Page 35 of Forbidden Love

She set the plates in the sink, gripping the edge for a second longer than necessary. Deb had no clue what had gotten into her. One minute, she was teasing Brock about fishing; the next, she was agreeing to a dinner that felt more like a date than a friendly meal. Her heart was still tapping out an uneven rhythm, like it hadn’t caught up with her brain yet.

She’d beenflirtingwith him. Openly. Boldly. That wasn’t like her—not lately, not since… well, not since things had gone so wrong the last time she let her guard down. But there was something about Brock that made it feelsafeto be a little reckless. Something steady in his eyes. Something grounding in his smile.

Still, she wasn’t used to this kind of attention anymore—she wasn’t used to letting herselfwantit.

She’d acted in the moment, but deep down? The truth was simple: shedidwant to have dinner with him. She wanted to sit across from him and hear him talk about himself...about anything. She wanted to feel the heat in his gaze without needing to look away, without fear creeping in.

What could it hurt?she told herself again, but the nerves in her stomach didn’t quite believe it. It wasn’t just dinner—itmeantsomething. Maybe not to him, maybe it was casual for Brock, but to her… it was the first time in a long time that she felt like taking a step forward instead of always looking back.

And that was both terrifying and thrilling.

“Everything okay?” Tammy asked gently, coming in behind her with a stack of cups.

Deb blinked and gave a soft laugh. “Yeah. Just… thinking.”

Tammy raised an eyebrow. “About dinner with my brother?”

“He hasn’t won yet,” Deb shot back, then flushed, the heat crawling up her neck. “Is it that obvious?”

Tammy smirked, but there was kindness behind it. “Only to someone who knows that look. Nervous-excited, right?”

Deb exhaled a laugh and nodded. “Yeah. Exactly that.”

“I can tell when someone has been hurt in the past, Deb.” Tammy gave her a warm smile. “He’s a good one, Deb. If you’re going to let someone in… Brock’s worth it. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my brother. I would never do that after what I’ve been through.”

“Heisa good man,” Deb agreed softly, her gaze drifting to the window where she could see Ben darting around the yard with excitement, Brock trailing behind him with fishing rods slung over one shoulder.

She kept her tone light, but there was a weight behind her words—something old and worn, something she didn’t quite feel ready to unpack.

Tammy didn’t press. Deb was grateful for that. She knew Tammy wasn’t asking for details, wasn’t prying into wounds that weren’t hers to touch. It wasn’t curiosity in Tammy’s voice—it was compassion. A quiet offering of support without expectations.

Deb picked up a towel and began drying the dishes slowly, her hands moving on autopilot. Her thoughts, though, spun like leaves caught in the wind.

She’d had good once—or thought she did. And it had turned into something sharp, something that left scars in places no one could see. Since then, she’d learned to keep her walls high and her heart guarded. Smiles were safe, flirting was fine, but real feelings? Real hope? That was dangerous territory.

But Brock… Brock didn’t feel dangerous.

He felt solid. Steady. Like a man who meant what he said and didn’t play games. And that scared her in a whole new way—because for the first time in what felt like forever, she actuallywantedto trust someone again.

She glanced at Tammy, who was quietly wiping down the counter, humming softly to herself. There was no judgment in her eyes, just a knowing kind of calm.

“I’m not looking for anything serious,” Deb said after a long pause, unsure if she was saying it for Tammy’s benefit or her own. “But… dinner sounds nice. And he makes it hard to remember all the reasons I built the walls in the first place.”

Tammy smiled, warm and understanding. “Sometimes the right person doesn’t need to tear your walls down. They just wait patiently on the other side until you’re ready.”

Deb swallowed hard, her throat tightening. She hadn’t expected this kind of tenderness today—hadn’t expected to feel anything, really, except maybe a little sunshine and some good food.

But here she was, heart skipping in a way she’d almost forgotten it could. Nervous. Excited. A little scared. But open—just enough to see what might come next.

She set down the towel and exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

“Well,” she said, clearing her throat and forcing a smile back into place, “I still plan on kicking his butt at fishing.”

Tammy laughed, bumping her shoulder gently. “Good. Keep him humble.”

And with that, the moment passed. But something had shifted in Deb—something small, but real.

By the time Deb and Tammy made it down the gently sloping trail to the pond, the sounds of arguing and splashing greeted them like an odd little symphony of chaos.

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