Page 26 of The Rules We Broke
By tomorrow, the whole town would know I was back. And already breaking the rules.
But I wasn’t about to disappoint Caroline. And once Aunt Lu was well, I’d be leaving Kaysville.
Hopefully, for good this time.
Maybe my heart would finally get the memo and leave it behind, too.
I took Caroline to the foyer and showed her the blue and orange ornaments for the Auburn tree.
She lit up with excitement. She looked around, wide-eyed. “Is this the floor in your books where Aunt Calliope and Jane slide?”
“Uh-huh,” I said with a smile. “Do you want to try?”
She kicked off her shoes without hesitation.
I grabbed her tiny hand, and together we ran and slid across the marble—just like Aunt Lu and I used to do when I was her age.
She erupted in giggles as we skidded to a stop.
“Again!” she cried, already spinning back around.
We slid again—laughing, breathless—straight into Brady, who’d come into the foyer at just the wrong moment.
While I grabbed onto Caroline, shielding her from the marble floor, Brady caught me.
Strong arms around my waist. Secure. Familiar. Too familiar.
A warm, fuzzy wave swept through me.
He held me close and tugged gently on a strand of my hair. “Ellie,” he whispered.
Even though every part of me wanted to stay in his arms and pretend it was ten years ago, I pulled away. Immediately..
This was wrong. I wouldn’t break the rules again. I wouldn’t let him break my heart. Again.
I took a step back, heart thudding, and quickly agreed to Caroline’s plea to slide again. Anything to create a buffer.
Brady stood still—watching, waiting. I could feel his gaze settle on me like a memory that refused to fade.
Thank goodness his niece was with us. She was the tether keeping me grounded. Keeping me from falling right back into his arms on purpose.
We slid a few more times, Brady joining in. I made sure to keep Caroline between us at all times. The farther I stayed from him, the safer I felt—emotionally, at least.
After our whirlwind of fun, we turned our attention to the Auburn tree.
Caroline razzed her uncle with delight over how Auburn had crushed Alabama in the Iron Bowl. I couldn’t stop smiling.
Hearing a Jackson say “War Eagle” not just once but several times? Unreal.
Brady had to throw in a few obligatory “Roll Tides,” to which Caroline and I both rolled our eyes with synchronized disdain.
I wasn’t sure that phrase hadeverbeen uttered inside this house. If Aunt Lu ever heard it, she might burn the place down.
The pizza arrived, and I let Brady get the door. I wasn’t in the mood to see anyone from town—especially considering who I was with. They were probably stunned to see a Jackson answering the Eaton’s door.
We ate picnic-style in front of the fireplace. Brady built a fire while Caroline and I dove into the pizza.
Between bites and cinnamon stick crumbs, she told me all about herself.
