Color surged to her cheeks as she quickly dropped her gaze. Was that shyness?
Hadley blinked, and then a knowing smile curved her lips. Despite their relatively short time together, the connection between Colleen and Brady had clearly grown unexpectedly strong.
And now, Hadley understood.
With a playful tilt of her head, she said, “So… you came to assign me a secret mission, huh?”
“What mission…” Colleen shot her a flustered glare, her blush deepening.
“You get it, right? I can’t see him—not like this,” Colleen muttered. “My mom said I can’t go anywhere without my brother shadowing me.”
Hadley nodded slowly, considering. “Alright. I’ll make sure Brady gets the message.”
“Thanks.” Colleen exhaled, her relief visible—but the worry in her eyes didn’t fade. Gripping Hadley’s hand tightly, she asked, her voice small and scared, “Do you think… this could really end us?”
It wasn’t the drama or disapproval that threatened a relationship—it was the silence, the distance, the slow unraveling that came from being apart for too long.
Hadley softened. “Don’t think that far ahead just yet.” She offered a gentle smile. “Let me talk to Brady. Let’s see how he responds. If he does nothing… and things fall apart—then we’ll deal with that. But not yet.”
She paused, shaking her head. “Even as his sister, I have to be honest. If he doesn’t fight for you, then Brady’s not the one for you.”
Colleen lingered for a moment, then gave a faint, resigned nod. “You’re right.”
Once she left, Hadley wasted no time. She called Brady right away. No answer—he was likely swamped with something. So instead, she composed a detailed message, laying out everything Colleen had said, every glance and hesitation, and sent it off.
The day crept by without a single response. Hadley couldn’t help but wonder if Brady had already given up. But just as dusk began to settle, Brady showed up at her doorstep.
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“Hey. Hadley.”
He stepped into the living room, placing a small bag on the coffee table before sinking into the couch.
Hadley glanced at it, curiosity flickering in her eyes. “What’s this?”
Inside the bag was a phone.
“A cell phone?”
Brady nodded. “Yeah.”
He looked up at her, his voice steady but low. “Hadley, could you tell Colleen something for me? I’m going to keep a low profile, stay out of the way so she doesn’t feel cornered.”
He tapped the phone gently and pushed the bag toward her. “The SIM’s active. It’s ready. I want her to keep it safe—I’ll use it to reach her. No one else needs to know.”
Hadley stared at him, momentarily speechless. She hadn’t expected this.
“Alright,” she said softly, picking up the bag. “I’ll give it to her.”
.
.
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