Page 38 of The Rules We Broke
“I can’t believe you still do that,” he teased.
“Why?” I asked.
“It’s disgusting. Not exactly behavior befitting a fine Southern lady.”
“Don’t knock it ’til you try it.”
How many times had I said that before?
I used to bribe him with kisses to try it. He’d take the kiss, skip the fries, and say,“Ellie, you know you want to kiss me anyway.”
And he was right. I always did.
Still did.
But it was best not to think about that.
He arched an eyebrow. “If I do, will you agree to the original terms?”
I blinked. So he remembered, too.
He really was too much.
I shook my head. “No.”
He laughed. “Worth a shot.”
Caroline yawned, a soft surrender to a long day. Brady paid for dinner, scooped her up, and we headed out.
Mrs. Kellen reappeared and offered an apology.
“Don’t worry about it,” we said in perfect unison.
She smiled and wagged a finger at us. “I still have hopes for the two of you.”
I wanted to tell her not to. But we simply said goodnight and walked away.
Tomorrow, I’d get Aunt Lu to schedule her procedure. I needed to get out of Alabama as quickly as possible.
Brady drove me home first; Caroline was already asleep. He carried my embarrassing number of shopping bags inside without complaint.
I thanked him, walked him to the door. Then saw it—that look.The one he gave me the night of homecoming. The night he told the whole town I was his.
I was in trouble again.
I reached for the door, but he pressed against it. “Ellie, please.”
“Please what?”
Before I could brace for it, he pulled me close. Fingers gently tangled in my hair.“Ellie . . . please give us another chance.”
I stepped back, heart pounding. Was he for real? “I won’t break the rules again, Brady.”
“Dang it, girl. Hang the rules.”
“I broke them once for you, and it broke Aunt Lu’s heart. And then you broke my heart when you left me. For Amber,” I cried.
His voice cracked. “I thought my daddy was dying. What did you want me to do?”
