Unexpected Inheritance

11

"Yeah," Ben replied, with a slight grin. "My place ain't much, but it gets the job done."

They stood there for a moment, both surveying the cabin. He could see that Marina had already put in some work herself—painted a few boards, fixed a door frame—but the place was still a long way from being livable, much less comfortable.

"You planning on staying here long?" he asked casually as he surveyed the porch steps.

"I hope not," Marina said. "I mean, it's home for now. But I'm just passing through."

Ben nodded. "Well, we better get to work"

She smiled at him, a little relieved. "Sounds great."

As they got to work, the conversation flowed easily between them. Marina was friendly and talkative, asking Ben about his life in town, how long he had been living out at his place, and whether he had any plans to upgrade. Ben, in turn, learned about her life—how she had left town after high school, spent a few years in the city, and now found herself back in the small town she had once fled.

"Small towns have a way of drawing people back," Ben said with a knowing look, pausing to hammer a nail into place. "You can try to leave, but something always brings you back."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Marina agreed. "But I mean it, I won't be here long."

"Enjoy the time you are here then," He chuckled

Ben found himself going by the Daley cabin almost every day to help Marina with the repairs. What started as a simple job turned into something more as they spent hours chatting, working side by side. He would show her how to fix things, and she would ask questions, always eager to learn. They talked about everything—town gossip, old friends, favorite places, and their shared appreciation for small-town life.

As the week went on, Ben couldn't help but notice how easy it was to be around her. Marina had a way of making everything feel lighter, and she wasn't afraid to laugh at herself or the situation they found themselves in.

By the end of the week, after they'd finished up another long day of work, Marina hesitated, glancing at Ben.

"Hey," she started, her tone slightly sheepish. "I know we've only known each other a short while, but I hope I'm not being too forward here..."

Ben raised an eyebrow, giving her an encouraging smile.

She bit her lip, clearly unsure. "I just... I haven't heard you mention a woman, and I assumed you were single. So I was wondering if maybe you'd want to go out with me sometime?"

Ben blinked, a little surprised by the question, but his smile didn't fade. "You wanna go out with me?" he asked, his voice casual but warm.

Marina nodded, her cheeks coloring a little. "You did say enjoy my time here," 

Ben chuckled lightly. He paused, taking a moment to think. He was still dealing with his emotions about Miranda, and while part of him was still tethered to what they had, he also knew that life went on. He was trying to move forward, and Marina was someone who was easy to talk to.

"Yeah, alright"

Marina's face lit up "Great."

They stood there for a moment, both of them enjoying the brief silence that followed. The thought of stepping out for a night felt a little new for Ben, especially after everything that had happened with Miranda. But there was something simple and easy about the idea of spending time with Marina. No heavy baggage, no history to drag along.

As they finished up the work for the day, Ben found himself thinking more about the invitation. Maybe it would be good to get out of his head for a while. A night out with Marina seemed like the perfect way to do just that.