Page 122 of The Rules We Broke
I shook my head, smiling. “Spoken like a true man.”
“I’m serious,” he said, brushing his fingers through my hair. “You’ve traveled all over—where would you want to go?”
I gave it some thought. “Somewhere warm and secluded sounds nice. No phones. No schedule. Just us.”
He nodded, his eyes filled with all the possibilities. “I can work with that.”
“I look forward to seeing where you pick,” I murmured, stifling a yawn. I hadn’t slept much the night before—major life decisions tended to do that to a girl.
He glanced at the clock. “Sounds like I better go.”
“I suppose.” I reached for his hand, determined not to beg him to stay, even though every part of me wanted him to. But I knew he wouldn’t.
He remembered the girl who, once upon a time, had told him that she wanted to wait to make love to him until we were married. He honored my wish back then, as hard as it was for both of us. Brady was still honoring it, and it made me love him all the more.
“Are you picking me up for church?” I asked.
He hesitated.
I sat up. “No?”
He reached out and stroked my cheek. “I know I’ve asked a lot of you lately . . . but I’ve got one more request.”
“Moving isn’t enough for you?” I teased, trying to keep the mood light.
He leaned in and kissed my forehead, lingering there for a breath before whispering, “Ellie, will you sit on the left side tomorrow with my family?”
My heart stopped. “Brady?”
“I know,” he said gently. “I’m asking more than I should. But this one—this is coming from my daddy. He asked if we’d sit together. With them.”
I didn’t answer right away. It was a lot to take in. A small ask with big consequences.
“Please, Ellie,” he said, voice low. “He’s not doing well. I think it would mean something to him. It would mean everything to me.”
I stared into those familiar blue eyes and released the breath I’d been holding. “Brady Jackson,” I whispered, “I must really love you.”
I went to bed that night wide awake.
Funny how exhaustion and overthinking make such loyal bedfellows. I was bone-tired—mentally, emotionally, even spiritually—but my mind had clocked in for an overnight shift.
Right choices weren’t always easy choices. I’d said that before, and I believed it. But I hadn’t expected that belief to be testedsoquickly. Moving back to Kaysville came with baggage—I’d known that. But I didn’t think that test would arrive on my doorstep faster than Amazon Prime.
I had planned, quite firmly, to ignore the fact that Brady’s additional family members were in town. Especially on Sunday. Especially ontheirside of the church.
There wasn’t a bone in my body that wanted to throw myself into the middle of their pew parade.
Honestly, I needed to schedule a meeting with the pastor. Have a little chat about installing a neutral zone. Switzerland-style seating. Pews right down the center, reserved for the brave souls who dared support the Eaton-Jackson union. Or who were just tired of the ridiculous rules.
I kept wondering why Mr. Jackson wanted me to sit there.
Kendra had said he refused to tell Brady to leave me—or to stay away. Maybe he was having a change of heart.
Or maybe it was a trap, and they really were plotting to feed me poison apples.
Either way, I didn’t sleep well. Again. But I still rose early and got dressed for church, nerves working overtime.
Aunt Lu was still under doctor’s orders to avoid public places during flu season, which meant no church. She hated being monitored—she was probably plotting a daring escape by now.
