Page 36 of The Rules We Broke
I rolled my eyes. That charm was exactly what I didn’t need. Or maybe exactly what I did.No. Just no.
I pulled out Aunt Lu’s list and mapped our route. I hadn’t realized she bought gifts for every soul she’d ever exchanged pleasantries with—mailman, gardener, stylist . . .
Then I saw it—Brady and Benjamin Jackson.
Was this Aunt Lu’s idea of a joke? Surely not. When it came to the Jacksons, she never joked. Did she have dementia? I couldn’t make head nor tail of it.
The shock must’ve shown on my face.
“Are you okay, Ellie?” Brady asked, eyes searching mine.
“Yes,” I lied. “I’m just not sure what to get a couple of people on the list.”
“Puppies!” Caroline announced. That girl was on a mission.
I grinned at her but turned to Brady, curious. “So, what areyouasking Santa for this year?”
I had no clue what to get him or his brother from my aunt.
“I hope it’s a puppy!” Caroline burst out, full throttle.
Brady laughed softly, eyes twinkling. “It’s not a puppy, darlin’.”
“Aww,” she pouted.
“So?” I asked.
Brady winked. “That’s between me and Santa.”
That wasn’t helpful at all.
I decided I’d ask Aunt Lu later if she truly meant to put the Jackson boys on her list. Surely, that was a mistake.
We hit a slew of stores—Pottery Barn, Apple, a dozen department counters. Caroline was a champ, chattering away as Brady carried her piggyback or hoisted her onto his shoulders like she was royalty. He also managed to juggle half of my shopping bags.
Around the seventh store, I asked if he regretted his little trick to get me to come.
He tugged on my hair. “Well worth it.”
I nudged him. He was too charming for his own good.
Or mine.
By dinnertime, Caroline was wilting. A little whiny, a little glassy-eyed—but Uncle Brady fixed that fast with a promise: cheeseburgers and milkshakes.
I knew exactly where we’d end up: a roadside joint just outside Birmingham. Back when we were dating, it was our escape from Kaysville—where no one cared that he was a Jackson or I was an Eaton.
When we parked out front, Brady gave me a look—wide-eyed innocence that I didn’t buy for a second.
I stared at the blinking neon sign and thought of all the nights we’d spent in that booth. Sharing milkshakes. Kisses. Staying until the staff flicked the lights to kick us out.
He came around to get Caroline. Then, he opened my door and held out his hand.
I couldn’t take it, so I slid out on my own.
Of course, Brady didn’t let that stop him.
As we walked toward the entrance, he linked pinkies with me—just like we used to. I shook my head and gently moved Caroline between us.
