How You Get the Girl

He Had Me at Hello

I flew in late Sunday morning. Ben had gotten home earlier. I thought about going straight from the airport over to Ben's house but I went home first. I spent time with my parents. I unpacked and called Beth. I texted Chip to let him know I had gotten home. Finally, I couldn't put it off any longer. I texted Ben. He texted back immediately. I had thought about asking to meet someplace neutral, like a coffee shop, but had decided that it would be easier to have the conversation someplace more private.

Harper: I'm home

Ben: Do you want to come over?

Harper: OK

Ben: Good

I rang the doorbell and Ben's mom answered the door, not Ben. I tried not to show how nervous I was.

"Hi Mrs. Ryan, is Ben here?" I asked. I wondered if she knew how things were with Ben and me? Probably not, since she seemed genuinely glad to see me with no strangeness in her greeting. That was good. I was not sure I could have stood it if she had been cold to me.

"Hi Harper, Ben's upstairs," she told me. "Did you have fun in Florida?"

"I did. It was great to see my grandparents. How was Hawaii?" I said as if it was absolutely no problem standing here making small talk. I smiled brightly. I liked Ben's mom. I could be polite. Really, I could. I wasn't having a minor nervous breakdown. I was fine.

"It was beautiful. The weather was wonderful. Have you ever been there?"

"No, I've never had the chance. I'd love to go someday." Please take the time right now to tell me all about it. This is definitely the moment. It's not like Ben and I are about to have the conversation that is going to determine if we break up or stay together. Seriously Ben, do you talk to your parents at all? Don't they know that we are about to have a really important relationship conversation!

"We had so much fun. I'll have to show you my pictures. I have some great ones. We took a hike up one of the mountains. The birds were unbelievable." Thank god Ben's dad poked his head out from the kitchen at that moment or I think Ben's mom would actually have pulled her cell phone out and started to show me pictures of birds.

"Elizabeth, I think Harper might like to see Ben before she starts to look through all your pictures from the trip," he told her.

Ben's mom actually laughed. "Your right. I'll show them to you later Harper. Why don't you go up and say hi?" she told me.

"Thanks, I will." Then I went up the stairs as quickly as I could.

Ben's door was ajar. I looked in. He did not notice me. He looked amazing. He had a tan and was wearing a plain dark gray t-shirt and jeans. He was at his desk, doing something on his computer. Seriously? He knew I was coming and he was calmly sitting there working on his computer while I was having a nervous breakdown? I narrowed my eyes.

I pushed his door open. Ben spun around in his chair. I smiled to myself. Maybe he wasn't as calm as he looked.

"Hi," I said walking into his room.

"Hi," Ben answered, standing up and walking toward me. He stopped in front of me.

I wasn't sure what to say next. The silence dragged on until Ben said, "Harper, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Please give me another chance? I wasn't with Clare when you and I got together. At least, I didn't think so. I wouldn't have done that to you. She and I had a fight the Saturday before you and I kissed. She said she never wanted to see me again. I told her I was good with that. But," and Ben sighed, "She may have thought we were going to get back together. We had before. I probably should have called her and told her it was over for real but Clare and I were never good at talking about things. That's one of the things I like about you, you make me talk."