Totally and Completely Fine(86)

“Okay, Rabbi Parker,” I said.

Chani and I exchanged grins as he hustled off.

“His Yiddish is improving,” she said.

She seemed happy.

“So.” She turned to me. “What is it?”

“What’s what?”

“The thing that’s giving you that glow because…” she trailed off.

I was only half paying attention because I’d just caught Ben’s eye. He winked. Thankfully the girls had gone over to my mother. My face got hot, and then I realized Chani was still standing there, watching me.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing,” she said, biting her lip as if to hold back a laugh.

The way her eyes darted between me and Ben made it clear that she knew exactly why I was grinning.

“It’s not what you think,” I said, even though it was exactly what she was thinking.

She lifted her hands. “None of my business,” she said.

“A sentence that’s never been uttered in this town,” I said.

“If you’re happy, that’s all that matters,” she said.

If only it were that simple.

Ben came off the stage and toward me.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi,” I said.

“Bye,” said Chani.

Ben and I just stood there, grinning goofily at each other.

“I really enjoyed last night,” he said.

His voice was low, which was good, because I suspected this theatre had great acoustics.

“Me too.”

“I’d love to take you out again,” he said.

“Okay.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

He had his hands in his pockets, his Celtic signet ring glinting from his thumb, which was hooked into his belt loop.

“I know you’re an expert cook,” he said. “But apparently, there’s this place in Carvey where they teach you how to make soup dumplings. I was thinking we could do that.”

“I’d like that,” I said. “I’ve never made soup dumplings before. I don’t think I’ve ever had soup dumplings before.”

Ben put a hand to his stomach and leaned back dramatically.

“Then we have to go,” he said. “You haven’t lived until you’ve slurped broth from a fresh dumpling.”

How did he make everything sound so dirty?

“Mom!”

I jumped at Lena’s voice.

She was stalking toward me, Eve on her heels, Spencer’s scarf flying behind her. It was going to be too warm to be wearing that soon.

I took a step back from Ben.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“Can Eve come over for dinner tonight?”

I looked at their two eager faces.

“Of course,” I said. “Are you planning to sleep over as well?”

The new house rule was that Eve could sleep over but the bedroom door had to stay open. Lena had rolled her eyes into the next century when I told her, but besides that, there had been no arguing.

Eve nodded. “My parents are going on a date tonight.”

Lena pulled a face. “Gross.”

“I think it’s nice that your folks want to go out together,” I said.

Eve shrugged. “My dad is always grabbing my mom’s butt,” she said. “I’m glad they’re going to do it somewhere else besides the kitchen.”

“I heard you wanted to see me,” Ollie said.

He and Gabe had returned.

I wrinkled my face, remembering the disappointing news I was going to have to tell him.

“So,” I said. “We’ve hit a snag with the costumes.”

Ollie’s eyebrows went up.

“How much of a snag?”

“A little one,” I said. “I think. I hope.”

Ollie crossed his arms.

“The suits are taking longer than expected,” I said. “I won’t be able to make a scarf for Ben’s costume. It’s too time-consuming.”

“Oh,” Ollie said. “That’s fine. The scarf would just be frosting on the cake. We don’t need it.”

Then he glanced over at Lena.

“Of course”—he walked over to her and gave her scarf a little tug—“this one could be perfect. If you’d lend it to us.”

Lena pulled the scarf out of his hands.

“No,” she said.

Ollie’s surprise was obvious—I wasn’t sure Lena had ever been that short with him.

“Okay,” he said, before turning back to me. “No scarf is fine.”

“Great,” I said. “I’m going to head back to the shop—girls, why don’t you meet me there at closing?”

“Okay!” Eve said.

Lena just nodded, fingers wrapped tight around her scarf.

“How are the stacks?” Ollie asked, clearly trying to lighten the mood. “I’ve heard that a section of the store has become very popular.”

It took every ounce of my being not to look at Ben. I knew if I did, I’d be blushing from hairline to toes.

“It’s officially retired,” I said. “I was able to move some shelves this morning.”