Page 55 of The Forever Rule

“Then I guess we should do it?” I asked with a laugh.

“Yes. Because I’m not your boss.”

“You keep repeating that as if you’re trying to remind yourself that.”

“I’m trying to remind the both of us.”

Tingles went up my spine, and I knew this was a mistake.

But instead of saying no, instead of hanging up, I let out a breath. “Tomorrow?” I asked.

“Tomorrow. After work?”

“Coffee after work?”

“Well, I’m addicted to caffeine so we should.”

I let out a breath. “Okay.”

“Good, Blakely. I missed you on my phone.”

“Then you should have called,” I whispered.

“I should have.”

And with that, I hung up, but knew I would see him tomorrow. At work, and then after.

This was totally a mistake.

And yet I was going to make it anyway.

Chapter Six

BLAKELY

Dear Diary,

What if he’s not a mistake? Or what if I’m his?

“I’m soglad that you have the time to take this walk with me.” I reached out and gripped my mom’s hand and pulled her out of the way of a passing biker who was not using the bike lane.

“I’m glad you’re here too, but let’s not get run over.”

My mom looked over her shoulder, and I could sense the glare on her face even though I couldn’t see it.

“I love riding my bike, I love people who are riding to save the environment, and to help their bodies, and just for fun. But I hateactual bicyclists.”

“Same. But if I say that, I feel like a jerk.”

“I will be the jerk for both of us. It’s like they didn’t see the huge sign that bicyclists were supposed to be on the bike path, not the walking path.”

She elevated her voice for that last part, and I held back a smile, since another bicyclist nearly ran into us. That guy just flipped us off, and my mother grinned, and flipped him off in return.

“Such a relaxing walk, isn’t it?” Mom said with a laugh.

I took her hand, and once again pulled her out of the way of another bicyclist. “Okay next time I’m just going to walk out in the middle of the road. I’m less likely to get hit by a car than one of these idiots in a helmet,” I grumbled.

My mom let go of my hand to wrap her arm around my shoulder. “I love you so much. I’m really glad you got my temperament instead of your father’s.”

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