by Daria White
Turning her attention to her mother, Leah replied. “I’ve been seeing Cole. Seth and I were hanging out at one point too. He wanted to rekindle what we had before, but by that time, Cole and I…”
Her mother folded her arms. “I’m not surprised at all.”
Jerking her head back, she stared at her mother. “You’re not?”
“There has been a change in you, sweetie.” Her mother’s eyes glowed with warmth. “You do not understand how proud I am of you. I never wanted you to get lost in trying to please people. You’ve always been independent, but once you dated, you gave up little pieces of yourself, thinking they would love you.”
Leah’s bottom lip quivered.
Her mother continued, “Your confidence has changed. That’s what attracted these men to you. You’re secure in who you are, and that’s what makes you beautiful. You’ve discovered how to love yourself first.”
Leah rubbed her forearm.
“Haven’t you seen a change?”
A wave of heat spread through her chest. Riding a horse, salsa lessons, Pilates, they were all a result of her taking risks. “I have. I always wanted what you and dad had.”
“You will have it, sooner than you think. And when that day comes, you make sure you show the real you.” Her mother touched her hand to her daughter’s chest, right at her heart. “He’ll love you from here and you’ll do the same for him. As long as love is the foundation for you both, and you’re both willing to fight for it, you can weather through anything.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Leah’s voice choked with tears. Her mother pulled her into an embrace, splaying her hands on her daughter’s back. Her mother gently rocked her back and forth, as she did when she was smaller. Leah closed her eyes, but another question gnawed at her stomach.
“Do you think I should talk to him?” she asked.
Her mother broke her embrace. “Did you agree already?”
Leah’s mouth twisted. “Yes.”
“Well… do you want to hear what Brian has to say? Do you need closure to move on?”
“I don’t know. I thought I was okay. I felt as if for the first time I was moving on, trying new things on my own. Now with Cole in the mix, Brian’s only complicating things even further.”
Leah’s mother rubbed her back. “All I can tell you is to know your heart.”
“What does that even mean?” Leah brought a shaky hand to her forehead.
“Know what you want and go for it. What’s the best decision for you? Who do you see as a part of your life?”
Letting out an uncontrollable whimper, Leah leaned against the counter. “I need time to think.”
Her mother pulled her into a side hug. “You’ll do the right thing. I know you will.” With one final pat, her mother returned to her cooking station. “In the meantime, let’s get these cookies going, or I will have to explain to Mrs. Hartley why we’re short a few dozen.”
Leah dabbed her eyes, releasing a giggle. “Yeah, let’s finish.”
****
“Thanks, Chloe.” Leah cuddled Chip in her arms as she said goodbye to her dog walker.
Chloe’s baby blue eyes beamed. “You’re welcome.” She scratched behind the puppy’s ears. “He’s such a sweetie. See you tomorrow.”
Leah waved goodbye using Chip’s paw. Once alone with her puppy on the porch, she dragged her feet inside. Setting Chip down, she paced the kitchen. Her thoughts scrambled around, and her body was as restless as a blue-bottle fly on a warm summer's day.
She took in a small intake of breath. She could hear him out. Tapping her foot, she reached inside her purse grabbing her cell phone. Pacing back and forth, she listened to the ringing.
“Hey, Leah,” he said.
She brought a shaky hand to her forehead. “You wanted to talk?”
“How are you?”
She licked her lips. “Wondering why you called.”
He sighed heavily. “Leah… I’m sorry.”
“I’d rather not go through this again.” She then placed a hand on her hip. “What do you need to tell me?”
“I want you back.”
Her body stiffened. “What?”
“I was wrong, Leah. You were right all along.”
“Brian, I—”
“I know I’m in Chicago now, but you can come with me. I’m sure you’ll find better opportunities here than in Piedmont Valley.”
“Brian, you’re”—
“I love you, Leah. We can get what we had back. It’ll be great for us. We can live in Chicago, and you can work on your stuff”—
Her hand falling from her hip, she clenched her hand. “It’s not stuff, Brian. It’s my career. I love what I do.”
A beat of silence signified his surprise that she would even try to interject, but it didn’t last long. “I know. I know, but I’m saying you can always try something different, more practical.”
“Do you even know how lucrative the fashion industry is?”
“It’s great for some people, but I think what’s best is”—
“Brian, stop! Do you hear yourself right now?”
“Leah”—
“I can’t, Brian. We’re not meant to be.”
“What are you talking about? All relationships have rough patches. I know I left but”—
“Exactly, you left. You made your choice and said it was over. I’ve moved on. I can’t go back to the way things were. It wouldn’t be fair to you… or to me.”
“You’re serious?” He sounded as if she just told him the sky was pink.
Shaking her head and closing her eyes, she said, “I wasn’t myself with you, Brian. I went along with everything you said, thinking that was the best way to make a relationship work.”
He sighed heavily. “I know I can push too hard—”
“You’ve always been yourself, and that’s what I loved about you. I didn’t show you who I was. You fell in love with a fantasy. I realize that I am spontaneous, adventurous. I’m riding horses now.”
“You are?” His voice contained wonder.
“I have a puppy.”
“Since when?”
“I’m even taking a Pilates class.”
“Leah?”
She blinked. “Sorry, I’m rambling.” She inhaled a deep breath. “What I’m saying is, who I am now can’t be with you.”
He was silent, but something clicked in the background. Was that his jaw? It seemed hearing the word No wasn’t something Brian ever expected. “Wow… I never knew you felt like this.”
“I didn’t know how to tell you before.” The truth freed her as the air. Her arms didn’t tense, nor did she stall taking time to think. With easy breaths, she rolled her shoulders back. She found her confidence again, and she would hold on to it.
“I guess I never gave you a chance to tell me either.”
Leah leaned against the counter, crossing her ankles. “I’m sorry I wasn’t honest before.”
“I’m sorry I pushed you away.” Silence fell over for a moment, but then he replied. “I meant what I said that night at the restaurant. I loved you, Leah. I always will.”
Her voice cracked. “I loved you too.”
“I guess this is it then, huh?”
“Yes, it definitely is.” She straightened, standing upright. “Good luck, Brian. I wish you the best.”
“You too. You deserve the world.”
With that, the dial tone sounded in her eardrums. A slow smile crept on her face, and a slight moan slipped out her mouth. Coasting to the couch, her legs wobbled. Pressing one hand to her stomach, she settled on her sofa. She wrapped her arms around herself wanting to be held. If only she could see Cole.
Would he answer the phone? Her fingers tingled still clasping her cell. Despite her jumbled thoughts, she called him. First ring, nothing. Second ring, nothing again. The call went to voicemail, so she hung up. They needed to talk face-to-face. Yet, she scrolled through her contacts. Calling, the dial tone returned to her ears.
A heavy sigh relea
sed. “What’s going on?”
“Can I talk to you?”
“Is that a good idea?”
“Hear me out, Seth. Please?”
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.”
“You were being honest, and I appreciate it.”
He angled his body toward her. “Leah, leaving you back in high school was one of my biggest regrets, but I want you to be happy.”
“I want that for you too.”
His expression softened. “I know.” Then his shoulders slumped, and his mouth released a deep sigh. “If my brother makes you happy, that’s all that matters. I’ll… have to get used to that.”
“Thank you.” Her heart melted at his kind words.
Seth clutched her hand in response. Would he be okay? Leah’s heart filled with warmth knowing he would be. Seth proved himself a fighter after his injury. While he came on very strong to get what he wanted, he would be okay with a different outcome. She would never forget the boy she once loved. Never.
****
Cole surveyed the images on his laptop. Picking the best photos of Jeremy and April’s engagement photos, he saved them all to one file. The clearing of a throat made him raise his chin. His father lowered his gaze, but then he glared at his son.
Crossing his arms, he cleared his throat. “I talked with Mayor Kimble. He said he called you.”
Cole reached in his pocket for his phone. He had missed a call. Taking a minute, he listened to the voicemail. “Cole, this is Mayor Kimble, April’s father. She told me of your generous donation. I wanted to call and thank you personally. We’re proud to have you a part of our town.” The phone slipped through his fingers but he regained his grip before it toppled to the floor.
“You donated money to the community center?” his father asked.
“It’s not a big deal. The storm left the roof damaged. I stopped by last night during my drive.” Cole rubbed the back of his head. He should have known April wouldn’t have kept his secret for long.
“I didn’t know.” His father dragged his feet and came over to sit next to his son on the couch. “I was talking with your mother last night. Do you remember when you asked me to help you with your book report as a little boy?”
“I was ten, right?”
“I told you to ask your mother.”
Cole said, “And then when Seth asked you to play catch with him outside, you went to hang out with him.”
“I never meant to make you feel like I passed you over,” his father said.
Cole sat still as a statue. Was his father being vulnerable? Growing up, he came across tough as nails. He wasn’t much for soft words and barely said, “I love you.” His mother always defended him saying, “That’s his way,” and “Your father’s a good man.” Cole never understood that concept only wanting the love and support from his father.
Too many years he spent angry with him, unwilling to forgive. “This whole time… I thought you weren’t proud of me.”
His father released a deep breath. “I’ve always been proud of you. I just wanted you to choose the best career possible. I had already set in my mind your future. I didn’t realize I took away your choice. Now that you’re successful, I didn’t want to admit I was wrong.
“You were so smart growing up, and I wanted you to use that the way I thought best. I never went after my dreams. I lacked courage, but I should have trusted that I raised you well and respected your decision. You were right, and I’m so proud.”
Cole rubbed his chin. “I’ve always admired you. Even though our relationship has been rocky, I thought the world of you. Even when I was angry, I wanted your approval.”
“That means a lot coming from you.” His father gave him a side hug. “I’m sorry, son. I never wanted you to feel like I didn’t care. I know I’m not much with words, but I love you.”
Cole’s voice choked. Too focused on his own feelings, he did not see his father’s. “I… love you too, Dad.”
His father patted his arm before releasing him. “I also called your brother over here.”
Cole’s eyebrows shot up. “What?”
“Your mother asked me to intervene, so whatever it is you two are fighting about, it ends today.”
“It’s not my fault.”
“I didn’t say it was, but what’s the one thing your mother hates?” His father r
aised an eyebrow.
Cold didn’t have to think twice about the answer. He lost count of the times his mother made him and Seth sit across from each other until they compromised. Even something small as fighting over a toy, she didn’t condone fighting. They could disagree or have differences of opinion, but nothing could break their bond as brothers.
“Son?”
“I hear you.”
The front door opened and closed.
“Okay, Dad, I don’t have much time, so what happened in the kitchen you need my help with?” Seth paused as soon as he and Cole made eye contact. His eyes then shifted back to his father. “What’s he doing here?”
Their father pointed to the couch. “Have a seat, Seth.”
Seth sat in the chair in front of the fireplace. “What’s going on?”
“You both tell me. Now, you’re grown men, so I can’t tell you what to do, but when your arguing affects your mother, I have to speak on it.”
Seth leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs.
Cole leaned back on the couch. He didn’t want to fight anymore. What would it take for them to compromise? “I’m… sorry.”
His brother rubbed the back of his head. “No… I’m sorry.”
“You are?”
“I’ll let you boys talk it out.” Their father stepped out of the room. “No wrestling.”
Seth’s mouth twisted, but not quite into a full smile. “I am sorry, Cole. I’ve been thinking, and I shouldn’t have kicked you out.”
“I meant to tell you before about Leah and me.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Cole raised his eyebrows. “Based on your reaction, can you blame me for waiting?”
“I guess I can’t.” He leaned back in his chair. “I guess I thought ‘what does she see in him she doesn’t see in me?’”
“I thought the same thing about you in high school.”
“I know, and I thought we could get it back, but…” Seth looked over at his brother. “She loves you, Cole.” Then he extended his hand. “Make her happy. She deserves it.”
Cole shook his brother’s hand, then released it. “Thanks.”
“I’m also sorry about everything else. I was so busy wanting my success I didn’t take time to include you. I’ve always been proud, but I should have said it more.”
