Page 24 of A Secret Promise

Juno, having witnessed the one-sided exchange, looked ready to go after Beatriz, but Vixen quickly shook her head. "Remember that she's also Riley's mother," she whispered to the younger girl, "and we all have our bad days."

Vixen carried a tray of refreshments to where Beatriz was seated, but the other woman ignored this completely.

"Rule told me this morning you two are dating now. But I seem to recall you claimed the opposite yesterday."

"We weren't—-"

"Are you aware that he's forbidden me to stay at his place because of you?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't—-"

"I know you didn't have anything to do with it," Beatriz snapped. "What I want to know is what you're willing to do about it!"

"I...I'm not sure what you want me to say."

"You may benice,but you're not that smart, are you? I want you to convince Rule to change his mind. Because if you don't, then you'll be the reason my daughter and I will grow apart."

Nine

RULE'S CHEST CONSTRICTEDwith every good kind of emotion there was while he watched his daughter fuss over the table arrangements.

She had spent an endless amount of time picking out wildflowers and arranging them in a vase as their centerpiece. She had also hovered over his shoulder while reminding him again and againnotto burn anything.

It had been years since he last saw his daughter this excited, but he knew now this wasn't just because of Vixen. Even though he wasn't ready to admit it out loud, Rule knew now that this wasHispower at work, and the reality of this still had him mentally reeling, every time he thought about it.

Was this how it would always feel when one finally accepted having a Heavenly Father whose love and mercy were immeasurable?

Father and daughter looked at each other when they heard their doorbell ring.

You open it,Riley mouthed.

His daughter's nervousness turned out to be contagious, and Rule felt strangely stiff as he went ahead and opened the door.

"Hi."

Vixen's green eyes were sparkling as their gazes met, but it was her smile that took his breath away.

This...

This smile was what started it all, and memories of their time together flashed in his mind.

They had only been in each other's lives for a few months, but Rule knew now that the number of days mattered not when things weren't according to God's plan.

He had done everything he could to keep his family together, but he had still failed.

He had tried his best to keep his distance from Vixen, but he had ended up seeing her everywhere instead.

Everything that he once questioned and feared now made sense.

Jeremiah 29:11.

Because this time, Rule knew the truth.

And that was why—-

Everything suddenly felt right, and it was as if he hadn't been nervous at all.

Even though there were still so many things he and Vixen had yet to talk about, and so much of his past that he intended to share with her—-

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