followed Cassie into the dining room where everyone was seated.
Cassie's mother looked up and smiled. “I'll go grab another bowl. Seth, you can sit down right next to Cassie.” Cassie could feel her face turn red and to add even more confusion he pulled out her seat.
“Thank you,” she replied quietly as she sat down.
“Old habits die hard,” he whispered.
When everyone was back seated, they grabbed hands and her Father said the prayer. Cassie bit her lower lip hard, hoping that she wouldn't draw blood. She could feel the heat from his grasp creep up her arm. It was as if 10 years hadn't passed and the fact was she was thankful when the prayer was over. Her heart was beating a little faster than before as the family held polite conversation and she tried her hardest to keep her eyes off of him. Time had definitely been good to him. “So Seth, what brings you to Avery?” She asked hoping he didn't sense her nervousness.
“I decided I could use a few days away.”
“How's the Bed and Breakfast doing?” Cassie asked quietly, keeping her eyes focused on eating and not the man beside her.
“It's doing well; there have been a lot of changes. Megan is looking after it this week. It's been a challenge, but...it's been worth it.”
Cassie looked at him, his expression was kind and he didn't seem to have any hard feelings towards her. “Did Rebecca come with you?” Cassie heard her father's voice and was thankful that someone had finally asked the question.
Seth and Cassie's stare broke and he turned to look at her Dad. “Uh...no...She couldn't get away.”
Cassie shot him a glance; she hoped he wouldn't regret eating supper over there after bringing up Rebecca's name. He didn't appear to want to flee the situation, so that was a good sign. “What does Rebecca do in Dallas?” Cassie asked looking down at her soup as if it was going to do something entertaining.
“She's a teacher.” He replied quietly and Cassie could sense he was getting uncomfortable. “So, Courtney where's Brad tonight?”
“He had a meeting for work, he's coming over afterward.”
“Tell him I said hello.”
“I will.”
He took the last bite of his chili and then looked at Cassie's mother. “The chili was great, thanks.”
“You're welcome, but I can't take the credit for it. Cassie made the supper.”
He turned to Cassie and smiled, “Well then, thanks.”
“No problem.”
“I probably should get going. Where should I put the dirty dishes?”
“Don't be silly Seth, I'll get them.” Cassie replied quietly, confused why the sudden urge to leave. Was he that uncomfortable about talking about his fiancée in front of her? “I'll walk you out.”
“You don't have to do that,” he spoke as he reached out and touched her hand. She looked down at their hands and he quickly pulled away. “I know my way.”
“It's no problem at all.” She got up, despite his urgent expression telling her not to.
He waved goodbye and they walked in silence to the door. When he opened the door she followed him onto the porch. “I wanted to tell you, but I didn't get a chance to at the jewelry store. I like the new look.”
“What?” Cassie asked surprised by his remark.
“The color and style. I haven't seen it on you before and I just wanted you to know that I think you look nice.”
“Thanks Seth,” she didn't know how to feel about that. Chad didn't even mention the makeover and for Seth to notice and mention it after 10 years, just proved what an observant guy he was.
“You're welcome and thanks again for supper.”
“I'm glad you could stay.” He turned away from her and began to walk towards the driveway. “Seth, wait!” He stopped for a moment and she waited for him to look at her. “You don't have to be quiet about Rebecca. I'm happy that you moved on. I mean after all I...”
He nodded, “I know...Chad.”
“Oh,” she
Cassie's mother looked up and smiled. “I'll go grab another bowl. Seth, you can sit down right next to Cassie.” Cassie could feel her face turn red and to add even more confusion he pulled out her seat.
“Thank you,” she replied quietly as she sat down.
“Old habits die hard,” he whispered.
When everyone was back seated, they grabbed hands and her Father said the prayer. Cassie bit her lower lip hard, hoping that she wouldn't draw blood. She could feel the heat from his grasp creep up her arm. It was as if 10 years hadn't passed and the fact was she was thankful when the prayer was over. Her heart was beating a little faster than before as the family held polite conversation and she tried her hardest to keep her eyes off of him. Time had definitely been good to him. “So Seth, what brings you to Avery?” She asked hoping he didn't sense her nervousness.
“I decided I could use a few days away.”
“How's the Bed and Breakfast doing?” Cassie asked quietly, keeping her eyes focused on eating and not the man beside her.
“It's doing well; there have been a lot of changes. Megan is looking after it this week. It's been a challenge, but...it's been worth it.”
Cassie looked at him, his expression was kind and he didn't seem to have any hard feelings towards her. “Did Rebecca come with you?” Cassie heard her father's voice and was thankful that someone had finally asked the question.
Seth and Cassie's stare broke and he turned to look at her Dad. “Uh...no...She couldn't get away.”
Cassie shot him a glance; she hoped he wouldn't regret eating supper over there after bringing up Rebecca's name. He didn't appear to want to flee the situation, so that was a good sign. “What does Rebecca do in Dallas?” Cassie asked looking down at her soup as if it was going to do something entertaining.
“She's a teacher.” He replied quietly and Cassie could sense he was getting uncomfortable. “So, Courtney where's Brad tonight?”
“He had a meeting for work, he's coming over afterward.”
“Tell him I said hello.”
“I will.”
He took the last bite of his chili and then looked at Cassie's mother. “The chili was great, thanks.”
“You're welcome, but I can't take the credit for it. Cassie made the supper.”
He turned to Cassie and smiled, “Well then, thanks.”
“No problem.”
“I probably should get going. Where should I put the dirty dishes?”
“Don't be silly Seth, I'll get them.” Cassie replied quietly, confused why the sudden urge to leave. Was he that uncomfortable about talking about his fiancée in front of her? “I'll walk you out.”
“You don't have to do that,” he spoke as he reached out and touched her hand. She looked down at their hands and he quickly pulled away. “I know my way.”
“It's no problem at all.” She got up, despite his urgent expression telling her not to.
He waved goodbye and they walked in silence to the door. When he opened the door she followed him onto the porch. “I wanted to tell you, but I didn't get a chance to at the jewelry store. I like the new look.”
“What?” Cassie asked surprised by his remark.
“The color and style. I haven't seen it on you before and I just wanted you to know that I think you look nice.”
“Thanks Seth,” she didn't know how to feel about that. Chad didn't even mention the makeover and for Seth to notice and mention it after 10 years, just proved what an observant guy he was.
“You're welcome and thanks again for supper.”
“I'm glad you could stay.” He turned away from her and began to walk towards the driveway. “Seth, wait!” He stopped for a moment and she waited for him to look at her. “You don't have to be quiet about Rebecca. I'm happy that you moved on. I mean after all I...”
He nodded, “I know...Chad.”
“Oh,” she
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