Page 60 of The Forever Rule

“I’m okay if it was,” I said honestly. I pulled into my garage but kept talking on Bluetooth while I sat in the car, not wanting to end the call accidentally. My Bluetooth hated my phone.

“Enjoy yourself. People say he’s a good man. And apparently, I’m surrounded by brothers now, and we’re outnumbered. I could use someone on the inside. You know, one on my side.”

“Now I’m a mole?”

“No maybe a double agent. I like that.”

“I really don’t want to get into the middle of your family drama, but I feel like I’m already there.”

“It’s why I love you. Just go have coffee. It’s just a stimulant. You’re fine.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too. But, when details come out about your coffee and anything else, we may have to work with some code names or something,” she said dryly.

“Deal.”

We said our goodbyes, and I quickly got out of the car, and got ready. I only had twenty minutes to shower, sort of do my hair, and put on makeup.

It was just coffee after all, but I still wore linen pants and a cute top. I had chopped off a few inches of my hairrecently, so now it went right past my shoulders, and took less time to blow dry, thankfully. I didn’t curl it or spend any excess time on it, because I didn’t want it to look like I was truly trying too hard. Just maybe trying a little bit.

I slid my feet into sandals, grabbed my bag, and made my way to another coffee shop that was in another suburb of Denver. We weren’t going back to Taboo, not near our office. No, this was going to be different. It had to be different.

I pulled into the parking lot, and saw Aston already there, standing outside the coffee place in worn jeans and a Henley. Women passed him and couldn’t help but glance at him. But he wasn’t looking at any of them. Instead he just stared off into the distance, toward the Rocky Mountains, and I wanted to know what he was thinking.

There was just something about him. And yes, I was making a mistake.

There were so many reasons not to do this. Not to get out of this car, and not to have coffee.

And yet, I wanted to.

So I got out of the car, took a few steps toward him, and when he turned in my direction, his eyes darkening, something twisted inside, something soft, and I let out a breath and smiled, and made my mistake willingly.

Chapter Seven

ASTON

Rule #3: Only lie to your family if #2 is unavoidable.

My breath caughtas Blakley walked toward me. I had to wonder why that continued to happen to me whenever I saw her. I should have been used to it by now, but clearly, I wasn’t.

The fact that I was there at all after blurting out an invitation meant I was going down a path that wasn’t a smart decision for either of us. Yet I wasn’t sure if I could have made any other choice.

I knew what I needed to do—focus on family and try to figure out how the hell we were supposed to function in the wake of my father’s lies.

And yet I couldn’t stay away.

Blakely Graves was a distraction of the highest order.

She was all wrong for me and the complications of this single coffee were insurmountable—work, Isabelle, family, and our one dance. And yet I couldn’t pull my gaze away from her.

I was in trouble.

“You came.”

I hadn’t realized I was going to speak until the words were out, but here we were.

“I was thinking about canceling, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you’re surprised that I’m here.”

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