Let It Be Me by Becky Wade (top young adult novels .TXT) 📕

Ben’s the best science teacher in Georgia?” Natasha asked.

“Since I’m not acquainted with all the science teachers in Georgia,” Leah answered, “I’m afraid that I can’t say that definitively. But my best guess is yes.”

“I knew it,” Natasha said to Ben.

“We knew it,” Genevieve corrected.

“Are you here to help us with yard work?” Natasha asked Leah.

“If not, you’re still allowed to stay.” Genevieve lifted the stack of cookies she’d brought from Tart Bakery. “I came under the guise of planting flowers, but I’m mostly planning to eat cookies, talk, and maybe drink iced tea.”

“I don’t have iced tea,” Sebastian said.

“Dream killer,” Genevieve murmured.

“Actually,” Leah said, “I was out walking when Sebastian saw me, and I stopped to chat. I have a few more miles to go, so I’ll head out.”

“We’ll be trimming hedges,” Ben said to Leah. “I know you can’t resist trimming hedges.”

“Amazingly, I can.” Her lips curved. “Thanks for the house tour and the food, Sebastian.”

“You’re welcome.”

Her gaze remained on him. “I’ll be driving to Atlanta next month so that Dylan can tour colleges. I’ve been trying to introduce him to various career tracks in a desperate attempt to motivate him and was wondering if it might be possible to bring him by your hospital while we’re there.”

“Of course,” Sebastian answered. “Just text me and let me know when you’d like to come by.”

“Will do.”

“We’ll walk you out.” Genevieve and Natasha ushered her away before Sebastian could say good-bye. “Here, let me give you my number!” Genevieve said, then the sound of feminine voices faded to quiet.

Ben frowned at him. “Dude.”

“Everything happened the way she said. I was trying to get my lawnmower to start. I looked up, and I saw her walking by.”

“What was she doing, walking in this part of town? She doesn’t live anywhere near here.”

“She told me she gets bored walking her neighborhood, so she likes to branch out and walk other people’s neighborhoods.”

“Seems like a weird coincidence that she walked right by your house.”

“I agree.”

“What were you guys doing upstairs?”

“She asked for a tour of the house.”

Ben’s mouth tensed. “Is anything going on between you two?”

“No.”

Long pause. “Okay,” Ben said.

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Ben had always been slow to anger and quick to let anger go.

Natasha and Genevieve returned. “Ben!” Genevieve took hold of his shoulders. “She’s beautiful.”

“She really is,” Natasha echoed.

“I’m glad you two finally got to meet her,” Ben said.

The sisters went on and on about Leah.

Natasha, a mother of two, was currently on leave from practicing law. She was fit, blond, practical, and, in his opinion, slightly eccentric. She’d completed what she’d called “A Year of Living Austenly,” and this year had kicked off “A Year of Living C. S. Lewisly.” A few weeks back, she’d told him about the theology she’d been reading, the letters she’d been writing, and her determination to smoke a pipe before the year was out.

Natasha’s younger sister, Genevieve, had long hair, browner at the top and blonder at the bottom. He’d never caught her without makeup, nail polish, earrings, and a coordinated outfit. Outgoing and self-deprecating, she’d surprised him by building an extremely successful career as a Bible study author and Christian speaker.

“So, what’s the latest with you and Leah?” Natasha asked Ben. She and Genevieve settled on the island’s stools. “Any change?”

“Today’s the first time I’ve seen her in about a month. She was traveling, so we’ve been keeping in touch through texts. Here, look.” He pulled out his phone and passed it to the sisters. After they’d each taken a look, Genevieve turned Ben’s phone in Sebastian’s direction. The photo Leah had texted Ben showed Leah and Dylan sitting in a canoe, smiling.

“A few days ago, she suggested we go out for Korean food this week,” Ben said.

“Wait.” Natasha faced Ben. “What?”

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Genevieve asked.

“Because I don’t want to get my hopes up. I think it might just be a friend thing. Not a date.”

“Wear something semi-nice, in case it is a date in her mind,” Genevieve suggested. “Women don’t like to feel overdressed.”

They continued to talk in painful detail about what Ben should wear, what he should order, how he should handle trying to pay.

Miserable, Sebastian drained the last of his water, then peeled another clementine, even though he hadn’t been hungry for the first one he’d eaten.

CHAPTER TEN

An elevator carried Sebastian down through the center of the hospital on Wednesday night.

What was he feeling?

Jealousy. Why? Because Ben was on a date with Leah tonight.

Fear. Why? Because he was afraid that Leah would fall in love with his best friend. Which was self-centered. No one could make her happier than Ben could. Ben was the better man. Ben didn’t have the baggage Sebastian carried.

He needed to be honest enough with himself to admit that he had serious issues with trust. The walls he’d built didn’t make him a good bet as a boyfriend.

If his feelings for Ben and Leah were true, he’d want them to end up together.

That’s what was in their best interest.

Many miles to the north, Leah’s eyes sank closed reverently as she sampled the first bite of her meal: bibimbap, Korean comfort food.

Ben, unsure of what to order, had followed her lead. Thus, matching stone bowls of food sat before them. Rice formed the base of the dish, crowned with a fried egg surrounded by colorful mounds of spiced beef, bean sprouts, carrot, zucchini, spinach.

“So good,” Ben said.

“So good,” she confirmed, adding an additional squirt of chili paste to the dish, then mixing all the ingredients together. “You know, when you and Natasha and Genevieve showed up at Sebastian’s house the other day, I couldn’t believe that I was surrounded by four of the Miracle Five.”

“Impressive, aren’t we?” he joked.

“It was a rare honor.” The only one who’d been absent was the one who’d never joined the rest, even when they were young, in their public appearances and interviews. Luke Dempsey. “Is Luke still in prison?” He’d spent the last seven years