Seduced by My Childhood Sweetheart’s Brother
Chapter 56

56- Courage and courting

He heads into my room and I take a minute to think. I’m proud of myself, sure I wanted to avoid thatconversation, but I survived it, I didn’t run away. I follow Bellamy into my room. where he is tucking hisphone and his tie into his pocket.

“What time is it anyway?” I ask, I’m so out of it. I feel like I slept a long time, but there was daylightcoming through the windows, which means either we slept for only a couple hours. OR we sleptthrough the night and it’s daytime again.

“It’s about one, we slept almost 24 hours. I’m not surprised I slept that much, you’re like a knock outdrug to me, but you must have been really tired to have slept so long.” He looks at me contemplatingsomething. I just shrug.

“I did say I haven’t been sleeping well.” I sort through my drawers looking for something comfortable towear. I haven’t really been doing much laundry lately either. I really need to catch up on my housework.Eventually I settle on a pair of leggings that I’m pretty sure are clean and a random light grey t–shirtwith blue butterflies printed on it. I throw a bra and pair of underwear onto my pile of clothes and at thesight of Bellamy lounging on my bed, scamper into my bathroom, closing and locking the door behindme. I can hear him laughing softly through the door. I get dressed and pull a brush through my hair,then step out the bathroom to replace socks and shoes. Pretty sure that this is as good as it’s going to get,I tell Bellamy I’m ready to go get food.

We head out together and take a short drive to a nearby bakery. Surprisingly I’ve never been here butBellamy has and insists that the food is great. We take our place in the short line. I notice Bellamy isshuffling around awkwardly and shooting sideways glances at me. I make eye contact and tilt my headsideways in question. He gives a smile, looking a little embarrassed to be caught watching me. Thenhe asks;

“I… are you going to be mad at me if I try to pay for your food?” He speaks cautiously, like he’s worriedI will react badly.

“You really want to, don’t you?” I confirm. We only just made up, I don’t want to fight him again, and notover something so small as paying for my lunch. Bellamy nods his head eagerly.

56- Courage and courting

“Yes, I do,” he confirms.

“Then no, I won’t get mad at you.” Bellamy beams at me. I don’t really understand why he is

so happy about something so small, especially since it really seems like I am the one benefiting from it.We order some pastries and Bellamy pays for the food, glancing sideways at me as he does so andstill smiling brightly. Then we replace a place to sit in the back corner of the bakery at a little table with avase of dusty, plastic flowers decorating it. I’ve only taken a couple bites when Bellamy speaks.

“I have something I should probably admit.” he looks a little guilty, I am instantly on guard, but tryingreally hard not to panic. I don’t want to fight with him again. That might be my new mantra. Learning toslow down, listen and compromise is hard, but I’m determined to do it if that’s what it takes to make thiswork.

“What is it?” I ask cautiously. Bellamy must be able to see how worried I am because he reachesacross the table and takes my hand.

“It’s nothing bad, just… a Shifter thing you probably don’t know about. The reason why it makes mehappy to pay for your food.”

“Oh… okay.” I try to keep the doubt from my tone but I’m almost positive Bellamy can hear it becausehe squeezes my hand lightly.

“Providing you with food is a sort of… courting ritual for Shifters.” He pauses and waits for me to saysomething but I don’t really know what to say, so I stay silent and wait for him to continue hisexplanation.

“Often, it is something that Shifters will use at the beginning of a relationship to show interest, it’sbasically a bit like flirting. Other gifts of things like clothes are also considered a sign of interest. Really,any gift that shows that you can provide for your potential mate, ist considered to be courting.” Heducks his head down between hunched shoulders and peers up at me, waiting for my reaction.

“So… the reason you insist on paying is that it’s your way of… flirting?” I ask incredulously.

“Yep.” He answers shortly.

56- Courage and courting

“…And… the dress you got me?”

“Yeah, that too.” he nods and gives me an awkward grin. I’m baffled, does this mean he liked

me from the start? But he was so rude to me.

“But, even back then?” I’m not even sure I mean the words as a question but Bellamy answers

me anyway.

“If I’m being totally honest? I was interested in you right from the start. Well, I was interested once I wasdone freaking out and being worried about my sister. Basically a little while after you kicked me out of

your home and I had a minute to think about things and realise I was being ridiculous.” He looks a littleashamed of himself and I can’t help but crack a smile. Of all the things to happen, I never expected mysoul mate to literally just come knocking on my door. I think back over Bellamy’s explanation. So he hasbe

attempting to court me, almost the whole time we’ve known each other. I’ve probably been accidentallyslash sort of intentionally rejecting him all this time. That can’t be good for his self–esteem. He shouldknow better than to flirt in a way I don’t understand. Then again, I ran away when he flirted in a way Idid understand. Oh for goodness sake, I need a manual or something.

“Ryann? You’ve gone very quiet, it’s a little alarming.” Bellamy prompts me. I shake myself from mythoughts.

“Oh, sorry. Uhm… so for the Shifter… courting… flirting… stuff. How… I mean… what… what kind ofresponse are you hoping for exactly?” I stumble through my question not exactly sure how to ask what Iwant to know. Bellamy seems to understand my question though.

“It’s relatively straight forward. If a male offers food, he is hoping that his potential mate will accept thefood and in doing so accept that the male is courting her. Although it doesn’t count if it’s offered to awhole group or if it’s in your own home, that’s just being a good host.” he adds. I nod slowly.

“So me refusing to let you pay was…not what you were hoping for.” I finish awkwardly. Bellamy gives ahalf smile and a small laugh.

“You could say that. It definitely was not a promising sign for me. And when you threw that. money atme after we fought at dinner… ouch.” I give an uncomfortable laugh and pull my hand from his, slidingit under the table. I decide to change the topic from food.

56- Courage and courting

“What about with the clothes?” I question, although I suspect the answer to this one is straight forward.

“Wearing them of course” Bellamy smiles at me. I roll my eyes. Of course.

“Right…so what I’m getting from this, is that every Shifter I’ve met probably already knows… what’sbeen happening.” I might not have known Bellamy was flirting, but Megan, and all the

Bellamy shrugs.

other Shifters I have spent time with would have to be stupid to miss. Megan, and all the

“Only the ones you’re close to. Remember, except for my sister and Darrien, they wouldn’t know I paidfor your dress, and they haven’t all seen me getting you food.” he reminds me. Okay, that’s a little lessstressful. It would be really embarrassing to think everyone else knew and I had no idea. Particularlysince I already knew he and I are fated.

“Alright, well is there anything else I should know since you have apparently been using all the Shiftermethods of courting without my knowledge?” I cross my arms over my chest and stare him down in afake interrogation. I intentionally put on a ridiculously stern expression, I do want an answer, but mostlyI just want to break the tension a bit. He laughs at me. I drop my arms and pick up the bottle of waterBellamy got me earlier.

Strings of Fate