Page 24 of The Rules We Broke
I loved her manners. “You can call me Miss Elle.”
“But Uncle Brady said you liked to be called Miss Ellie.”
I narrowed my eyes at him and glared.
This didn’t faze him in the slightest. Instead, he gave me that maddening smile of his I used to love so much.
I shook my head, ignoring him and focusing on Caroline. “Did he now?”
She nodded her head as cute as could be.
I led them into the drawing room. She sat down with her uncle on the velvet-covered couch while I took the chaise.
Brady looked way too comfortable sitting there. His eyes hadn’t stopped following me since I’d opened the door. It was disconcerting, to say the least. Honestly, I couldn’t understand why he was here.
“So, Caroline,” I said, trying to sound breezy and like my heart wasn’t pounding wildly out of control, “what else has your uncle told you about me?” I was curious to know. I couldn’t believe he talked about me at all.
Her entire face lit up like a tree on Christmas Eve. “He told me that you are the nicest and prettiest person he’s ever met and that you like Auburn just like me and my mommy.”
Surely, I heard her wrong. No Jackson liked Auburn. That was a cardinal sin.
“Sweetie,” I said slowly, blinking in confusion, “did you just sayAuburn?”
She nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Yes, Miss Ellie.War Eagle!” she shouted, beaming with pride.
I whipped my head toward Brady. He looked absolutely delighted—his eyes twinkling as he beamed at Caroline, and then at me. Withthatgaze.
I had to remind myself I hated him.
“Ellie,” he said casually, as though he hadn’t just detonated a family tradition, “Caroline’s daddy is Benjamin. He and her momma were married just over six years ago. Her name’s Kendra. She graduated from Auburn.”
Whoa. I needed a moment to absorb all that.
What happened to Miss Teen USA—the one Benjamin had been married to before?
And why in the world was he now married to a woman who wore orange and blueon purpose?
“Do your parents know?” I asked, trying to keep the edge out of my voice and mostly failing.
Brady laughed. “Of course they know. I told you—things have changed.”
I seriously doubted it. She was probably like Miss Universe or something. A onetime exception. And I could guarantee you—her last name wasn’t Eaton.
I turned my attention back to my little admirer. “How old are you, Caroline?”
“I’m five and I’m in kindergarten—and Uncle Brady says I go to the same school you went to.”
“You live in Kaysville?” My voice cracked slightly.
“Yep,” she chirped.
I looked at Brady again, utterly bewildered.
“Benjamin is the president of the bank now,” he offered casually.
Maybe I should’ve talked to Aunt Lu a little more about what I was walking into.
Just then, my stomach betrayed me with a loud growl. Wonderful.
