Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

Tina had expected him to move away immediately but instead, he gently caressed cheek with his thumb.

"You have beautiful eyes," he remarked.

Her breathing hitched when he inched closer. Her heart rammed against her chest as the anticipation of what would happen next kept increasing.

But before something could happen, a phone call ruined their moment.

When Ben's phone started ringing, both of them snoozed out of the moment.

He quickly moved away and awkwardly cleared his throat. "I—"

"Call—" Tina pointed towards the ringing cell phone. "Y-You should receive it."

Without saying anything, he grabbed the phone from the dashboard.

"Hey, why did you stop? Is everything okay?" Justin inquired.

"Ya, everything is okay." He awkwardly cleared his throat. "I just wanted to drink some water."

"Oh okay, I was worried something happened."

After hanging up the call, Ben quietly drove away.

During the entire ride to the beach house, no one said a word. The atmosphere became very awkward and almost unbearable.

...

[Beach house]

By the time they arrived at the beach house, it was almost three in the evening.

"Wow, it's beautiful," Emma placed her hand on her chest and gasped. She couldn't take her eyes off the house and the perfect view of the sea it came with.

"Why on earth have I never seen this place before?" Elsa looked at Andrew.

"What? It's a private property." Andrew shrugged his shoulders before scooping Rachael into his arms.

She squealed and quickly hooked her arms around his neck. "What are you doing?" She slapped his chest.

"Taking my new bride inside the house." He gave her a peck on the cheeks before walking inside.

"Oh God—" Owen scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Can you be any more cheesy?"

"Cheesy? That's so romantic." Juliana sighed in satisfaction as she watched Andrew carry Rachael inside.

"Yeah, whatever—" Owen took off his shades. "Bring the bags inside." He instructed before walking inside.

"Dude, carry your own luggage," Justin frowned. "How can you expect her to carry that heavy thing all by herself?"

"That's okay, I'll manage."

"Juliana, right?" When she nodded, Elsa grabbed her hand and took her inside. "You come with me inside, Justin will bring the luggage inside for you."

Justin: " "

"I think that will be too troublesome for him," Juliana nervously bit her lips. She didn't want to trouble someone else with her work.

"Don't worry about it, he will manage." Elsa looked at Justin. "Right babe?"

Justin gave her a thumbs up as he proceeded to unload their luggage from the trunk.

Meanwhile, Ben and Tina also started unloading their suitcase.

When she tried to grab her luggage, Ben stopped her. "Go inside first, I'll bring them in."

"That's okay, I can take one—"

When she tried to take her suitcase again, he grabbed her hand. "Please go inside, I'll bring it for you."

Left with no other choice, Tina nodded and walked in.

After making sure she was gone, Justin approached Ben.

"Hey, is everything okay between you and her?" Before Ben could answer, Justin added, "I just noticed some tension between you two so—"

"Everything is okay," Ben sighed. He had no idea if he was telling himself or Justin that everything was okay.

He wanted everything to be normal but for some odd reason, nothing seemed normal. The things between Tina and him were way more complicated than he had thought.

…..

[Inside the beach house]

As soon as they entered the beach house, Andrew gave Rachael another peck but this time on the lips. "I hope you like our beach house babe."

"It's beautiful," Rachael exclaimed.

It was a two storey beach house with a total of five bedrooms which included the master bedroom, a living room, a kitchen and a front yard. It had a modern setting and interior with big glass windows, giving the perfect beach vibes.

"You like it?" When she nodded, he claimed her lips again. "I am happy that you did."

He then walked further inside. "We can bring our kids here for holidays later. It can be our happy place."

"Kids?" She chuckled. "You want more than one?"

"Of course," he exclaimed. "I would love to have a minimum of three kids running around us. But of course not now. I want you only for me for at least a year or two. I am not ready to share your attention yet."

Rachael smiled and pulled his cheeks. "Why are you so cute?"

"Yes yes, your husband is very cute," Elsa remarked. "We get it. Now will you please stop his PDA and show us our rooms."

"There are four spare rooms, choose whichever you guys want to." Andrew started walking upstairs. "I am taking my wife to show our room."

After Andrew and Rachael left, Elsa gathered everyone in the living room. "So there are four rooms, Justin and I will take one, Emma and George will take one. Now the remaining two rooms—" She looked at Juliana, Owen, Ben and Tina. "You guys decide how you wanna divide yourself."

"My housekeeper and I will take one room," Owen stated.

When everyone looked at him, he shrugged, "What if I need water late at night? Who is gonna get it if my housekeeper is somewhere else?"

"You and me in one room?" Juliana wasn't sure if it was a good idea.

"Yeah why? You got a problem with that?" Owen raised his brows.

Left with no other choice, she shook her head. "N-No, I just— you know what, forget it. Let me take the suitcase inside the room."

"So does this mean Tina and Ben have to share a room?" Emma looked at Tina, followed by them who were awkwardly standing beside each other.

"I'll take the couch," Ben remarked.

"Woah, you are planning to sleep on the couch for three nights?" Owen raised his brows. "Are you serious?"

"We will switch alternatively," Tina said. "He will take the room one night and I'll take it the next." When she looked at Ben and he nodded, she felt a little relieved that he did not reject her idea.

"Well, as long as you both are comfortable." Emma smiled.

...

[Andrew and Rachael's room]

"And the bathroom is really very nice, especially the tub."

Rchale chuckled and placed her hand on his chest to stop him from kissing her. "Alright, enough of the verbal tour. Let me go around and see it myself."

When he tightened his grip around her and pouted his lips, she smiled, "Don't make that face honey, you know we can't stay in here all day. We have friends over too, we have to feed them."

"Can't they feed themselves?" He buried his face on her neck.

"No, we have to feed them." She ran her fingers through his hair.

"This is why I wanted to bring you here alone," he sighed and reluctantly got up.

"Go freshen up first, I'll go and check the kitchen." She pushed him towards the washroom.

"I asked someone to stock the fridge before we came here." He then leaned against the bathroom door. "You will get everything you need in your fridge."

"Alright—" Before Rachael could walk away, he grabbed her hand.

"And I think you have enough time for a quick shower."

"Showers with you is never quick." She removed her hand from his grasp and pushed him inside the washroom. "Now be a good boy, take a quick shower and come down."

...

[Downstairs]

When Rachael came downstairs, Tina was the only one in the living room. She was placing a pillow and duvet in the couch.

"Hey, what are you doing?" She inquired.

"I am keeping this for Ben, he will be sleeping here tonight," Tina answered.

"Okay and where is he now?" Rachael looked around.

"He is taking a shower."

Keeping quiet for a while, Rachael inquired, "So how are things going on with him?"

"With Ben?" When she nodded, Tina said, "There is nothing going on."

"Why not?" She frowned.

"It's really nothing, we are just very different," Tina remarked. "And besides, it turns out we want different things so—"

Rachael sighed and placed her hand on Tina's back. "I am sorry."

"It's okay," she smiled. "I really didn't mind."

"Did Ben tell you that he isn't interested?"

"He didn't say that he wasn't interested, he just told me that he didn't want a relationship or get involved in any kind of romantic relationship," Tina answered.

"So he shoved you away by himself and then spent all his time being miserable?" Rachael frowned. She didn't understand why would he make himself suffer like that?

It wasn't hard for her to guess that Ben also liked Tina. He had been asking about Tina's whereabouts whenever they met.

In fact, Rachael was expecting Ben and Tina's relationship to move forward. But who would have thought it had ended even before it had started.

"What are you saying?"

Rachael was about to tell her everything but decided not to. "You know what, forget it. Since you both have decided not to take it forward, there is no point discussing this."

…..

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