Chapter 25
“You’re beating that dough hard.” Leah’s mother raised an eyebrow. Tilting her head to the side, she drew her bottom lip between her teeth.
Leah pressed her fingers into the dough. With the spring festival approaching, they were baking sugar cookies for the extravaganza. With a compilation of hamburgers, hot dogs, and a plethora of desserts, Piedmont Valley never disappointed to bring its community together. Responsible for half of the twenty-four dozen sugar cookies, Leah volunteered to assist her mother. Thankfully, her mother was more than halfway finished. How? She wished she possessed her mother’s baking skills.
“I’m fine.” Though her lips pressed together, she willed her nerves to relax.
“Leah?”
She paused in front of the counter. “Yes.”
Her mother wiped her hands with a dishtowel. “What’s wrong?”
Shoulders drooping, Leah sighed. “Brian called.”
“When?”
“Two weeks ago. He has a new number, so I didn’t know it was him until he left a voicemail.”
“I see.”
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 released. “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.