Page 13 of The Breaking Point

“I wouldn’t get into trouble. You would.”

That made Brady’s expression close. “Right.”

“But I’d tell Dad to leave you alone. Anyway, we’re not doing anything wrong. I’m just teaching you how to swim.”

Brady smiled at me, which made me blush and feel warm and fuzzy inside.

“You know, you’re not as annoying as I thought you’d be,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. “Gee, thanks. I don’t get why you’d think I was, anyway.”

“Because pretty girls are always a pain in the ass.”

The butterflies in my stomach turned into an entire flock. I didn’t know what to say to that. And apparently Brady didn’t know what to say, either.

When I returned to bed, I couldn’t sleep. I stared up at the ceiling, my heart full, determined not to let anyone stop me from being around a boy like Brady Carmichael.

GRACE

PRESENT DAY

It was family dinner night on Fridays, and we all fell into our usual routine like I’d never left for college. Mom was in charge of the cooking; Dad was in charge of the cleanup.

I was in charge of everything else—setting the table, plating the food, and making everything look pretty. I also helped Mom with any cooking tasks. Dad usually tried to get me to help him with dishes, but as a kid I always managed to slip outside before he could rope me into that task.

I was pouring salad into a large wooden bowl and adding a few other toppings when Mom said, “When is Will coming?”

It took me way too long for my brain to register what she was asking.Will? Oh. The guy I’m dating.

I winced inwardly. I’d been so focused on Brady that poor Will had basically disappeared from my thoughts recently. It didn’t help that I kept running into Brady while at the arena.

I didn’t run into many of the other players. Just Brady.Strange coincidence, that.

Brady only ever said hello, maybe with a wink added on for good measure. Even that short salutation never failed to get my traitorous heart racing.

“Will. Oh, yeah. Um, six o’clock?” I finally answered, hoping Mom took the blush on my cheeks as me being excited to see the guy I was dating.

“Be sure to put out five plates tonight,” Mom said before her attention turned back to the risotto she was carefully stirring.

Five plates. I grabbed the dishes before my brain realized five would be too many.

“Mom, isn’t it just four of us tonight?” I called from the dining room.

“I invited Brady,” Mom said offhandedly. “I saw him at the arena and invited him. I hope you don’t mind.”

I gritted my teeth. I eked out a vague response that tried to sound casual, but I was sure it didn’t.

Brady, here. Tonight. When my new boyfriend would also be here.

Will isn’t your boyfriend,I reminded myself. Will was just the guy I was dating. We hadn’t even talked about making things official. We’d been on two dates. We’d only just kissed on the last one.

And if I were being honest, the kiss had been lackluster at best. Will’s lips had been overly moist, and I’d had to surreptitiously wipe away the saliva he’d left on my chin after kissing me.

But I’d agreed to keep seeing him because I knew that sometimes chemistry took time to build.

Or you’re just too nice to call things off,I thought morosely.

How would Brady react to Will? And why did I care? I shook myself. I had to play this cool. Brady was a brother to me. I just had to hope he wouldn’t try to razz Will like an older brother would.

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