to someone else at the table. The day would be imprinted on her mind as the perfect day, she thought once as she looked at Ben's smiling face. He winked at her when he saw that she was watching him and went back to talking to his father across the table.
Eventually, Anne needed to use the Ladies' room and excused herself from the table. Lily decided to come with her, and they walked together into the room where they had to wait because all three stalls were taken. With time on their hands, they began to touch up their lipstick. Lily's brown eyes watched Anne in the mirror as she began to play with her bangs. Lily had the same coloring as Ben but shared no family resemblance to him, Anne noted, when her eyes caught Lily's in the mirror. After fixing her hair, Lily turned around and stared at Anne's face.
"You had sex, right?"
"What?" Anne looked at her startled by the question.
"Oh, come on, Anne. That's why you and Ben were late. It certainly explained why he disappeared all of the sudden after the photographer left this afternoon. I won't ask how he was because, well, it's too yucky to think about when we are talking about my brother, but you look like you enjoyed yourself. You two certainly move fast. But then you always got along when we were kids. You know he became interested in marine research because of you and all your little lessons."
"No, I didn't know that." She didn’t know it and wondered why Lily brought it up.
"It's too bad your heading back east after this week. You and Ben are really good together. We can all see it."
"Actually, Lily, I have to tell someone, or I am going to burst. I came to Seattle to interview for a job, and I found out this afternoon that I got it. I'll be moving back at the end of the month."
"That's fabulous, Anne. Congratulations. Does Ben know? Are you going to tell your father? I saw his picture today." They shared a look that was not complimentary to Andrew Conner. "When you move back, you and Ben can...you know." She gave Anne a suggestive grin. "That will be great for both of you."
"Wait a second, Lily. Ben only wants and is expecting a vacation romance. I don't think either of us expected it to go as far as it has. I'm not going to spring it on him that I'm staying and expect him to be there." One of the stalls flushed, and a woman came out and went to the sink. Anne stepped out of the way. They suspended their conversation as the woman washed and left. Another stall flushed, and a second woman stepped out and crossed to wash her hands.
"Anne. He wants it." Lily waited until the second woman left before speaking.
"I wish I could be sure."
"My advice, Anne, is to tell him as soon as possible. Tell him tonight."
"I'll feel him out, but if he isn't warm on the idea of continuing our relationship after this week, I don't want to make things awkward between us for your wedding."
"Don't worry. He'll be receptive."
After that, they each headed to a stall and closed the doors. The third stall flushed and the woman stepped out. She walked to the line of sinks and washed her hands, smiling as she looked in the mirror. Then she flipped back her red hair and fixed her lipstick before going back into the dining room.
Chapter 12
Later that night, Ben and Anne were lying in Ben's bed after making love another time and looked at each other with soft smiles on their faces. Anne was on her side looking at Ben who was lying on his belly looking at her with a satisfied male smile on his face. She reached out, brushed his shoulder, and trailed her hand down his back before leaning over to kiss his shoulder.
"Hmmm, you wear me out, Anne," Ben said sleepily. Then he yawned and rolled over to his side so that he faced her, reaching his hand out to brush his fingers over her breast.
"I'm not going to be able to walk tomorrow," she told him. The comment elicited a laugh from Ben. She rolled onto her back, and he cupped the breast he had been brushing. She was suddenly nervous about asking him, but Lily said that she should ask him tonight. In her logical mind, she needed to know where she