Bold, Breathless Love

Heartbroken

Surprisingly the cafe wasn't as busy as usual, Abby found them a table by the window while Jeff went to get the coffee. She couldn't take her eyes off Jeff's body. He was tall and muscular, and his muscles flexed with every movement that he made. She wondered why all these years she had never noticed before now how handsome Jeff was, and he loved her!

It was hard to understand why she couldn't love him back the way he wanted to be loved. She felt brotherly feelings for him and knew that she could never love him the way he wanted her too, but poor Claire, she was crazy in love with him and this made Abby uneasy. If Claire ever found out his feelings for her she would hate her. 

"Are you day dreaming?" Jeff smiled, as he placed both lattes on the table and sat down.

In answer, Abby grabbed her latte and took a long sip.

"I need to talk to you Abby," Jeff's tone of voice turned serious, "I love you and want you to be my girl!"

Looking into his sea green eyes, she knew that he was suffering, "Please Jeff," she said, already regretting coming to the cafe with him, "you are like a brother to me, why can't you understand that?"

Grabbing both her hands in his, Jeff pleaded, "just give me a chance Abby, I know I can make you happy."

"I can't," she averted her eyes not wanting to see how much pain glistened in his, and she pulled her hands away.

"Are you in love with someone else?" He asked her hoarsely.

"No I am not!" She lied, "I'm just...."

"When were you two going to invite me to your latte party?" Claire snapped, "seems to me that things are going on behind my back!"

"Sit down and shut up!" Abby laughed, and threw an uneasy look at Jeff.

"It hurts knowing that I'm being left out all the time!" Claire confessed.

"Don't make more out of this than it is," Abby told her, and then looked at Jeff, "please get Claire a latte."

"No!" Claire snapped, "I'll get my own coffee!"

When she walked away, Abby looked at Jeff pleadingly, "Please don't hurt Claire, she deserves better." She whispered.

"I don't want to go to the dance with her I want to go with you!" He hissed.

"Please don't ever say that again, Claire is our friend and she will get deeply hurt if she hears you!"

"I am not responsible for Claire's feelings, I want you not her!"

"Please I beg of you don't say that!" And she was about to continue, but Claire returned with her latte.

"The dance is next week amd I haven't even bought a dress yet!" Claire looked at Abby, "come with me this weekend and help me find one please."

"Ok I will come with you."

Jeff sighed, and Claire looked at him, "Is something wrong, you seem a bit down since I got here."

"I'm good," he told her, but his eyes never left Abby's face, "about the dance I don't think I can, ..."

"Jeff!" Abby cut in just to stop him from speaking the words that would devastate her friend. "It's ok if you can't drive your car on that day in case you drink too much, I'm sure Claire won't mind walking to school with you it's just a few blocks!" Abby gave Jeff a warning look and he backed down.