Following Your Heart (Love Conquers All) (11 page)

Seth laughed, “You have a point there.  We could have a picnic lunch tomorrow after church.”

“I could pack us one of those.”

“I meant I would provide the lunch.”

“You?”  Cassie laughed, “I'm sorry, but I don't remember cooking to ever be one of your strong suits.”

Seth tried to act hurt, “I have you know...I keep telling you, I've changed.”

“Okay, I'll look forward to it.”

“Good, see you tomorrow.”

He waved goodbye and went back to the boutique.  He had to make sure nothing got in his way to tell her the truth.  “Is everything alright?”  Courtney asked as he approached the outside of the store.

“I think so.”

“Okay, we were thinking we could go to the Pizzeria down the street.”

“Sounds fine with me.”  They walked to the small restaurant and it was packed, but they didn't have to wait long to get seated.  As Seth was looking through the menu, he had a feeling that Courtney was watching him.  He thought if he ignored her, she would go about focusing on something else.  He was wrong.  When he looked up she was looking right at him.  He smiled, “I know what I want.”

“Do you?”  Courtney asked, with a touch of laughter.

“I know what I want to order,” he looked at Bradley...begging for some help.  Bradley just shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the menu.  He motioned for the waiter and quickly placed his order, it probably wasn't the brightest idea to go along with Courtney and Bradley,
and he was soon going to find that out.  “So, how's the wedding planning coming?”  He asked, desperate to talk about anything but what Courtney wanted to say.

“Fine.”

“Okay,” the table grew quiet and then he looked at Courtney and cocked his head.  “I know that you want to say something, so go ahead.”

Courtney shot a look at Bradley and he just raised his eyebrows.  “What happened between you and Rebecca?”

Seth looked at Bradley; he was worried about the awkwardness of the situation.  “I don't know what you want me to say.”  His eyes never left Brad's.

“Yeah, I think I would like to hear this too.”

Seth looked around the room, hoping to find an escape route.  However, he didn't see an easy way out and knew that he couldn't avoid the questions much longer.  “I didn't want Rebecca hurt, you have to believe that.  It was the last thing that I would have planned on.  Rebecca is a great girl and knowing that I could hurt her...I would hate to be the cause of her pain.”

“Did you break up with her, or was it the other way around?”  When Brad asked the question, Seth wanted to crawl in a hole and die. 

“Actually, she broke up with me.”

Courtney smiled, but Brad just nodded.  “That's great, right Brad?”

Seth shook his head, “gee thanks a lot.”

“I just meant if she broke up with you she probably isn't heartbroken. 
If you would have been the one to end it, then things might be a little uglier between the families.”

“Okay...I guess I understand what you're saying.”

“I don't,” Brad replied, surprising Seth.  Courtney looked surprised as well when she turned to him.  “Let's face it, a breakup is a breakup.  Either way someone ends up hurt, but I don't think Seth seems too emotional about it.  Why did she breakup with you?”

Seth swallowed hard.  He didn't know how to respond to that question.  As he was thinking about it the waitress approached their table.  “What can I get for you today?”

“Actually, I think we need a few more minutes.”  Courtney replied; Seth saw that her eyes never left Brad's.

“Okay, take your time.”  She left them to their discussion, but Seth really wanted to leave the table too.

“So, why?”  Brad asked, clearly not wanting to drop the subject.

“I...I...I guess she realized it wasn't working out.  I don't know Brad.”

“She realized it wasn't working out?  Do you think that that has anything to do with Cassie?”

“Brad...stop!”  Courtney pleaded, but he continued to look at Seth.

“I don't know, maybe...I suppose so.  I just didn't...”

“You didn't think; that's what happened. 
You didn't think about anyone but yourself.  You didn't worry about hurting her feelings.”

“Whoa, I told you Rebecca is the one that broke up with me.  It was her decision.”

“Yes, I get that, but she did it so she wouldn't get hurt.  She didn't want you to be the one to break her heart.  Anyone can see that.”

“Brad...”  Courtney began to speak, but he shot her a look.

“Courtney, you're just thinking about your sister.  Hoping that this can end well for her.  It's not all about what they once had.  They both need to realize that time has passed and stop holding out for the past.  Until then, neither one will be happy.  You need to butt out and mind your own business.”

Seth quickly glanced at
Courtney; where her mouth was wide open in shock.  “Brad, I get your frustrated.  You don't have to take it out on Courtney or Cassie.  This is between your sister and me and I'll...” his voice trailed off when Brad stood up.  “Where are you going?”

“Brad, please sit down.  People are starting to stare.”  Courtney begged him, but he didn't budge.

“I have to get out of here.”  He threw some money down on the table.  “Enjoy the pizza.”  With that, he was gone.

“I can't believe this.”  Courtney replied quietly as Brad walked away.

“Courtney, I am so sorry.  This has nothing to do with you or Cassie.  This is between me and their family.  I shouldn't have done something to stop him from leaving.  Made him see that he wasn't right about everything.”

“Was he right about Rebecca and you breaking up over Cassie?”

He didn't have to think about the question, he was well aware of the answer.  “Rebecca...I think she always knew that my heart was leaning more towards Cassie.  I would have made her happy, if we were to get married.  I would not have let her down.  It's just that she's a smart girl and at some point she just realized she wasn't ready to try to be Cassie.”

“When did it happen?”

“Saturday night.  It was our year anniversary,” he chuckled.  “Some celebration, huh?”

“I am sorry that it didn't work out.  I guess, in my heart, I have always hoped you would get back together with my sister.  I would never want Rebecca to get hurt in the process.”

“Neither would I.”  Seth looked to the door where Brad had left a few minutes earlier.  “I hope this doesn't put a rift between you two.  I would never forgive myself if it did?”

“I'm sure everything will be fine,” she shrugged.  “I'll talk to him later.”

The pizza arrived as Seth was about to say something.  “Thank you,” he replied with a smile.  “We have plenty of pizza.”

Courtney laughed, but her apprehension was inevitable.  “I don't have a ride home.”

“I think that can be arranged.”

She nodded as they ate the pizza.  Most of their conversation, he attempted to keep lighthearted.  He didn't want to think about Brad, or he didn't want her to think about Brad.  It wasn't the best situation to be in, but he prayed that Brad would come around and the wedding would go on as planned in just two months.  When they finished their food Courtney handed Seth the money.  “I guess Brad's buying.”

“Hold onto the money for him.  I'll take care of the tab.”  He grabbed the bill and headed up to the cashier.  Courtney waited for him by the door.  When he got back to her he noticed a tear creeping down her cheek.  “Oh Court, come on.” He wrapped his arm around her and they headed towards his truck.  Once he had opened the door for her he turned to face her.  “Do you want me to talk to him again?  I can get him to understand that he has this all wrong.  I know I can.”

Courtney shrugged, “I don't know that it would make any difference.”  She slid in the truck and he closed the door. 

When he got into the driver's side, he started the truck...yet didn't leave.  “It doesn't hurt to try.”

“I suppose so, but...”

“I'll make it better, I promise you.”

Courtney nodded as he headed away from the restaurant.  They were pulling up in front of her house, when he heard a sniffle.  “What if he wants to call off the wedding?”

He put the truck into park and turned off the ignition.  “Courtney, look at me.”  She reluctantly faced him and he saw the damage that had been done.  “He would be a fool.  I have known you for many years and I know what a special girl you are.  He can't deny that.  The wedding will go on as planned, I am sure of it.”  He opened the door and went around to her side.  When he opened her door she just sat there.  He reached for her hand and helped her out of the truck.  “Dry those eyes; he won't let you get away.”

She wiped the tears off and then showed him a forced smile.  “Better?”

He laughed, “I guess it will have to do.”

She leaned in and hugged him, surprising him of her gesture.  “Thank you Seth.”

“No problem.  I'm sure by this time tomorrow all will be well.”

She pulled away, this time sharing a better smile than before.  “You're right, I'm just being silly.  Thanks for the ride home.  I'll see you later Seth.”

She walked up the front steps as he got back into the truck.  What he needed to do wasn't going to be easy.  He just had to grin and bear it, knowing it needed to be done.

___________________________

Cassie watched out the window as Seth and Courtney were hugging, she stepped back and wondered what was going on.  As the door opened, she tried to act like she was interested in the mail that was in her hands.  “Hey Cassie,” she looked up and tried to seem shocked that Courtney was there.

“Courtney, I didn't hear Brad's car pull up.”  In that moment Cassie noticed the tear—stained face.  “Courtney, what's wrong?”

“Brad didn't drop me off.  We had a disagreement.”

“Disagreement?”

“You wouldn't understand.”  She replied with frustration as she headed towards the stairs.

“What?”  Cassie grabbed Courtney's arm to stop her.  “What do you mean I wouldn't understand?”

“It's between Brad and I, I can't talk about it.”  She hurried up the stairs.

Cassie followed her, but Courtney slammed her bedroom door shut.  “Courtney, open up.”  Cassie banged on the door, but only heard silence.  “I'm not leaving until we talk.”

“What's going on?”  Their mother asked coming out of the bedroom. 

“Nothing.” 

“It doesn't sound like nothing, the neighborhood is going to start calling.”

“We'll keep it down, it's just something Courtney and I need to discuss.” She frowned, but then went back to what she was doing.  “Courtney...”

“Cassie, please just let it go.  I can't talk to you.”  Cassie stared at the door in disbelief; they were always able to talk about everything.  What had changed?  Courtney must have been thinking the same thing because the door opened and she pulled away so that Cassie could enter.

“I...if you can't talk to me, I'm sorry about that.  Is it because I am no longer in the picture, as much?”  Cassie took a seat on the bed and paced herself for the answer.

“Cass, it isn't that.  I want to tell you what happened, but I made a promise.  I just can't.  I'm sorry.”

“You made a promise to Brad?”  Cassie sat their anticipation waiting for her to answer.  “I wouldn't want you to break confidentiality with him.”

“It's not Brad.”

Cassie was confused, but when Courtney didn't continue she started to understand.  “Seth?”

Courtney slowly nodded, “It's complicated.”

“Oh Court, I know complicated
” Cassie responded with a chuckle.  “You just seemed so upset; I thought maybe I could help.” 

Cassie went to stand up and leave, when Courtney stopped her.  “Brad and I tend to disagree only on certain things, one being you.”

“Me?”  Cassie felt her body go weak and so she sat down again.  “I don't understand.  I didn't get the impression he doesn't like me.  “Maybe it's a good thing I don't live nearby.  I wouldn't want to interfere with your relationship.”

“Cassie, you don't understand.  That's because I'm not really making things clear.  He doesn't hate you, he hates the situation.  I didn't tell you everything.  You know that Rebecca and Brad are brother and sister, what you don't know is that Brad is very protective of her.  They've always been close and he watches for her.”

“That's good, but I'm not following.”

“Sometimes I think that it bothers him that your ex is marrying his sister.  He's been afraid that emotions would get involved and that Seth would always wonder how it would be different if it was you it was going to marry.”

“That's crazy, he's moved on.  He would never hurt someone like that, he doesn't love me anymore.  He's...”

“Cassie, you can't be that naive.”

“I'm just being practical.  It's over between us and has been for some time.  That is a fact.”

“Maybe in your heart you have moved on, but Seth...he's a different person.  You're
right; he would never hurt someone, not intentionally.  Sometimes it just happens.”