Page 76 of The Rules We Broke
“Because that’s what I had been doing for years. I felt like my life wasn’t even my own back then. I lived to make my parents happy. I figured someone ought to be happy because I sure wasn’t. Amber was like my momma’s pet. Sometimes, I felt like she loved her more than me. But when my leg broke, Amber knew what that meant. She didn’t really love me either. She loved the glory and the fame, and after the accident I could no longer give her that.”
He swallowed hard. “I broke it off with her, but told her she was free to tell whatever story she wanted. I didn’t care, I was just so happy to be done with her.”
“Brady, I’m so sorry.”
He tilted his head. “Darlin’, what do you have to be sorry about?”
“I’m sorry you were miserable.”
He cradled my face between his hands, studying me with that unflinching gaze of his. “I’m sorry I ever made you question—even for a second—how I felt about you. If I could rewind time, I’d have married you the moment I had the chance.”
I raised a brow. “You really think I would’ve eloped with you at eighteen?”
He kissed me so thoroughly, the stars might’ve blinked twice.
When we finally surfaced, his signature grin curled like a dare. “I have zero doubt, darlin’. I could’ve talked you into it.”
I swatted his chest. “You’re so full of yourself, Brady Jackson.”
“Maybe,” he said, cocky and unbothered. “But I’m not wrong.”
I rolled my eyes, but inside I knew—he probablywasn’t.
I shifted, tucking my legs beneath me. “So, where do we go from here? I know some things have changed, but your parents still hate me. I don’t want to cause problems in your family again.”
His arm tightened around me. “I say we go straight to the courthouse.”
“Be serious, we can’t get married. We don’t even live in the same state anymore, and we’ve been apart for ten years.”
His expression didn’t falter. Not one inch. “I’ve never been more serious.”
“Brady.”
“What, Ellie?” His voice was low, but urgent. “You know we belong together. Why waste any more time?”
“I can give you a dozen good reasons.” I tried to keep my voice steady. “Starting with—my aunt would kill you if we ran off to the courthouse. Your parents would probably kill me for even entertaining the idea. And let’s not forget—we’ve been apart ten years. What if we’re not who we were? What if we don’t even like each other anymore?”
His answer wasn’t words.
He let out a low sound—half frustration, half resolve—and flipped me gently so I was lying flat on the quilt. The firelight traced the edges of his face, setting every line in gold. He hovered over me breathtakingly.
“I thought you weren’t trying to seduce me.”
He smiled—that grin I’d never been able to forget. “I’m not.” His finger trailed slowly down my cheek. “But I’d like the chance. Real soon.”
Oh, my.
“I think we should take it slow,” I said, voice shaking under the weight of him. “Maybe try dating again. Before we leap into marriage.”
He dipped his head and kissed me—first my lips, soft and lingering, then the curve of my neck. “We dated for two and a half years already,” he murmured between kisses.
“We were kids, Brady.”
He lifted his face just enough to meet my eyes, blue and burning. “Tell me you don’t love me.”
I reached up, framing his face with both hands. He was undoing me, one quiet breath at a time. And in that firelit stillness, I couldn’t lie.
“I can’t do that,” I whispered.
