Belief in Miracles (completed)

Chapter 5: Summer

5

Summer

I could barely take my eyes off Sebastian. Though he seemed perfectly fine, in my mind I could still hear him gasping; still see the pained look on his face as he fought for breath. It was horrifying. He was seated across from me in the booth we'd been given in the far-left corner, his eyes passing between the window at his right, and the rest of the room. The restaurant wasn't crowded just yet, but it was barely eleven o'clock. Within the hour, there'd be a line at the door. I knew that from experience.

A waitress who'd served me several times before came up to the table with a broad grin on her face, and she leaned in to hug me as she set our menus on the table.

"Hey, Summer, it's been a while."

"Hey, Dottie, yeah, I know. Been caught up with a lot of things."

How's Jerry?"

"He's good. Still working himself to death so that my niece won't have the childhood that we had."

I noticed Sebastian's brows furrow at that, but he didn't comment as Dottie smiled sympathetically, then glanced at him. "And who is this attractive young man?"

Grinning, Sebastian held out a hand. "Sebastian. I'm a... friend from church."

"Well, wonderful to meet you, Sebastian. Summer's an amazing girl, isn't she?"

Groaning, I hid my face in my hands as I saw Sebastian's eyes flit to me. "She certainly is."

God, if you're watching, please kill me now.

Dottie beamed, then opened Sebastian's menu and began pointing out all her favorites and mine. Still grinning wide with awkward politeness, he took her suggestion, and ordered the pot roast sandwich and potato soup— my favorite dish. I ordered the same, as Dottie knew I would, and she passed us a flirty, knowing glance before she walked away.

"I'm so sorry." I mumbled to Sebastian when she was gone. "She's like an Aunt to me and has been nagging at me for years to get a boyfriend. The fact that I brought you here probably just made her day."

That single brow of his arched as he looked at me. "So, I'm your boyfriend now?"

The heat in my face rose up to my eyes again as I swallowed. "N-No, not that I'm implying anything, I just meant that she would assume and would therefore pick on us and—"

"Summer, Summer..." he interrupted, and I shut up. "It's okay."

He was grinning at me so wide it somehow served to both comfort and embarrass me, and I shook my head as I scraped a hand back through my hair.

"Actually, Tom was doing the same thing to me." He admitted, and I frowned at him.

"Tom? Support group Tom?" Ever-by-his-bedside-in-the-hospital, Tom?

"Yeah. He's not just my Pastor, he's my best friend. He called right after I hung up with you this morning. I told him I was going to meet you and he's been well-interested ever since."

"Really?"

He inclined his head. "He said, and I quote, 'Bassy, she is a beautiful girl and if God has brought her into your life, then you must accept that and chase her with every bone in your bachelor body. And let me know how it goes, after.'" He shook his head. "Talk about embarrassing."

I stared at him a moment before laughing out loud. "Not what I would expect from a preacher."

He shrugged. "We've been friends since grade-school. He's only been a Pastor for eight years."