Page 22 of My Vows Are Sealed

“Is there anything we can do?”

“No,” I sobbed.

“Can I tell them what happened, Dar?” Brendan asked quietly, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I nodded, and he gave my shoulder a squeeze and took a deep breath.

“Ethan started harassing her at church last night, and I tried to get him to shut up. Our youth pastor walked in in the middle of it and sent him into the main service instead of letting him stay in the children’s lesson, and he got pissed and went to Darla’s dad and told him she’d made friends with the two of you because he wanted to hit her where it hurt. And her dad’s…” He swallowed hard and took a deep breath, almost like he was trying not to cry.

Butwhywas he trying not to cry? I knew he cared about me, but I couldn’t understand why he was this upset about something that barely affected him at all.

“Not as accepting as you guys are,” Ashton finished for him.

Taking another deep breath, I pulled out of Kate’s hug. “I’m grounded for two weeks, except for school and church, and he told me I wasn’t allowed to talk toanyonefor the next two weeks, especially the three of you. He said he’d know if I disobeyed him, and if I did, I’d be punished even worse. And honestly, I’m terrified of what he’ll do if he finds out I’m still talking to you guys, but you’re the only people who have actually been nice to me since I got here and I really don’t want to lose you.”

“You’re not going to lose us,” Kate said. “I promise. You realize it’s not every day that we meet people who accept us for who we are either, right? You’re one of us now whether you like it or not, missy. You couldn’t get rid of us if you tried.”

I chuckled and sniffled at the same time.

“Okay, question,” Ashton snickered. “Want to explain why you’re not allowed to talk to Brendan? I mean, I get that Kate and I are clearly just too fabulous for the likes of him, but that boy is as straightlaced as they come.”

“Sure, just keep talking about me like I’m not here. That’s cool,” Brendan teased.

I couldn’t help it. I laughed, which I was sure was their goal.

“Brendan gave me a hug and my dad saw it, so obviously that means I’m living in sin now,” I explained.

Kate giggled. “Well, I call dibs on maid of honor at your shotgun wedding.”

Brendan laughed, but I was mortified. I was sure I turned the color of a tomato as I groaned and buried my face in my hands.

“Hey! What about me? We could co-person-of-honor it,” Ashton teased.

“Seriously? Don’t we share enough?” she shot back.

“I mean, wecouldshare more…” they snickered.

“Oh, my gosh. I’m going to go die now,” I mumbled from behind my hands, unable to bring myself to look at Brendan.

Thankfully, the bell rang, saving me from any further embarrassment.

“Saved by the bell,” Brendan chuckled. “You going to be okay, Dar?”

I nodded, still not removing my hands from my face. Apparently he didn’t like that much, because he pulled them away and made me look at him. Well, at least his face was bright red too. That was comforting, sort of.

“I mean it. Are you going to be okay?” he pressed.

“We have Bio together first period,” Kate told him. “I’ll make sure she’s okay.”

“Okay. I’ll see you crazy kids at lunch,” he chuckled. “Take care of my girl for me, Kate.”

Brendan gave me another hug and walked away, and I was left standing there with my jaw on the floor.

What in the world had just happened? Brendan hadn’t actually just called me his girl. Had he?

Okay, yes, he had. But he didn’t mean it likethat. He couldn’t have. He was just going along with Kate and Ashton’s joke. Or he meant it as a friend or a sister. He didn’t really mean that I was hisgirl, right?

Ashton picked my backpack up off the ground and handed it to me. “Someone’s got it bad for you, woman.”

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