Can't Stand To See You Cry (Jacob)

Chapter 18

Renesmee squeezed Jacob's hand tightly as they walked into the diner. She stopped when she saw Seth sitting at the counter. Jacob nudged her, his nod indicated she should go talk to him.

She approached him cautiously, hoping everything was still okay between them. Suddenly she noticed he wasn't alone. "Seth?"

He turned to face her, a slight smile on his face. "Hey, Nessie how are you?"

Renesmee smiled widely, "I'm good. You?"

Seth nodded, glancing around as he looked for Jacob. "Are you here alone?"

"No, he's here somewhere." Renesmee looked around too, deciding he must have gone to the restroom. "You must be Ava," she acknowledged the petite brunette behind the counter with a nod.

Ava smiled shyly and nodded happily. "And you must be Renesmee? I've heard a lot about you."

Renesmee crinkled her brow in confusion, a slight smile still present. "From Seth?"

Ava shook her head quickly. "No, from Jacob. He just gushed about you when we talked."

"Oh," Renesmee beamed. "Yeah, he said you would be checking in on Billy. How's that going so far?"

"Great. I took them some dinner the other night and we got a chance to talk. Jacob sure has a big appetite," she replied smiling.

Renesmee nodded slowly. She made a mental note to herself to learn how to cook. "That he does."

"Order up!" the cook called from the kitchen.

Ava flashed Seth a bright smile before scurrying off to the kitchen. Seth sighed when she walked away, eyes following her.

Renesmee nudged Seth in the shoulder and opened her eyes expectantly when he glanced at her. "So what's going on?"

Seth jumped down from his stool and pulled Renesmee away from the counter. "Man, I'm freaking out right now," he whispered.

"Why?"

He glanced back toward the counter to make sure Ava hadn't returned. "I..." he paused and checked once more. "I imprinted on Ava."

Renesmee clasped her hand over her mouth to contain her excitement. "That's great!"

Seth wrung his hands together. "I hope she doesn't freak when I tell her."

Renesmee pulled him into a quick hug and told him, "Tell her soon. The sooner the better."

Seth nodded, knowing why she felt that way. "I will. This is so scary. I'm so glad you're here. I didn't know who to tell."

Renesmee beamed, feeling less guilty about how she ended things with him. This is how it should have always been. She finally realized that Seth had always been her best friend. When she pulled away, she saw Jacob sauntering toward them and hoped that he wouldn't be angry.

Jacob watched Seth back away from Nessie and turn to face him. "I haven't had a chance to congratulate you yet. I guess the best man won, huh?"

Seth offered his hand but Jacob smiled widely and pulled him into a hug instead. "You are the better man. I just got lucky," Jacob replied honestly.

Seth beamed as he accepted his old friend's embrace. Renesmee's heart was bursting to see this as she had felt guilty for ever coming between them. Suddenly they were playfully punching each other in the gut and laughing. Things were finally getting back to normal.

Renesmee sidled up to the counter and shook her head. "Guys? What are you gonna do?" she said when Ava approached the counter again.

She laughed lightly as Seth turned to Ava and called, "Me and Jake are going out to look at the Mustang." When he winked at her, she saw Ava blushing.