Cupid Collections

25. Brooke & Sean: The First Date (CGD)

“That’s awful,” Brooke muttered mostly to herself. “I can’t believe she would do that to you.”

“She said wasn’t her fault,” Sean continued explaining. “Something about how he was the one who initiated the action and suddenly she found herself kissing him.”

Brooke reached for Sean’s free hand. He was holding up his head with his left hand and keeping his eyes downcast as he retold the story of his wife’s betrayal. Brooke listened patiently as a cup of coffee on the table beside her cooled. They had been at this little café in the middle of the city for about an hour.

“She didn’t pull away,” Brooke observed from the story. “That was her mistake.”

“She said it was all a mistake too,” Sean said. “But then I asked her why she let him do it. I wanted to know why something like this could even happen. Why she was out with this guy and alone with him in the first place?”

“Did she tell you?”

Sean nodded pulling his hand away from hers. He set it beside him on the seat of the booth and Brooke drew back and rested against her side of the booth. Her eyes and ears were still totally alert to him and only him.

“He was an old friend of hers,” Sean explained. “She told me that she was going out to lunch with him one day and I didn’t mind. I let her go. I let this happen.”

“This is not your fault,” Brooke argued immediately. “You were not the person who made her do this.”

“But maybe if I had been there with her or if I had been better to her-”

“No,” Brooke dismissed. “There was nothing you did or could have done. If this hadn’t have happened now, it would’ve happened later.”

Sean ran both of his hands through his hair and shook himself a bit as if to shake off all the thoughts. He met Brooke’s brown eyes and gave her a small smile before taking a drink from his own coffee.

“I’m sorry,” he breathed. “This really isn’t something we should be talking about.”

“It’s fine,” Brooke assured with a smile. “If it makes you feel better to talk it out, then I’m only happy to listen.”

“You’re sweet,” Sean replied adjusting in the booth. “But I’ve done enough talking. Why don’t you tell me about yourself?”

Brooke took in a deep breath before letting it out. “Well, my life isn’t quite as active as yours seems to be. I’m going to college and I’m working three jobs to help pay off some debts and to get the work experience. I hardly have a day off but I make some time for fun when I can.”

“When do you have time to breathe?”

Brooke shrugged. “I breathe when I sleep.”

Sean chuckled at her nonchalant tone. “How do you even have time for a social life then?”

“I make time,” she replied simply. “I have to have a little fun in my life.”

“I’m guessing you don’t go on many dates then?”

Brooke shook her head. “Not really.”

“Are there any ex-husbands in the picture for you? I’ve only rambled about my ex so I guess it’ll be fair if you complained about any of yours.”

Brooke smiled sweetly. “I really didn’t mind the rambling.”

“Well…” Sean said shifting in his seat. “Now it’s your turn to ramble.”

“Alright, well I had one boyfriend for a while in college. He was the last serious one I had.”

Brooke paused for a minute to take a drink from her cup. Sean waited patiently for her to go on but she didn’t.