Page 130 of The Rules We Broke
Caroline grabbed our hands and led us to the dining room, where everyone was already gathered. The room looked the same as the last time I’d been here—elegant, polished—but it felt warmer now, filled with voices and movement.
As we stepped inside, the conversation hushed. Every head turned toward us.
Caroline, never one to miss a moment, broke the silence with a grin. “I found them,” she announced proudly. “They were kissing on the porch.”
Caroline’s announcement earned a few laughs. Some were genuine. Others felt hesitant—like laughing might be mistaken for approval. And I was pretty sure not everyone was ready to hand that over just yet.
No matter. Brady leaned in and kissed me on the lips, deliberate and unapologetic. “Guilty as charged,” he said with a grin.
“How touching,” Benjamin teased. “Now, get in here so we can eat.”
That earned a few more chuckles, and the tension in the room eased just a notch.
I snuck a glance at Brady’s momma. She sat exactly where she had last time—rigid, composed, trying too hard to be unreadable. But I saw it. The cracks.
Even Beau reached over and squeezed her hand, like he was silently begging her to behave.
I prayed she could hold it together. I didn’t need her kind of crazy on Christmas. Or ever.
Brady and I were seated together near his daddy, across from Benjamin and Kendra. It felt strategic—like the room had been divided into camps.
There was a neutral zone in the middle, where the teenage nieces and nephews sat. From what Brady and Kendra had told me, the younger generation was leaning in my favor. Apparently, being a little famous helped. And the girls approved of my fashion sense.
I could work with that.
Dinner was already on the table, and it smelled divine. Prime rib, herb-roasted potatoes, warm rolls, crisp salads, and fruit trays arranged like edible art. It looked like something out of a magazine—elegant, abundant, and inviting.
Brady guided me to my seat—right next to his daddy. I didn’t bother glancing at his momma to see what she made of it. No doubt she loathed it.
Once everyone settled, Mr. Jackson bowed his head and blessed the food. His voice was strained, breath catching inplaces. He didn’t sound well at all. But the prayer was sweet—gentle and heartfelt.
He thanked God for his children, his grandchildren . . . and for new additions to the family.
Brady reached over and touched my hand when his daddy said that. I felt the warmth of it. The weight. And I was touched. But also confused. All my life, I’d believed this man hated me. And to be honest, I’d returned the favor. He’d kept me from Brady. He’d broken my aunt’s heart.
And yet . . . I found myself wanting to know him. To understand him.
He was going to be my father-in-law, after all.
But the guilt crept in. Was I betraying Aunt Lu by feeling this way about Isaac Jackson? What if he told me something awful—something that made the past even harder to swallow? Not that cheating wasn’t awful enough.
Still, it was clear he was trying. Just like Aunt Lu.
Maybe that meant I should try, too.
Brady had said it best:Let the past be the past.
But I couldn’t let go—not yet. Not until I got answers. Not until I knew the truth—for Aunt Lu’s sake.
Maybe then, I could make space in my heart for Isaac Jackson.
When the blessing ended, Isaac looked out over his family as they began filling their plates. His eyes were misted—reflective even.
Then, without warning, he placed his hand over mine where it rested on the table.
“Thank you for coming tonight,” he said quietly.
I sat stunned. Not just because Mr. Jackson had touched me—but because it didn’t repulse me. In fact, it felt comforting.
