Page 13 of Redeemed

“You’re nice to talk to.”

The second I hear those words in my own voice, I clap a hand over my mouth. I wanted to say it to him, but I wasn’t actually going to.How embarrassing.

“You are, too,” Colton says on a chuckle.

Doubt creeps into my mind. There’s no way that can be true. Isaiah always said I wasn’t smart enough to hold a worthwhile conversation. Most of our time spent together was him talking and me listening. I even stopped asking questions because he always thought I was disrespecting him.

“You mean that?” I ask hesitantly.

“I’m still talking to you, aren’t I?”

“Oh. I… I guess so.”

“You don’t have much confidence, do you?” He’s frowning at me with his head tilted, and I get that feeling that he’s analyzing me again.

“I wasn’t really supposed to.”

“Back home, you mean?”

I nod.

“Hmm. We’ll have to work on that.”

“Work on what?”

“Building your confidence up. No friend of mine is going to walk around thinking they aren’t worth anything.”

“We’re friends?”

“I think we could be. What about you?”

A smile blooms on my face. “I think so, too.”

“It’s settled. You’ve officially made your first friend at Pemberton University.”

“Hey! Who said you were my first? I could have five friends by now.”

He gives me a disbelieving look that has both of us dissolving into a fit of laughter. I don’t realize I’ve moved closer to him until I turn to face him and my knee brushes his. On instinct, I pull away, my bare skin burning. I’m still not used to touching any man but Isaiah.

Does this count as adultery?

The thought is whisked away when Colton places his hand on my shoulder. Maybe it doesn’t matter. Maybe I can follow my gut like Colton does and have confidence in my decisions.

Divorce is forbidden at Cornerstone, but I don’t care about their rules. If I did, I wouldn’t have left. So that would mean… that would mean thisisn’tadultery because I left Isaiah. It’s the closest to divorce I can get to.

Some of the tightness in my chest eases, and I let out a long, relieved breath. That felt easy. It feltgood.

“Whoa, what just happened?” Colton peers at me. “I swear I just saw literal, tangible stress fly out your ears.”

I giggle. “Out my ears?!”

“Oh, yeah,” he says solemnly. “It was like smoke or steam or something. The wind blew it away.”

We stare at each other for a split second before we both start laughing again. This time, when I lean into him, I let myself get close enough to catch another whiff of the citrus scent that clings to his clothes.

He nudges me. “Come on, what just happened up in that pretty head of yours?”

“It’s a secret,” I say, snickering when he shoots me a playful glare.

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