The Wedding Plan

Chapter 52

'Where's Eleanor?' Sebastian asked as he got away from the group that snatched him earlier and walked back to the table where Larissa and Eleanor were.

'I'm not sure. She said that she was going to walk for a bit.'

Sebastian looked around the crowd, but she wasn't anywhere near him.

'Are you going to look for her?'

He nodded. 'We'll be right back.'

Sebastian was worried. Where can she possibly be? He hoped she was still around and hadn't left the house. He was certain that she had something to say to him. The way she looked at him every time their eyes met told him so. He had to find her.

Walking towards the vineyard, he saw her right away. There she was, barefoot, touching the grass as she went back and forward slowly on the swing.

'Are you okay?'

With her eyes closed, Eleanor nodded.

'You've been trying to say something, haven't you?'

She nodded again, but this time opened her eyes and looked down at her feet.

'I'm sorry,' she mumbled.

'For what?'

'For jumping to conclusions without knowing everything,' — she took a deep breath — 'and for refusing to talk with you.'

Confused, Sebastian waited for her to continue.

'Yesterday, morning I,' — she looked at the horizon as she searched for the right words — 'walked by the living room while you were talking to Lina. When you didn't answer after, she asked you if our relationship was still a lie. I just thought that your hesitation said it all and—'

'But—'

'Wait. Let me finish. I shouldn't have listened to your conversation and I'm sorry about that too. This morning Lina told me about the parts of the conversation that I didn't listen to,' — her throat was sore from holding the tears, she could not take it anymore and two small drops fell down her cheeks — 'regardless of what I heard. I should've talked to you about it. And I've been trying to speak to you all day, but it was never the right moment, and I couldn't take it any longer.'

Sebastian kneeled on the grass so that his eyes were at the same level as hers, placed his hands on her cheeks, and wiped the tears with his thumbs. He carefully touched her chin and made her raise her head and look at him.

'And I shouldn't have been such an idiot about it. I should've just admitted it. And told you sooner.'

They stared at each other for a few seconds.

'I love you,' he said with a dazzling smile. 'There, I said it. Saying it out loud feels a lot better than I expected.'

She looked perplexed. She wasn't sure if Sebastian had said it or if she was dreaming.

'You aren't saying anything. You are scaring me.'

Sebastian looked terrified, and Eleanor suddenly burst into laughter.

'What?' he frowned.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and Sebastian moved his hands to her waist. 'I love you,' she whispered in his ear.

Sebastian sighed with relived. 'Why did you wait? Why didn't you say it after me? You were giving me a heart attack.'

Eleanor placed a soft kiss on his lips and the Sebastian hold her closer and stole a passionate kiss.

'I'm sorry I hurt you. I should've just trusted you enough to speak to you,' Eleanor said. 'I'm never going to doubt you again. I should've never doubted you.'

'You have no idea how happy I am hearing you said that.'

She giggled. 'Lina is right, we have some communication issues.'

'Both of us have some things we need to work on. We'll work on them together. We'll learn to make this work as we go along.'

She smiled, and he kissed her again.

'We need to go back. The wedding isn't over yet,' she said with blushed complexion and heavy breathing.

'Do we really need to go?'

'Yes. Of course, we need. It is your sister's wedding.'

'I think we are better here. I don't even think that anyone would notice if we were to simply disappear.'

'We owe it to Lina to go back there.'

Sebastian looked disappointed.

'But after this we will have all the time we want,' she said as she placed another soft kiss on his lips and Sebastian's mood got immediately better.

Eleanor put her shoes back on, and Sebastian held her tightly.

'Just let me hear you say it one more time,' he begged.

'What? That I trust you?'

'No.'

She smiled and placed a soft kiss on his lips. 'I love you.'

Sebastian was smiling from ear to ear and Eleanor was over the moon and nothing could take that away from them. They walked back to the reception area with their fingers interlaced and silly smiles on their faces.

'Please tell me that my eyes aren't deceiving me and that they are finally okay?' Larissa asked, as she saw the couple walking towards her.

'They finally are on the same page,' Lina said, smiling from ear to ear.

They were able to enjoy the rest of the party, and Lina kept pestering everyone to let the photographer take their pictures. Sebastian and Eleanor could not run away and had plenty of pictures taken.