She always knew Eric had meant well.

Since her return to Srixby a year ago, she had to admit that he had shown her plenty of kindness. But he wasn’t reserved with his goodwill.

For that reason, she would rather go without his help at all.

Hadley did not look back. She slipped away quietly, leaving no sign that she had ever been there.

Later that night, just as the clock struck seven, Colleen trudged back to her apartment, weighed down by fatigue.

After taking the morning off, she had spent the rest of her day at the hospital. Her energy was completely drained.

She brought back some food from the hospital cafeteria, intending to call it dinner.

When the elevator doors opened, Colleen spotted a tall, lean silhouette waiting by her front door.

“Evening, Colleen.” Brady stepped forward from the dim hallway. Colleen couldn’t tell how long he had been standing there.

She rummaged through her bag for her keys. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d come by? Or did I just miss your message?” It would have been better if he had sent a heads-up.

“I didn’t send one… I wasn’t brave enough.” Brady scratched at his hair, grinning awkwardly. “Honestly, I thought you’d ignore me if you knew I was coming. Maybe even block me.”

His attempt at humor was honest, but not entirely unfounded. Both of them understood that the real reason for Brady’s visit had everything to do with Noreen.

Colleen let out a tired breath as she unlocked the door. “Come in. We might as well talk about it now.”

“Alright.” Brady looked visibly relieved, glad she hadn’t shut him out.

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Once inside, he set a hefty bag down on the table. Whatever he had brought, it looked substantial.

“You probably haven’t eaten yet,” Brady said, unzipping the bag. “Let’s eat something first…”

Colleen shook her head, her mind elsewhere. She had been turning their problems over in her mind all afternoon.

“Not now. It’s too warm today. I want to cool off first.”

“Okay.” Brady hesitated, then nodded and sat beside her.

After a moment, he spoke, his voice sincere. “Colleen, I know this is a lot. We haven’t been together long, and maybe it’s early for a conversation like this…”

They weren’t anywhere close to making big commitments yet. Even so, with his mother in the mix, he knew it was better to be upfront.

“She’s my mom. I didn’t get to pick her.” Brady’s complexion turned pale, and he struggled to swallow as he met Colleen’s eyes. “If you’re willing to give me a shot, I’ll do my best. If it ever comes to marriage, I swear we’ll have our own place. You won’t have to worry about her being in your space.”

He knew this would help since young couples these days seldom lived with their parents or in-laws. The topic shifted naturally.

“Here’s what I’m thinking.” Colleen considered everything he had said before speaking up. “Your mother can barely stand me. If we end up together, do you think you’ll be able to handle things between her and me?”

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