11. Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
I jumped up, heart pounding, trying to collect myself. I’d nearly made a grave mistake. And honestly? I wasn’t sure I would’ve stopped him.
Brady stood, too, quietly, and reached for my hand as we walked toward the nurse calling my name.
“The surgery went well,” she informed me, matter-of-factly.
I exhaled—one long, shaky breath of relief.
“You’ll be able to go up to the ICU in thirty minutes, once she’s out of recovery.”
“ICU?” My eyes widened.
“We monitor all bypass patients there as a precaution,” she said.
“Oh, okay.” That made me feel a little better.
When she left, I turned to Brady without thinking and wrapped my arms around him. I was so happy. So relieved. He pulled me close and kissed the top of my head.
It felt like summertime. Warm. Safe. Familiar.
But then I remembered: I was an Eaton. He was a Jackson.
We weren’t built for summer. Our love was tangled in winter.
I pulled back. “Thank you for being here today. I’m sure you need to get back to the bank.”
It was late afternoon now.
Brady didn’t move. “I’m not leaving.”
“Brady, my aunt’s okay. Really—go back to work. Get something to eat. I don’t want to keep you.”
He folded his arms. “Ellie, I’m glad she’s okay. But that’s not why I’m here. I’m staying.”
I tugged him into a quiet corner, away from the hum of hospital chatter. “Why do you have to be so stubborn, Brady Jackson?”
He gazed at me with such fire in his eyes. And I saw it: the truth. The decision he’d already made.
“I told you I wasn’t letting you go without a fight, Ellie. And I meant it.”
I shook my head, my voice barely a whisper. “Please just let us go. It’s for the best.”
I wanted to add, You’ve done it before. You can do it again. But he didn’t deserve that. Not today. Not after everything he’d done for me by coming here.
“Best for who, Ellie?” His voice was low, strained. There was something like anger in it—rare for Brady.
“For everyone.” I mumbled it, eyes cast down to my shoes.
He stepped closer and gently ran his fingers through my hair. “No, Ellie. It’s not best for me. And if what your aunt says is true, it’s not best for you either.”
I blinked, stunned. “What did she say?”
“I think you should talk to her about that.”
You bet I will. As soon as she was well enough.
He kissed my cheek. “Now go see your aunt,” he murmured. “I’ll be here. Waiting.”
I walked away and felt like I’d slipped into a parallel universe. Brady and my aunt— talking. Me—eating at a Jackson’s house, sitting with them at church. My aunt—buying Christmas presents for them. It was surreal. And oddly comforting.
But not everything had changed.
His parents still hated me. He had promised me forever. Then left me. And sure—I could almost forgive him for choosing his family over me. But he went on to Amber. Then, he got engaged to her. I didn’t care what Kendra said. He had to have loved her.
Brady wasn’t the kind of man who’d propose to someone he didn’t love.
It didn’t matter. I shouldn’t have been thinking about him—not here, not now. I was here for Aunt Lu. Not to rekindle an old romance with the man I still loved.
I tiptoed into her room, greeted by a symphony of monitors and machines. She looked so small—so fragile. I hated seeing her like that.
In my mind, she was always young and vibrant, just like in my books. Always ready to take on the world or spark some wild adventure.
I knew the day would come when I’d have to face that she wasn’t so young anymore. But I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready to let go of the version of her who was unshakable, unbreakable— mine.
She was my mother in every way that mattered. Once, I asked her if I should call her Momma, and she said, “No, sugar. Aunts are much more fun than mommas.”
But I never doubted she loved me with a momma’s heart.
I settled into the chair beside her and gently held her hand. Minutes passed in silence before she stirred, slowly trying to open her eyes.
“Keep your eyes closed and rest,” I whispered.
Her voice came back to me, raspy but unmistakably her. “I’ll rest when I’m dead, Ella Lu.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. She was going to be okay. And just like that, the tears came—quiet and uncontrollable.
“Tears, Ella Lu?”
“I’m just sad I have to put that yacht on hold now that you’ve survived.”
“Are you sassing me, young lady?”
“Yes, ma’am.” I had never once wanted a yacht.
“You know how I feel about you calling me ma’am.”
I stood and kissed her forehead. “I know. I love you. How do you feel?”
She blinked slowly, still trying to focus. “I feel like someone cut my chest open.”
“Well, good. That means the surgeon did his job.”
She groaned. “As soon as I can open my eyes, you’re getting the evil one.”
I laughed. “I’m looking forward to it.”
She managed to open them—maybe just for dramatic effect—and gave me a soft evil eye. I was happy just to see those deep brown eyes again.
Her gaze sharpened. Her eyes narrowed. “You look different.”
I ran my fingers through my hair. “Well, I’ve been in a hospital waiting room all day.”
She gave me a tired look. “You look beautiful, as always. But there’s something different about you.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I can’t think of anything.”
“Did something happen today?”
“Yes,” I replied. “You were rushed into emergency surgery.”
“ Besides that, child.” Her tone turned sharp—irritated.
I racked my brain. “No. I just spent the day talking to Brady Jackson in the waiting room.”
Her eyes opened a little wider. “That Jackson boy was here?”
“ Is here,” I corrected.
And that was when I saw it. A crack of a smile. She recovered fast—but I wasn’t fooled.
Two could play that game.
“I heard you two are good friends now. Want me to go get him so you can say hello?”
“That’s absurd, Ella Lu. You know I can barely keep my eyes open. I think it’d be best if I rest, and you go home. I’m sure it’s been a long day for you, too.”
“How can I leave you like this?”
“Sugar, what can you do? Watch me sleep?”
“Yes.”
My stomach growled—loudly. Of course it did.
“When’s the last time you ate, young lady?”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“Ella Lu, go home. Eat something. Rest. I’ll be more awake tomorrow.”
To prove her point, she closed her eyes with stubborn finality.
I leaned down and kissed her cheek.
“Don’t think for one second you’re fooling me.”
She tried not to smile. “I love you more than air, Ella Lu.”
I walked out to the nurses’ station, knowing there was no use arguing with her. Staying would only agitate Aunt Lu, and I’d rather give her peace than proof of my stubbornness.
I made sure the nurses had my cell number and asked for the best line to reach them. I’d be checking in. Frequently.
On the way back to the waiting room, I ducked into the ladies’ room one last time and whispered a prayer of thanks. Then I caught my reflection.
I stared at myself for a moment, wondering— What am I supposed to do about the man in the waiting room?
This rodeo was getting harder to ride.
I took a few slow breaths, reapplied my lipstick, and saddled up. Time to reenter the arena.
Brady was waiting for me—right where I’d left him. The way his eyes lit up the moment he saw me? Not helping me stay securely in the saddle.
I forced myself not to smile.
He stood and walked toward me, every step determined, like a cowboy dead set on unseating me.
But I was determined, too.
“Is everything okay with your aunt?” he asked.
“Yes. Other than she keeps dismissing me.”
“So . . . are you ready to go?”
“Yes, thanks again for everything today. Maybe I’ll see you around.” I turned toward the elevator, heels clicking like punctuation marks.
Brady wasn’t having it. I knew he wouldn’t. But I had to try.
Brady kept pace beside me, effortlessly matching my stride. When he reached for my hand, I didn’t pull away. Too many eyes around. I wouldn’t embarrass him like that.
His grin said it all. He knew me too well.
Inside the elevator, I stared straight ahead. Refused to look. But I could feel his gaze on me—hot as sunlight through glass.
Just before the doors opened on the ground floor, he leaned in. “Ellie, you’re so pretty when you try to ignore me.”
I shot him a glance, ready to serve up an icy glare—but the fool had the sappiest smile I’d ever seen. I couldn’t help myself. I smiled. Then shook my head.
We stepped off the elevator. He leaned in again. “You’re even prettier when you smile at me.”
I elbowed him lightly.
He chuckled, entirely too pleased with himself.
Out in the parking lot, with no audience now, I tried to let go of his hand. He anticipated it. Pulled me in. Wrapped his arms around me like a promise.
“Let go of me, Brady Jackson.”
“Ellie Eaton, I have no intention of ever letting you go again. I’ll throw you over my shoulder if I have to.”
“You would do no such thing.”
He smirked. “That sounds like a challenge, darlin’.”
“Don’t you dare, Brady. I’ll scream.”
“Even better.”
He scooped me up like it took no effort at all, slinging me over his shoulder with practiced ease. Apparently, he still worked out like an athlete.
I could feel the definition of his muscles—which inconveniently distracted me from the fact that I was absolutely furious with him for taking such liberties.
“Brady Jackson, put me down. I’m not seventeen anymore, and I’m not your girlfriend.”
“No, you’re definitely not seventeen anymore,” he said, voice low and salacious. “The last ten years have done your body good. You filled out real nicely. And as for not being my girlfriend—that’s a technicality I intend to fix.”
“I can’t believe you said that. Does your momma know you talk like that?” Meaning about me, not my body. If his momma only knew some of the things he used to say to me when we were growing up.
“I don’t care what my momma thinks. Maybe you haven’t noticed—I’m not seventeen anymore either.”
I sighed and squirmed until he let me slide down, landing on my feet in a very undignified, tousled heap near my car.
This had to be the end. It had to be.
“I noticed,” I said quietly. “But I still remember everything that happened when we were seventeen.”
“Ellie,” he whispered tenderly.
“Please don’t say my name like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like it means everything to you.”
He grabbed my sweater, yanking me toward him. His grip was firm—but not rough. But definitely determined. “That’s exactly what it means to me.”
Before I could brace myself—before I could talk myself out of wanting him—his lips were on mine.
And for the first time in a long time, I didn’t think.
I forgot that breathing was necessary. Forgot I was standing in a hospital parking lot. Forgot the reasons I’d locked my heart away.
His lips moved over mine, coaxing me to let him deepen the kiss.
It didn’t take much.
Our tongues fell into a familiar rhythm—one we’d perfected once upon a time. One I’d missed every day since.
I clutched his coat, grounding myself in the warmth of him. His hands framed my face—urgent, reverent—as if trying to memorize me in one breath.
Tasting him was better than sunshine. Better than air. Better than memory.
And it shattered me.
The tears came—fast and unexpected. A flood of everything I’d buried. I pulled away, shaking—not from the cold, but from the ache.
Brady tried to take me back into his arms, but I stepped back.
“I can’t do this, Brady.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Does it matter?”
He cupped my elbow gently, refusing to let me slip away without answer. “Yes, Ellie. It matters. Just tell me why. But don’t tell me it’s because of the rules. You and I both know those don’t matter anymore.”
That was it. He was going to hear me out.
“Oh, really, Brady Jackson? I guess the rules only matter when it’s convenient for you. When they give you permission to leave me and break every promise you ever made.”
He tried to speak, but I wasn’t done. Not after ten years. The floodgates were wide open.
“After you broke up with me because of the rules, I thought it was temporary. I believed we’d go back to school and figure it out—together, like we always did. But instead, you were with her. And now I find out you took someone’s word—her word — that I was seeing someone behind your back.”
“It wasn’t her,” he said, voice low.
“I don’t care who it was! How could you not know me better than that?”
I didn’t give him space to reply. I couldn’t.
“Not only were you with her, but you also acted like I didn’t exist. Do you even know what that did to me? I tried to go away, to forget, to heal—but I couldn’t. Because you were everywhere. She was everywhere. And I couldn’t stop loving you even when you stopped remembering I existed.”
I could see him flinch, but I kept going.
“I watched you get engaged. To her. I was watching the game when you got hurt, and I cried. Not because you were gone, but because I still loved you—and I knew your NFL dream had died. I hated that. I hated that I still cared even though you couldn’t have cared less about me.”
My voice was breaking, but the weight inside me was lifting.
“And no matter how many times I’ve tried to move on, I haven’t been able to.
So don’t tell me the rules don’t matter.
You want another chance—but I’m still an Eaton, and your parents still hate me.
I saw it in their eyes yesterday. And your daddy doesn’t look well .
. . so will you use that as an excuse the next time you want to leave me? ”
Brady looked stunned. But he said nothing.
And although I was still shaking and crying, I felt lighter. Maybe I should’ve said all that years ago.
I’d never told anyone those things. Even back then, I mostly cried alone in my room. Sometimes Aunt Lu heard me and came in to hold me like a child. But mostly—I grieved in silence.
Now we stood in it, both breathless.
I started shivering—this time from the cold.
I didn’t get in my car right away. Some part of me still wanted Brady to say something. Anything.
But he didn’t.
Instead, he took off his coat, wrapped it around me, and helped me into the driver’s seat.
“I’ll follow you home. Make sure you get there okay.”
I tried to hand his coat back. “It’s unnecessary. Thank you.”
He draped it right back over my shoulders. His eyes said he wouldn’t take no for an answer.
I wasn’t sure if he was mad, heartbroken, or just tired of chasing shadows.
But I knew this much: this was the end of us.
I shook the entire way home, even with the heat blasting and Brady’s coat wrapped around me. I didn’t know how to feel. I wasn’t someone who erupted like that.
I’d been taught to smile through thorns and call them roses. But tonight, I let them hurt.
Brady followed me to the gate—then drove off as soon as I passed through.
I started to cry. Not because I didn’t know we were over. But because goodbye still hurt like the first time.
I should’ve made Aunt Lu come with me to Atlanta. I should’ve known better than to come back to Kaysville.
It was a mistake. A beautiful, unbearable mistake.