Free Come with Me (Let It Be Me #2) by Tiara Bosh Page B

looked at his friend wearily. “Fine, maybe I was wrong about her. She’s doing great. According to Miranda she has already organized the files of the candidates for the three buildings of Stone Homes. She’s also made a database of our patrons. She seems to be a natural in this.”
    “I told you so?” Alex teased.
    “Ugh, I don’t think you’ll ever let me hear the end of this,” Ben said, half-jokingly.
    Alex laughed. “Well just think RHS is lucky to have her. That’s what matters.”
    “Yeah,” Ben said, finishing his second bottle of beer. He was stuffed.
    Alex stood up, then said, “There was something I wanted to show you.”
    Ben noticed Alex’s nervousness, which was out of character of him.
    “What’s up, man?” Ben asked.
    “Hold on,” Alex said, disappearing into the hallway that led to his bedroom. He came back with a small black paper bag.
    It was when he brought out a jeweler’s box that Ben realized what was going on. Alex opened the box to show a diamond ring. 
    “Finally,” Ben said grinning. He was surprised, but not really. He knew all along that Alex was serious about Kayla. And he knew Kayla felt the same way. 
    “Do you think she’ll like it?” Alex asked. Alex looked so unsure that Ben would have laughed out loud; but Alex looked quite insecure all of a sudden that Ben knew how important this was to Alex.
    Ben looked at the ring again. The ring had a round diamond flanked by smaller diamonds on each side. It wasn’t overly huge. Both he and Alex knew Kayla didn’t like anything too ostentatious. 
    “I’m sure she would love it,” Ben assured. 
    “I hope so,” Alex said, sitting back down, staring at the ring.
    “So how would you ask her?” Ben asked. “Need me to do anything to help?”
    “Was thinking just dinner here,” Alex said. “Kayla would want it simple.”
    “Yes, definitely,” Ben said. “When will you do it?”
    “Her birthday’s next Thursday,” Alex informed Ben. “I told her I’m having dinner prepared here to celebrate it.”
    “It’s the perfect time and the perfect birthday present,” Ben said supportively.
    “If she does say yes, I was thinking we can have a small party here the following Saturday,” Alex continued. “To celebrate her birthday too. Just you, Henry and Diane, Jenny and Ryan. Maybe Bobby and Cynthia would be able to go too.” Alex enumerated the people who played some role on how he and Kayla got together. “I can ask her if she would want to have her relatives over.”
    “That party’s on me,” Ben offered. “Let’s have it in my place. My gift for the two of you. And I am going to be best man, right?”
    Alex laughed. “Much appreciated man,” he said, patting Ben’s back. “That would be great. Of course you’re the best man. You know I don’t have any other friends.”
    Ben laughed. Alex knew a lot of people but it was true, he only considered a few people as friends.
    “Well what do you know,” he said, raising his beer bottle. “Alex Stone is going to get hitched.”
     

Chapter 13
    Liz
     
     “Hey Liz,” Philip said, walking into the library. 
    Liz looked at the time on her laptop. Her duty wouldn’t be over for half an hour still. It was Saturday afternoon and it was her schedule.
    “I’m early,” Philip said, grinning. Philip Mendoza was another one of the volunteers in the library. He was a nice Mexican teacher from a nearby public elementary school. She met him a few weeks back when she brought the books donated by her friends. He assisted her and her mom’s driver in carrying them to the library.
    “Nothing to do, huh,” Liz kidded. “It’s also a slow day here.”
    The library has been empty since she arrived an hour and a half ago.
    “Finished grading my students’ test papers,” he said. “I wanted to walk outside so I found myself walking here.”
    “Hope the test you gave wasn’t so hard,” Liz kidded.
    Philip laughed. “Challenging enough; easy if they