AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Tense.”
“I’m fine.” She bit into her sandwich. Despite the succulent turkey touching her tongue, her mouth went dry. She then sampled her glass of water Seth brought.
“Would you rather go somewhere else?”
She swallowed, ignoring the prickling sensation on her scalp. “No, I’ll be fine. This feels… like a… date.”
“I guess my plan to sweep you off your feet’s not working.”
She avoided his gaze, staring at her half-eaten sandwich. “What happened to hanging out?” She lifted her chin to face him, determined not to sigh aloud.
“It started out that way, Leah.” His eyes gazed into hers. “I didn’t plan on this.”
“Seth, before you—”
“Let me finish, Leah. I have one more place to take you. If you’ll hear me out, I can explain everything.” He sounded so hopeful.
If only her feelings for Cole didn’t surface. When did they become stronger than those she had for Seth? Was it the dance at the wedding? The way he held her and swayed her across the floor stole her breath. A feeling of emotional connection percolated between them. She could still feel his thumb tracing her jawline, leaving a trail of heat behind on her skin.
Now as she sat across from Seth, the clarity descending upon her broke her heart. Though the thought of reconciling with him crossed her mind, Cole had her heart. Her body went still that night at the wedding. If April hadn’t squealed, he would have kissed her. Even worse, she would have kissed him back.
Refocusing on Seth, she once again saw the optimism in his eyes. “Okay.”
Dinner went smoother with their small talk, but a heavy feeling in her stomach intensified. Seth would steal furtive gazes off and on. With his expression sweet and soft, she knew there was something he wanted to tell her. If it was what she assumed, it had to do with their relationship.
Once they finished dinner, they both said goodbye to Albert. Celeste stared after Seth, and Leah slipped her a curious glance before waving. Seth escorted her back to his truck, opening the door for her. She settled into her seat and crossed her ankles in front of her. Seth didn’t say a word when he slid into the driver’s seat. Jazz music from the radio filled the background as they cruised down the road.
Leah bit on the inside of her cheek. What could she do? Then her eyes diverted out the window. Seth parked his truck, and she unclicked her seatbelt. Her chest tingled as they exited his truck.
She paced toward Piedmont Valley’s lake. The trees bowed casting their own reflection on the water. Moonlight peeked through the billowing clouds and glittered off the waves. Thin tree stumps stuck out from the water, which gently lapped the shoreline.
The gravel crunched underneath her feet as she walked toward the long dock. The wind whispered through the trees, while the insects buzzed. Fresh air filled her lungs. It brought back the memories of Seth bringing her here.
“I haven’t been here since…” She twirled around to face Seth.
“I asked you to be my girlfriend here. This was where we had our first kiss.”
Her eyes widened. “Seth, I—”
He maneuvered closer to her. “I’m sorry, Leah. This didn’t turn out the way I planned it.”
“Seth, what’s going on?”
“I wanted to take you… on a retrospective date.”
“Wow…”
“I know.” He drew closer. “Being with you and hanging out together has brought back all those feelings I felt in high school. To be honest, I don’t think they ever went away.” He caught her hands in his, allowing his thumbs to graze her knuckles.
“Seth—”
“I don’t know if we’ll ever get back what we had, but I know I never should have left you. It’s the biggest regret of my life. I had everything I could ever want, but you weren’t there to share it with me. When I got injured and had to come home, seeing your face made me smile for the first time.”
The thickness in Leah’s throat increased. His admission made her wish things were different. The love of her life as a teen, but as a woman could they get back what they had? Did she want to? Would it even be the same? In that moment, she wanted to disappear. She hung her head. “I can’t lie to you, Seth.”
“I know it’s a lot to take in, but Leah, I—”
“You can’t, Seth.” Her eyes brimmed with tears. She raised her chin. “I can’t…”<
