Page 65 of Breaking the Rules of Love

It’s rainingon the car ride home. I watch the beads of rain snake their way down the window, forming little rivers and streams, branching off until they reach the rubber seal at the bottom.

It’s definitely been a strange night. From the drunk would-be assailant to what almost went down at the Thortons’ house, this will be one to remember.

“Mrs. Thorton’s definitely a looker, wouldn’t you say?” The driver’s question comes so far out of left field I’m almost wondering if I heard him right.

I grunt back like a caveman. I don’t feel like getting into it with a guy who probably has the emotionally maturity of Ryan. I can only see the man’s face reflected in the rearview, but I can tell he’s smiling.

“I was happy to get this job, I’ll tell you that.” He smirks. We’re almost at my house now, so I just nod. This guy’s got a mouth on him and lacks professionalism. My guess is he’ll get himself fired within a month—two at the most.

“Thanks,” I tell him as he pulls up in front of my place. “Enjoy the job.”

“Oh, I will!” He chuckles.

I step out of the car and into the rain, which has now become quite a downpour. I pull my jacket up over my head to shield myself from the worst of it, but as I walk up my lawn, I stop when I see a figure seated on my front steps.

I squint for a moment, but then I realize who that figure is.

It’s Sadie.

She’s soaking wet, sitting out in the rain with her arms wrapped around her legs and her hair draped across her face. She’s hunched up so tightly that if I didn’t know it was her, I don’t think I’d be able to make out who she was.

“Sadie.” She raises her head slightly as I approach.

“Jake...” Her voice is quiet, timid, almost obscured by the sound of the rain falling all around us.

My first instinct is to go over to her, cover her with my jacket, and take her inside to warm her up. But I don’t know if my first instinct is the one I should listen to. Not anymore. When it comes to Sadie, I don’t know what to do anymore.

“What are you doing here?” I ask her. “Why are you sitting in the rain?”

It takes her a moment to answer. “I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss you when you got back.”

“You must be freezing,” I reply. I still desperately want to reach out and take her into my arms. “How long have you been here?”

“A while,” she says. It’s dark, and even with her hair in her face, I can see her unmistakable beauty. “You were out on a job, I guess?”

It’s a simple question, but there’s something in the tone of her voice. She’s asking me something else. It takes me just a second to get at, and when I do, I’m not sure I even believe it.

She’s asking me if I was out on a date with another woman.

Why would you care, Sadie?That’s what I want to ask her.

After everything we’ve been through—after the cabin, after she confessed her past to me. But I don’t. I don’t know where this is going yet, so I keep things simple.

“Yeah, I had a protection job for a rich married couple,” I reply.

Sadie nods. “Things went smoothly?”

I can’t even stop myself from laughing slightly. “Not really, no. But our VIPs weren’t harmed. So, the job was a success…from a professional point of view.”

Sadie cocks her head. “Aprofessionalpoint of view?” she asks. “What’s that mean?”

“Well, that’s a bit of a story,” I reply. I can feel myself starting to give in as I look at her.

She looks miserable sitting there—soaking wet and cold as the rain beats down on her. And even now, after all that we’ve been through, I just can’t help myself. “You want to come inside and I’ll tell you all about it? You can warm up too. Dry off.”

Sadie doesn’t hesitate. “Yes, Jake, I would love that.”

46

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