Ben asked as he placed his hands in his front pockets.
“Good, thank you. I was just enjoying the gardens again. I love how the flowers are growing so full and beautiful already.”
She watched as Ben looked around them, absorbing her description and agreeing. “You can cut some flowers if you want to.”
“Oh, really?” She sat forward on the bench and glanced around.
“There are cutters and a basket by the shed out front. My mom used to pick flowers all the time.”
Anna smiled in response.
“Matter of fact, that heart with the three sets of initials on the bench is my parents’.” He pointed to the bench, and Anna glanced at the initials she had traced earlier.
She realized that there were three sets. Two wives and one husband or two husbands and one wife? The thought stirred something inside her.
“Our dads made sure they kept this garden beautiful for our mom. She loved picking flowers.”
She wasn’t quite sure how to respond. She had never been exposed to multiple partners and sharing in a relationship. Not until her phone call from Stacy and her best friend meeting Eric and Max.
Stacy had said the town had many families just like theirs.
Anna had yet to go to town again, but now that Stacy got her an interview for tomorrow with the restaurant, she would have to take notice.
“You look real pretty today, Anna. I like your hair down.”
“Thank you. So where were you off to?’ she asked, trying to avoid the awkward and more intimate subjects for a conversation. Ben made her nervous. All the Cantrells did.
Ben had a look about him. He was very outgoing and attractive, and he knew it. Not that he walked around saying “I’m hot” or anything like that, he just had a star quality about him. It made her smile.
“I was heading to the stables to check on some newborn colts. Do you want to come along?” He reached his hand out for her to take it.
She took a deep breath and carefully reached for his hand. When they touched, she felt the instant attraction.
He smiled as he held her hand and led her toward the stables.
&nbs
p; * * * *
“Come over here, Anna. You have to see this,” Ben exclaimed, pulling her along with him through the stables.
They came to a stall that had a large horse Anna guessed was the mother and a newborn colt. It was wobbling on shaky legs and fell a few times. Anna covered her mouth.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and tensed a moment until she realized it was Ben’s.
“It’s okay. He was only born about an hour ago.”
“That’s amazing!” Anna watched as the mother licked her baby’s fur and then nudged it to continue to try and succeed in standing and walking.
“It’s beautiful to watch, isn’t it?”