|
|
Chapter 29
"What the HELL was that all about?" Leighanne shouted.
"Leigh-"
"What!" Brian cringed. She was not looking too happy.
"Let me explain something to you, please?"
She crossed her arms across her chest and glared at him. "It better be good, Brian, because from what I saw there is no possible explanation in the world that could make sense."
"She was a fan…" What was he doing? He had been so ready to break it to her, and at the last minute, he had frozen.
"A fan, Brian?" She was skeptical. "You almost kissed her! I saw it with my own eyes! A fan!"
"I was being nice…"
"Don't!" she snapped. He stared at her, taken aback. Brian Littrell, not be nice? Suddenly his stomach clenched. Faith wouldn't have minded. She would have encouraged his interacting with fans and bringing them on stage.
"I've had it," he muttered.
"What was that?" she demanded. He just stared at her. How was it he had never noticed this…this hostile personality trait before?
"I have to do this, and I know you're not going to like it," he said hurriedly. "But it's gotta happen, and…and…"
"Spit it out, Brian," she said harshly, annoyed. He grew angrier.
"I don't want to marry you," he blurted out. Her eyes widened.
"What?" she whispered.
"I don't want to marry you," he reiterated.
"I heard you," she muttered. "Why not?"
"I-I don't love you?" he offered. "Well, I love you, but just not like that. I love you like I love Nick, or Kevin…"
Wrong thing to say, Brian, he scolded himself when he saw her face drain of all color. "No, I meant that, I love you, but I'm not in love with you…"
Her face softened, to his immense surprise. "Brian…"
"And, I don't think you deserve to be in a marriage where it wouldn't be…" he trailed off when she hugged him. This was the last thing he had expected her to do.
"Who do you love?" she asked. He uncertainly put his arms around her.
"Do you really want to know this?" he asked softly.
"Yeah, because I had a good talk with Promise-you know, that day they came over? And she knocked some sense into me, Brian. I do love you, and I always will, it's just that, well, you're my pizza."
"Your pizza?" he asked, his brow knitted.
"Like, I love you like I love a hobby, but now like a soul mate, as my other half, I guess."
"Oh," he said. Her pizza?
"And, yes, I really do want to know-who do you love?"
"You know Promise?"
She nodded. "You love Promise?"
He laughed. "Promise's best friend has a twin, Faith. I know this is hard to follow, it's confusing."
"Nah. Promise's best friend's sister who is a twin. I can follow."
He laughed again. It was a lot easier to laugh when he knew that all was well.
"She wrote me a letter…the day of the Grammies. I never knew that we would come to the same island that she was staying at for the summer…"
"When can I meet her?"
Brian was surprised but tried not to show it. "Whenever you want, I guess."
"Well, tonight's your last night here. When else am I going to meet her?"
Brian shrugged. "I'm really glad you're okay with this, Leigh. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you before…"
"Brian, all that matters is that our friendship stays intact. I don't want to lose you, as a friend." She kissed him on the cheek affectionately. "Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right one, we will know how to be grateful for that gift."
Brian was touched. "Wow," he remarked. "That was really deep, Leigh."
She shrugged. "I heard it somewhere."
He chuckled.
*~*~*~*
Faith opened the door and stepped back. What she saw made her heart sink.
Brian was standing on the step, with a very gorgeous looking Leighanne in
tow.
"Come on in," she said uncertainly. Brian smiled reassuringly at her, and
she felt somewhat better. Once again, it struck her at what a calming effect
he had on her.
"Hi, Faith," Leighanne said cheerfully.
Faith said hi back, wondering if Leighanne was aware of the relationship
between her fiancée and one-fifth of the hostesses of the party she
was at.
"You're right, Bri, she is gorgeous," Leighanne commented, studying Faith's
face. She laughed gleefully when she saw Faith's mouth drop.
Before anyone could say anything, Grace appeared in the doorway, calling,
"Whoever is just standing in the doorway better get their…" Her words
trailed off when she saw Leighanne standing next to Brian. "Oh," she said
lamely.
"'Oh' is right! Oh, my gosh! You look exactly alike!" Leighanne exclaimed.
Grace looked at her twin, and Faith in turn shrugged. She didn't know any
more than Grace did.
"Brian, can I talk to you?" she whispered out of the corner of her mouth.
To her shock, he slid an arm around her waist and pulled her a few feet away.
"What-" she began, but he stopped and pulled her to him.
"Can't I have a hello kiss first?" he pouted.
She gave him a quick peck on the lips then pulled away and put her hands
in her pockets. Brian saw her action and grinned; it was obvious she wanted
to keep herself from allowing him to wrap his arms around her.
"Did you talk to her?"
"Would I have told her you were gorgeous if I hadn't?"
"Answering a question with a question isn't very nice."
Brian swooned at the pout on her lips. "Fine. Yes, I told her, dear."
"Dear?" she repeated, shoving her hands deeper into the pockets of her khaki
shorts. He was getting harder and harder to resist.
Brian almost laughed. He could see the struggle on her face and the inner
conflict was amusing. "Sweetie," he crooned. "Honeybunch."
Faith bit her lip and gazed at him. "Honey?" she retaliated in a sweet voice.
"Yeah?"
Her only response was to slide her hands around his waist and pull him to
her. Brian was almost too shocked to react - almost. As he closed his eyes,
he could hear Leighanne and Grace laughing about something Nick had said.
Then he pushed all his senses away and concentrated on Faith, having one
thought: Life just kept getting better and better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~