Page 38 of Waiting to Love You

“Do you really think that’s the type of man he is?” Audrey questions, as she hands Leia a glass.

“No. Yeah. I don’t know.” I sigh, throwing back the rest of my drink. “I just wish I had a crystal ball to tell me how he will react to the news. I’ve taken time with his daughter away from him. What if he hates us and leaves?”

“I doubt there is anything you can do to make that man hate you.” Leia reaches over and gives my hand a squeeze. “Besides, Seth wouldn’t have had those few months with Rebecca either way.

“Seli is right. He was on the other side of the world, fighting a war, for Christ’s sake.” Audrey chimes in as she takes a seat at the island on the stool beside me.

“We can all see how much he means to you.” Leia smiles softly at me over her glass as she takes a sip.

“The same way we all know how you are secretly in love with Riggs Monroe but refuse to admit it to yourself?”

“We aren’t talking about me, missy.” Leia’s cheeks turn pink as we all have a laugh at her expense.

“I know, but you’re one to talk about having someone who means so much to you right in front of your face.”

“Touché. Let me worry about whatever is between Riggs and me. Right now, we are trying to help you figure out how to tell Seth. Either way, it needs to happen sooner rather than later because someone is going to slip and say something about Rebekah. It’s inevitable.”

“Don’t you think he deserves to know he has a daughter?” Audrey murmurs, asking the one question I’m sure everyone has been wondering since yesterday.

“Of course, he does. He’ll make an amazing father, and now that he’s in town for good, there is no reason to keep them apart,” I say without even thinking.

“Okay, then what is keeping you from telling him?”

Tears immediately well in my eyes and trickle down my face. “I don’t know.” I cover my face with my hands and sob. This secret was mine to keep, and I’ll do anything to protect myself and my little girl from heartbreak. But now that secret is the only thing standing between me and the man I love.

“What does your heart say?” Audrey whispers into my ear as she lays her head on my shoulder. All the girls wrap me in a protective cocoon, giving me the support I need as my world crumbles around me.

“What happens if he doesn’t want us?” I hiccup, attempting to stop the tears from streaming down my cheeks.

I’ve finally voiced my biggest fear. I’ve known in my heart since I laid eyes on Seth over a year ago that he was it for me. That he was the man I could see everything with. There were times when we were together that I could see it all playing out in front of my eyes like a movie, but loving someone with all your heart isn’t always enough. I knew in my soul that if we ever saw each other again, there was no doubt we’d have ended up together. But that nagging voice in the back of my mind would whisper words of doubt to me, sparking the fires of my fear that I tried to keep buried deep in my soul.

When Seth never contacted me after deploying, I believed that was it. That the distance between us had squandered all the feelings of love and devotion he had before deployment, but it seems I was wrong. Knowing Seth changed everything in his life for a chance to be with me makes my heart flutter, reigniting the kindling of the love I was feeling for him before he left. I’m sure if I closed my eyes, those same images of our perfect life together would still be there. But that was before Rebekah was born, before I had this tiny human to protect from the heartbreak and evils in the world. I’d do anything to ensure Rebekah never has to feel the pain of losing Seth, even if that means losing my heart.

I should keep my heart locked away from Seth, protecting Rebekah and me from potential heartache. It would be so much easier to protect both of us if he wasn’t slowly weaving his way into our everyday life. If he was still halfway around the world and thoughts of what it felt like to have his arms wrapped tightly around me or the press of his full lips against my cheek were nothing more than a dream, then I wouldn’t have anything to worry about because the pain of not having him in our lives was minimal.

But after spending last night with him, my heart yearns for all those things and more. It doesn’t help that soon, there will be reminders of Seth and how things could be between us popping up around every corner here in town. It’s the blessing and a curse of living in a small town. He’s slowly beginning to become a major part of my life without even knowing it. I doubt he’s doing it on purpose, but we are all one big family here in Tyson’s Creek. Seth lives within walking distance of my house. He works for two of my best friends’ significant others’ construction company. We are bound to run into each other, no matter how things play out between us, and I don’t know if my heart can take it.

“If he doesn’t want you, then fuck him, but we all know that man is madly in love with you.” Selina flashes me a smile before pushing back from the island and sliding off the chair. “Now that that’s settled, I’m going to sit here and drink my virgin mimosa while you three get day drunk and try to convince me to tell you if I’m having a boy or a girl.”

Chapter 11

Bristol

“Is Seth coming by for lunch again today?” Audrey teases as she leans over the front desk.

“Maybe.” My cheeks pink slightly, causing Audrey to giggle. “He said something about having to head to Ace & Hammer this morning, so he might not have time to stop by.”

It’s been about two months since Seth came back into my life and to say that things have changed would be an understatement. My normal schedule usually involved lunch with the girls, work, and taking care of Rebekah, but ever since Seth and I reconnected, I’ve had to add him to my routine. Between the sweet text messages that have not turned into phone calls, I talk to him more than my best friends, and that’s saying something. Recently, he has taken to stopping by Nurture Space at least once a week for lunch.

“I have an in over there, so if you want me to make a call so your man can come to visit this afternoon…” Her voice trails off just as my phone chimes on the desk. “Why do I have the feeling that’s him?”

I roll my eyes at her before grabbing my phone and heading to the break room in the back to read my text message in peace.

Seth

Hey beautiful. I got done earlier than expected. Still want to have lunch with me?

Bristol

---