Page 9 of Bene

He had.

Beni asked, so.

“Needed something to remind me of home when I come to visit,” he joked, “seeing as how Chicago always makes me want to dig out my eyeballs.”

“It does not.”

“A little.”

“Just not home, huh?”

“Not my home,” he admitted. “How are your parents liking Toronto?”

“Love it.”

He figured.

Her parents came for the wedding, but three weeks early to help with any final preparations. It certainly gave the Guzzis lots of time to get to know the Riveras. It wasn’t lost on Bene how August’s small family seemed to fall right into step with theirs like it had always been that way.

Meant to be, his father would say.

“Bene?”

“Hmm?”

He smiled down at August.

She grinned back.

“I hope you don’t think I took him away from you.”

It took him a second.

And then two.

She was genuine.

He just hurt.

In his chest, the ache spread like a wild fire. Fast, and intent on devastating the peaceful balance he had somehow managed to find today. It wasn’t August’s fault, and he understood why she said what she did, but that changed nothing about how he felt.

Nothing changed that.

Across the room, over August’s silk covered shoulder, he found his brother talking to their oldest sibling, Marcus. As though Beni could feel the sudden stab of pain that had taken over Bene in his chest, Beni rubbed at the same spot on his own body. Yet, he didn’t stop his conversation, and he continued like nothing was wrong.

Subconscious.

It had always been that way.

Still was, even like this.

“Bene?”

He went back to August, never faltering in his happy expression. “I know you didn’t take him away from me.”

That was the truth.

He felt it in his bones.