Page 84 of Your Rule to Break
“I know I hurt you, leaving you on the beach, and I’m sorry. Like, it hurts me thinking of you out there.” His voice cracks with honesty and the weight of the moment. “I promise to make it up to you.”
I put a finger to his lips. “How could I not want you?” I ask and then my lips are on his, replacing my finger. The kiss is honest and an unexpected turn of events from standing alone on the beach to being with a man who has my nickname inked on his skin.
He wraps his arm around me and lifts me up, all while kissing me.
“Zack Andersen, I’ll break whatever rules necessary, do whatever it takes, if it means I get to keep you.”
Zack holds me to him, his nose almost touching mine and says, “You’ve always had me, EJ.”
His mouth covers mine, and we soak in the moment—one full of honesty and heart, true and aligned.
“What do we do now?” I ask.
“Well, it looks like we eat dinner. And then we go back to the room, and I tell you everything that happened in the last few hours.”
I catch his eyes and there’s something behind them. “Are you okay?”
“I’m much better now.”
He holds onto me, tight, like I'm something valuable. A treasure. Something he doesn’t want to lose.
“It’s nice you could join us,” my mom’s voice cuts through the bliss, like a knife to butter. “Emilie said you weren’t feeling well.”
It takes everything I have not to roll my eyes.
“Ah, sorry about that. I’m, ugh, feeling better now. Looking forward to the wedding tomorrow,” Zack says, syrupy sweet.
“We hope you’ll leave your shirt on for the entire ceremony.”
I cover a laugh and lock eyes with Eliza at the table next to us. She looks at Zack, and back to me again, offering a small smile.
“That’s something I definitely can do,” Zack replies, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.
She looks me up and down, to the dress I was so excited to wear. My mom clicks her tongue and says, “Pink is a bold choice for you.”
No one says anything and the silence feels sharp.
“What? I’m just saying. There are so many other colors for your skin tone.” She brushes a finger down my arm.
I’m about to say something when a hand touches my shoulder.
“Mom, stop it. Please. Give it a rest.” Eliza’s voice is strong and clear.
“Eliza—”
“No, not today. You always are giving Emilie such a hard time.” She stands next to me, putting her hand in mine. “And when it’s not her, it’s me, or dad, or anyone in your orbit.” Eliza’s voice has a wave of confidence, one I’m proud of.
“I’m getting married tomorrow. Do you think you can at least hold off untilafterthe wedding?”
“I guess I just won’t say anything,” my mom snaps, crossing her arms and immediately going on the defense.
“That’s the thing, Mom. If you can’t say anything nice, you shouldn’t say anything at all. I think it’syouwho taught us that.”
My parents can’t believe Eliza. Fuck, I can’t believe her. They turn and practically run back to their seats.
My heart swells, and I’m afraid to breathe. Tears make my vision blurry as Eliza squeezes my hand hard, in a way that I know she’s with me—on my team. I look over at her—chest quickly rising and falling—and a tear falls down my cheek. I wipe it with the hand that isn’t grasped by Eliza.
Mitch stands by his soon to be bride, and the irony of the moment isn’t lost on me. I never thought it would be Eliza, with the man of my parent’s dreams, who would be putting them in their place.