Page 50 of Inspiring Izzy

"It hurt that time Maya's aunt came in when we were here and you just got up and left me sitting there," I stare out the window as tourists pass by. "No explanation. No goodbye. I had to call my dad for a ride home. He lectured me the whole drive. It was embarrassing."

There's a beat before he says, "You deserved better."

I look over at him. Brady's watching me with so much intensity that I feel naked sitting across from him. "I did."

He leans forward. "Why did you?"

"Why did I what?"

"Put up with my bullshit?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I scoff.

"No," he frowns. "Not to me."

"I loved you," I say.

Brady's lip parts. "And that made you stay?"

I squeeze my eyes shut tight before opening them to look at him. "You were my first everything. I never had a boyfriend before you. I hadn't even kissed anyone before we..." I trail off, wondering why this is so hard to get out. "I loved you so much that I was willing to take every scrap you threw my way. I didn't care about the late-night phone calls or hiding in back corner booths. I figured it was better than not having you at all. But I didn't know better. I didn't know that there's more to relationships than waiting and wishing. You were it for me until I realized you were never going to leave Maya."

"I wanted to leave her. I wanted to be with you."

"Wanting to do something and actually doing it are two different things."Shit, I'm starting to sound like Aunt Jenny.

"I'm sorry," Brady apologizes. "I want you to know that I loved you, too. You were it for me, too."

I sit back in the booth and frown. "Is that why you finally told Maya about us?"

"I told her," Brady answers with a sigh, "because losing you made me realize I couldn't live without you."

My chest aches as the waitress appears with our drinks. "What can I get you two to eat?"

Brady drags his eyes from my face and looks up at her. "Cheeseburger and fries for me."

"And you?" the waitress turns to me.

But I don't look away from Brady. "Same for me."

When the waitress leaves us, Brady takes a deep breath. "We should stop talking about this. It's against the rules."

The ground rules I put in place because I knew if I didn't, we'd end up here. And I would be teetering between forgiving him and hating him.

I don't want to hate him.

But I also don't want to forget what it felt like every time he disappointed me. Every time he put me last. Every time he embarrassed me. Every time he hurt me. Every time he made me believe love was hard.

It's not supposed to be hard.

"What should we talk about then?" I exhale.

Brady licks his plush lips. "Why did you think Charlie's app idea wasn't a fit for our company?"

I reach for my glass of water. "Because people want things for free."

"You don't think they'll pay for convenience?" Brady challenges.

"I think people with money will pay for convenience," I hitch my shoulder. "But it's not practical. Not for people like me."

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