Beautiful Broken Rules (Broken, Series #1)(51)

“It sounds so easy when you say it like that,” I sighed.

“Once you think about it, it is that easy.” He smiled at me.

He patted my hand and walked back to his pool table with his drink in hand. I felt like such a chicken. Here I was afraid just to date someone because the idea of losing him in the future was so painful. I wasn’t completely delusional. I knew that if I allowed it, Jaxon and I could have something great. I’d been shown glimpses of that already. I also knew how easily I could screw it up and he’d be gone, leaving me shattered. Yet, Joe can still be happy after actually losing his wife of forty plus years. Times like these, I craved advice from my mom. Ellie has always made it known that I could come to her for anything, and over the years she has become my mom, in a way. I took out my phone and texted her.

Me: Can I come home for a couple days?

Ellie: Come home tonight, I’ll have chocolate ready.

No one has a better step-mom than I do. Ellie has never tried to force me to talk about any of my issues. She was always just there whenever you needed her, anytime of the day or night. Before I left, I asked Ed if it would be all right if I took off the remainder of the week. He took one look at my fat lip and nodded. I almost told him my lip had nothing to do with it, but I decided not to push my luck.

I didn’t even go back to the apartment. I still had a ton of clothes at home that I could change into when I got there.

Me: Quinny, I’m going home for a couple days, probably all week. Enjoy the apartment alone with Cole. xoxo

Quinn: Come get me, I’ll come too.

Me: No, I know you have a test this week, you already told me about it.

Quinn: If you need to go home, I need to be with you.

Me: Ellie will take care of me. It’s nothing serious I just need a refresh.

Quinn: I love you.

Me: xoxo.

I got home late that night. Ellie and Charles lived about an hour away from campus. She told me that Charles was away on a business meeting, so she was excited that I decided to come back home and keep her company. Ellie didn’t have to work anymore because Charles made more than enough to support us all. She did have to attend a bunch of fundraisers and special dinners with her husband, so that was almost a full-time job in itself.

It was dark when I walked into the house. I tiptoed up the stairs and peeked into the master bedroom. She was lying in bed and when she saw me peek in, she lifted the covers gesturing for me to climb in. I instantly scooted in next to her while simultaneously kicking off my shoes. I loved coming back here because it was home to me. Ellie had always made me feel completely comfortable.

“It’s good to see you little girl,” she said in a tired voice.

“It’s nice to be back.” I yawned. She tucked me in and I passed out quickly after.

*.*.*.*.*

The first couple of days I was there, we lay out by the pool, went shopping, and ate delicious meals downtown. She loved to spoil Quinn and me when we came home. At one point, Jace had started texting me to ask if I was okay. I always smiled at his concerned messages. Quinn would call me every day to ask when I was coming back and even Cole would get on the phone to ask if he could come get me yet. I never heard from Jaxon, but who could blame him. I wouldn’t want to talk to me either after how I’d acted toward him.

By Saturday, I knew I would have to go back to the apartment and school soon. I had skipped classes all week, and if I didn’t want to be dropped by my professors, I needed to make all of my classes for the rest of the semester. I also had a lot of studying to do to make up for this past week. Cole was upset that I had missed their game yesterday, but he called last night to give me the play-by-play. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I didn’t want to hear about Jaxon scoring the winning touchdown again.