Page 114 of The Rules We Broke
Brady’s executive assistant, thankfully, was sweet and ushered me right in.
Brady looked surprised—but delighted—when I walked through the door. That delight shifted to concern the second he saw my face. I wasn’t exactly rainbows and sunshine.
As soon as the door clicked shut, he wrapped me in his arms.
“Darlin’, what’s wrong?”
“Brady, why didn’t you tell me your brothers were coming into town?”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he led me to his oversized leather office chair and pulled me onto his lap. Only once I’d settled did he speak.
“I didn’t tell you because, in the end, it doesn’t matter. You and I are going to be together. End of story.”
I leaned my head against his shoulder. “Why does this have to be so difficult?”
He caressed my cheek. “There’s no difficulty.”
“How can you say that?”
“Darlin’,” he said softly, “look at me.”
I sat up, met his gaze, and stared into those beautiful blue eyes I’d loved since I was a girl.
“Ellie, I love you. Do you love me?”
I smiled. “You know I love you.”
He grinned. “See? Was that so difficult?”
“Brady—”
“It’s only difficult if we make it that way,” he said. “And I have no intention of doing that.”
He paused, then tilted his head with a playful smile. “You know, I could get used to this. You should come by every day and distract me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Can you imagine the talk that would create?”
“Let them talk.”
I walked out of the bank feeling more settled, a little warm and fuzzy . . . but still bothered. I couldn’t wrap my head around how crazy his momma had become.
When Brady arrived at my house that evening, he had his hands full—pink roses in one hand, a large box of chocolates in the other, and a grin that could melt almost any heart.
I shook my head. “What’s all this?”
He stepped inside. “It’s the middle of the month, right?”
His thoughtfulness—and the fact that he remembered my cycle—made me laugh out loud. Could this manbeany better?
I took the flowers and candy and placed them on the hall table. Then I grabbed his tie, pulled him to me, and thanked him in my own way.
He wrapped his arms around me, and we spent several delicious minutes saying hello until Doris called us for dinner.
We walked into the family room and found my aunt still settled on the couch. She looked better—more color in her cheeks, a little more brightness in her eyes—but still not quite herself. She also lookedlessannoyed at Brady than she had the night before. So . . . progress.
Brady didn’t hesitate. He walked straight to her and smiled that signature smile of his.
“Luanne, you’re looking very well today.”
