Breaking Free

Chapter 19: Present

"So, Seth. What brings your family here?" My mom gives me a quick glance from across the table as she passes the bowl of spaghetti towards my dad. He scoops some of it on his plate and passes it to Seth.

"My mom writes speeches for senators. She got a job offer to move down here that she couldn't say no to," Seth replies, taking the bowl.

"Really?" My dad says, intrigued. "I always thought senators wrote their own speeches."

Seth shakes his head. "Some do. Some prefer not to."

I take the bowl from Seth, and our hands collide, making Seth smile at me before he turns back to his plate of food.

Even though we had eaten several hours ago at the diner, I was hungry all over again when we walked through the door and caught a whiff of my mom's cooking.

"Have you told your family about wanting to join the military?" my dad asks after he finishes with his plate of food.

My dad doesn't see the look of discomfort pass over Seth's face. I interrupt Seth before he can say anything. "Dad tell us some stories about the time you were gone on deployment. I think Seth would like to hear about them."

This launches my dad into telling Seth about the time he was on a deployment that lasted nine months. Seth shoots me a thank you look. "I was having fun, but I couldn't wait to get home to my girls." My dad smiles warmly at my mom, who smiles back before she gets up from the table to clear it.

"Hey, Mom, I got this. You go relax."

Seth stands up too. "I'll help. My mom says it's bad manners not to."

My mom's face lights up. "Remind me to thank your mom for having a son with good manners."

My parents head for the living room, and Seth helps me bring the dishes to the kitchen. I turn on the water to rinse everything off. "You don't have to help if you don't want to."

"But I do. Besides, there's a pile of homework waiting for me that I've been trying to avoid since Wednesday."

This makes a small giggle escape.

A comfortable silence stretches between us as I rinse something, pass it over, and he places it in the dishwasher. I feel like the conversation we had today made us closer somehow.

After the last dish is in the dishwasher and it is running, Seth lets out a disappointed sigh. "Guess it's time for me to go home and tackle that homework."

"I'll walk you out," I tell him, drying my hands on a dishtowel.

We walk out of the kitchen and head for the door. As we pass the living room, Seth stops and says, "Goodnight, Mr. and Mrs. Clearwater. Thank you for dinner."

"You're welcome! Come back anytime," my mom exclaims.

When I open the door, a cold breeze hits me, making me shiver. "I thought Florida never got cold."

Seth laughs as he shuts the door behind us. "I heard Florida is bipolar when it comes to the weather."

"I believe it," I say, walking beside him to his Jeep.

We come to a stop beside the driver's side door, and Seth faces me.

"Thank you for today," I say, avoiding his gaze.

"Anytime. It was fun, actually. I don't think I have talked as much with anyone before, even my best friend." Seth smiles, bringing his hand up to scratch the back of his head.

The air around us goes quiet. I get this overwhelming feeling to reach out and bring his lips down to mine, but before I can act on it, he talks again.