“I am.”
A thrill sizzled along her spine.
“Right after I met you,” he said, “I wanted to contact you, but I didn’t know your name. I couldn’t believe my luck when I ran into you at the school’s farmers market. Except, right after we started talking I learned that you were the Leah who Ben’s been interested in for so long.”
“Oh.”
“He’s talked about you since you started teaching at the school. When I discovered who you were to him, my hands were tied.”
“So you encouraged me to date him.”
“It seemed like the right thing to do. For everyone concerned.”
She tried and failed to wrap her mind around the idea that Ben and Sebastian could both be attracted to her.
“Ben saw us talking at the football game,” Sebastian said. “Afterward, he told me it would be fine with him if I called you and asked you out. Are you interested in going out with me?”
“No—that is... Yes.” She cleared her throat. “On one hand, Iaminterested because I’m attracted to you even though, as I told you weeks ago, I truly thought I was missing the attraction gene. On the other hand, no. I’m not interested because I refuse to come between you and Ben.”
“Ben has told me that our friendship will be fine.”
“Maybe, but I don’t see the point in testing that. Or risking the good rapport that you and I share by going on a date. After all, based on my romantic past and your romantic past, the odds of a fulfilling relationship materializing from our date are abysmally low.”
“I don’t expect every date I go on to convert into a fulfilling relationship.”
“No? Then why bother with dating? Isn’t the point of it to find a life partner?” That’s what was logical. To the best of her knowledge, that’s why her friends subjected themselves to dating.
“For me, the point is to have fun.”
“Fun?”
“Yes, Leah. Fun. Go out with me, and I’ll show you what I mean.”
From her spot in the dining room, she stared at the books about New England she’d brought back from her trip and stacked on a living room end table.
She knew Sebastian well enough to know that his friendship with Ben was the most important relationship he had. It wasn’t worth jeopardizing in pursuit of “fun.” “I appreciate the kind offer. But the answer’s no. I’m chagrined because I realize that makes me sound ungrateful. When, in actuality, I’m very grateful for your assistance with my hospital records and the gift you sent Dylan. I owe you.”
“You do?”
“Yes.”
“If you think I’m too honorable to leverage that into convincing you to go out with me, you’re wrong.”
She snickered. See? This was the problem with him. She genuinely liked him. She had a weakness for scoundrels.
“Good night, Doctor.”
“Good night, Professor.”
Click.
Sebastian grinned.
Leah had just said no to him, but instead of disappointment, he experienced a stab of determination. She was unsure of him. But their conversation had only made him more sure of her.
He hadn’t risen to his current position by luck. He’d gotten here through a whole lot of dogged, stubborn effort.
At this point, he needed to respond with patience and strategy. He needed to give her a reason to say yes.
