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Silence.
“Seth?”
“When?”
****
“I know there’s a reason Seth sent you over here.” Cole’s mother tapped her foot to the floor.
Cole washed his plate at the sink. Her chocolate cake hit the spot in his stomach, but did nothing for his frayed nerves. His brother thought he stole Leah. Seth stole Leah from him first. How could he accuse him of going behind his back? Did he assume the worst about people too?
“Mom, don’t worry about it.” He dried his dish.
She pointed at him. “You two are family. I don’t care what you’re fighting about. Get along. I won’t have my boys hating each other.”
“Too late for that. He practically accused me of stabbing him in the back.” Cole cracked his knuckles, heat flashing through his body.
His mother bobbed her head. “Fix it.”
“Me? He’s the one who kicked me out.”
“You be the bigger man. You know your brother.”
“Mom—”
“I know you always felt like Seth got all the attention, but I love you both. It’ll break my heart if you let something like this break your friendship.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “He won’t talk to me. I told you, he hates me.”
“He’s your brother.”
“I need some air.” Cole’s mother clutched his hand for a moment, but then she released it. He hurried to the front door, grabbing his jacket along the way. He couldn’t apologize. Why would he? The only thing he was guilty of was falling in love with his brother’s ex-girlfriend. Whom he broke up with.
Once outside, Cole looked heavenward. Put plainly, it sounded unpleasant. How did it happen? In the halls of Piedmont Valley, Leah stole his breath. He didn’t mean to hurt his brother. How could he fix it? One option: give up Leah. He couldn’t. He loved her too much. What then? An impossible situation stared him in the face.
Chapter 26
Leah watched kids playing tag, a couple holding hands, and people lying on their blankets and reading their books. Flies buzzed while the wind sighed causing the trees to creak.
Then Cole’s mink eyes flashed in her mind. He hadn’t called her back. Was he okay? How much time did he need? She stared at her hands while settled on the park bench. The thought of losing him made her chin tremble.
She shut her eyes, since the idea was nonsense. Cole would never abandon her. She trusted him, with everything. If only Brian didn’t text her at the most inappropriate time. Her time with Cole was like music on the water. Everything was perfect. They even felt like a family with Chip running around.
All her dreams of love compared little to the passion, which took hold of her when Cole came around. She wanted a future with him. The hardships they would face, like all couples, she would endure them without question. With him beside her, the world was theirs for the taking.
Is this what her mother meant by “knowing your heart?” Leah licked her lips. If this was a taste, hers was clear as crystal. Feeling his hand to her face, his lips meshing with hers, murmuring I love you in her ear. Her lashes fluttered at the thought.
She pulled out her cell again to call. Voicemail again? Leah pursed her lips. “Hey, it’s me. Call me when you get a chance. Please?” She hung up.
“Waiting for me?” A baritone voice asked.
Leah twirled her head around as Seth sat on the bench beside her. “Thank you for coming.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Seth, I am so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want to cause friction with you and Cole. I guess I did that, anyway.”
He bobbed his head. “I guess I came on a little strong.”
