Not My Sister's Fiance Book 2

26.

Third POV

Her smile could always light up a dark room. She smiles at her guess and laughs at their jokes ringing like jingle bells. She was once his but that was a story ago now she is like the sun the only star that shines so bright with no one to compete. Single. With a star of her own.

She hugged her mother kissed her on the cheek the distance between them long gone no longer felt like it was there at all. She did the same to her father the bond between the two unbreakable since it formed since she was born.

Her sister holding her wife's hand and when their eyes meet you could see the love you could tell that neither or the either would live without each other.

The children were laughing running about enjoying the birthday party that was a big surprise to the birthday girl. Chrissann wasn't the only one having a surprise today.

Ethan POV

"Do you love me?" The question came out of nowhere taking me off guard.

"Ah?" That was my stupid brain.

"I said do you love me?" She asked again searching me with her eyes but there is nothing to search for she knows that I love her.

"You know I do Lizzie," I reassured her. I don't know where this is coming from but I'm going to kill that weed of doubt before it can grow anymore.

She looks away looking around the lawn but not at me. "Lizzie look at me," I turn her chin her eyes meeting mine. "What's wrong?" She did that searching thing again sighing.

"Nothing."

"Lizzie." That sigh before she said nothing means that something is bothering her.

"It's nothing Ethan, really," she smiled trying to convince me. I wasn't convinced and I wasn't going to let it go until she tells me what's wrong.

Crystal POV

"I'll be right back," I said, my cousins. The theme for Chrissann's birthday party was zoo animals. There was a bounce-a-bout, the pool was filled with floating animals, and a photo booth. My mother went all out on this birthday party. I did tell her not too much but when has she ever listened to me.

There was a smile on my face that I can never take down today no matter how hard I try. I was happy everyone was here. My family is once again together. My sister and her wife are sharing jokes and laughing with my mother. My father is by the pool talking with his younger brother, Uncle Tommy, drinking punch, he's no longer allowed to drink his favorite scotch. Plus there's no drinking around the children. He was sour about it but has no choice to comply with his no alcohol consumption.

My smile if possible grows bigger than the one that I was wearing before and there's no way I'm going to turn it down.

Ethan POV

I pulled her off to the side out of earshot. "Lizzie I know you and something is clearly bothering you and whether or not you tell me now I'm still going to ask you about it later."

"Do you love me?" She asked again. I guess that weed of doubt was bigger than I thought it was but why now? She didn't question my love before when it was precarious. Now that it things are different and we're happily in love she is doubting it.

"Of course Lizzie we've been over this," I answered without hesitation.

"How much?"

"With all my heart," I replied. I do love her with all my heart yet she searched me with her eyes staring into my eyes like she can see my soul and my heart.

"No, you don't." She breathes sighing once she found what she's looking for.  "This heart doesn't beat only for me." She places her hand on my left peck where my heartbeats.

"Lizzie I love you what are you talking about."

"Yeah but not with all you're heart." Her hand slid down my body then back to her side.

"What are you talking about? I love you, don't you think I don't," I said sternly.

"I didn't say you didn't love me there's a difference when I said you don't love me with all your heart. You're too reserved and sometimes it feels like you're loving someone else."

"I don't understand."

"You love me but you don't love me. Part of you is still with that person you fell in love with before me so you're only giving me what your heart is willing to give and to me that's not enough compared to what you have saved for her."

"And I've been waiting for you to love me like how you love that person but you'll never. Your first love will always be stronger than the second and will always be the only one you love truly anything after that is watered down and nothing can compare to that."

I didn't know that she felt this way. I would have tried harder to love her. Everything she is saying us true and even though I have moved on some part of me I try to cut off is still holding on to that love that I tried to bury deep.

"I've come to terms with it and I've tried to live with it." No don't do it Lizzie please don't do it. "I hate being second best." I know what's coming. "And it breaks my heart that you don't look at me like how you look at her. I love you too Ethan but I have to let you go not because of that saying if you love someone you should let them go but because I don't want to stand in the way of both of your love and I want someone to look at me like you look at her."

She places her hand on my face pulling me down to get lips and I let her knowing this is a kiss goodbye. Her soft lips touched mine and before I could pull her in she pulls away looking away.

When I looked too she was watching Crystal coming out with a cake with a smile on her face. Six candles, lights flickering in the wind but didn't go out and she started singing catching everyone's attention.

I didn't want this to end this way. I felt guilty that I hurt her in this way and she do deserve better than me. That's why I didn't fight her when she wanted to leave. She doesn't deserve my poor excuse of a love for her. She had been the best thing that has ever happened to me in the past five years and I took advantage of that.

I do hope she finds that love she is looking for. "Bye Ethan." She walked away and I watched her. She looked back before she disappeared into the house and probably out of my life not for good but for awhile I feel like I'll be seeing her again.

Standing where she left me I watch them sing and take pictures until they cut the cake. Everyone was smiling and laughing when Crystal put cake on Chrissann's nose. It was a happy birthday party like it should be. I was the only one not smiling.

How could I? My girlfriend left me. Guess I have to return the wedding ring.

Crystal POV

"Where is Lizzie?" I asked holding the two slices of cake in my hand looking around for her.

"She left."

"Did something happened?" I asked worried. I didn't see her leave.

"She's fine." He paused then added. "Said she has somewhere else to be."

"Oh." I could tell there was something else but I didn't prey into their business. "Here." I gave him one of the two slices of cake that I had brought over for him and Lizzie.

We ate the cake silently together. He was silent.