Page 174 of Until the Last Star Fades

“I booked that week off,” Ben half-shouted toward the phone, handing a sample of his pretzel-topped brownie bites to a teenager. “Riley’s making a huge must-see list: the crown jewels, St. Paul’s, Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross—”

Riley interrupted, bumping his shoulder. “Ben will probably be dressed up as Harry Potter.”

He smirked. “Jeez, you dress up one time…” He caught the eye of a thirty-something guy with his five-year-old daughter. “Sorry, just a sec, Maggie!” Ben stepped away and slipped back into work mode as two women and a cluster of seniors joined the swarm eyeballing his cookies and cakes. “All right? What can I get ya?” The dad asked for a large slice of red velvet cake, triggering Riley’s smile to stretch into cheek-aching territory.

“See that, Mom?” She reversed the camera and aimed at the table. “They’re buying your cake! Ben says your red velvet and Shannon’s peanut butter brownies are his bestsellers.”

She reversed the camera once more, her mom’s face back on the screen.

“His mom would be so proud…” A hint of sadness dimmed the brightness in Maggie’s eyes. “Riley, when I’m over, I’d like to visit Shannon’s grave. I’m sure somewhere, somehow, she knows what Ben means to us, but I want to tell her myself, mom to mom.”

Riley smiled warmly. “Yeah, of course we can—”

“Oh, Mags, did Riles mention?!” Finger poking the air, Ben jumped back into frame and the conversation. “Mark’s invited us to Aberdeen for a day or two while you’re—”

“BEN!” Riley punched his arm.

“Oww!” His eyes scrunched with a hurt ‘What was that for?’ glance. “Oh…bollocks. Yeah, sorry…it’s a surprise, right?” He loomed large into the lens towards Maggie, his face a sheepish half-smile. “Ermm…surprise!”

Maggie looked awestruck. “Really? We’re going to see where they film Lairds and Liars?!”

Riley nudged her way back on screen, smiling. “Yeah. We’ll fly up with Alex, hang out on set, and all go for dinner together. I thought if anyone was going to let something slip, it would’ve been Piper, not you, Fagan!” She laughed, pointing an accusing finger.

“Soz, love—my bad! Look, I’m retreating…back to my baked goods!” Ben chuckled and greeted newly arrived customers, his stock almost sold out.

Riley gave her mom a ‘guys, huh’ eye roll and moved a few steps out of the way. “Hey, I hope Piper’s not too exhausting on the flight.”

“I might be the exhausting one.” Maggie licked jam from her thumb. “I’m so excited! My first transatlantic flight! Piper might need earplugs and a sleep mask if she’s sitting with me; I don’t think I’ll sleep a wink!”

“I pity the person in the third seat.” Riley chuckled. “Every time we talk, Pip’s even more buzzed about coming to the kids’ TV show taping at my work. I’m hoping she’ll apply for a job while she’s over. She’s got dual citizenship, so…”

“Well, she loves it over there, so you never know.” Tugging the neck of her bathrobe, Maggie noticed the time on her tablet. “Oh, seven-thirty already? Sweetheart, I’ve gotta run! I’ve got a date with an orphaned cocker spaniel at eight.”

“Aww, give the shelter pups a cuddle from me.” Riley smiled. “I love you, Mom. Talk Monday?”

“If not before.” Maggie tucked a short piece of hair behind her ear. “Love you! And give Ben a big squeeze.” She waved and the FaceTime session ended.

Ben appeared over her shoulder. “Bollocks. She’s gone?”

“Yeah, she’s off dog walking, but she was thrilled to see you in action.” She kissed him on the cheek and pulled out a roll of Love Hearts from her denim jacket. She popped one in her mouth and smiled blissfully. “I love this, you know…spending weekends here with you.”

“Yeah, me too…” Noticing a pause in business, Ben tugged off his food-service gloves and motioned to the back of his stall. “Love, c’mere for a sec.”

“Sure. What’s up?”

“Remember we said no more secrets? We’d be completely honest with each other?”

The urgency in his voice made Riley wary. “Yeah?”

“Well, I’ve got a confession…” His smile tightened as he scratched his messy bedhead. “I hate long-distance relationships.”

That’s his confession? “Um, tell me something I don’t know.” Riley giggled and wrapped her arms around his hips, her fingertips slipping underneath his apron and shirt into the waistband of his jeans. “But I don’t remember any distance in our relationship this morning.” Her lips brushed his ear. “Remember how hard you came when we…?” she whispered teasingly.

Ben closed his eyes and a naughty smile swept across his face.

Riley kissed his lips. “Next Saturday, I’ll leave my flat earlier so we’ll have more time at yours.”

Jolted out of the memory, Ben’s eyes popped open. “See? That’s what I mean, Riles. We’re still long-distance!” He frowned, hugging her close. “On a good day, our flats are an hour and a half away from each other, and it’s not even a direct route. A train and two bum-numbing Underground rides—it takes forever, right?”