When Brandon and I got out of the car, Ellie was lounging on a rocking chair in the yard, engrossed in a book. The breeze slightly lifted the hem of her skirt, creating a scene so dreamlike it felt almost unreal.
Ellie was so absorbed in her reading that she didn’t notice our car pulling up at the gate until Cameron called, “Ellie, guess who’s here?”
“Cam, your car sounds like a tractor. I don’t need to look to know it’s you.”
Ellie’s remark made me stifle a laugh.
Cameron seemed a bit embarrassed and scratched his head. “It’s not just me. There’s someone else
here, too.”
Ellie calmly turned a page, continuing to read without even acknowledging Cameron. He looked like he wanted to say more, but I shook my head and walked over.
Standing behind Ellie, I glanced at the book in her hands and smiled. “Haven’t you read this book before?”
The last time I was here, this same book was on Ellie’s nightstand. It was a classic romance novel.
Ellie froze, then quickly turned around. When she saw me, her eyes lit up with joy. “Mae!”
I smiled as she jumped to her feet.
However, the moment she spotted Brandon behind me, she instantly dropped the book and ran straight to him. “Bran!”
I watched as the siblings embraced, Brandon gently patting the back of her head. Suddenly, I understood why he was so good at taking care of me. It was because he’d always been taking care of his little sister
Not wanting to intrude on their moment, I picked up the book Ellie had been reading–it was “Romero and Julia” by famous author Terence Shakeswright.
The yellowed pages and worn edges indicated that this book had been read more than once. As someone who never had much interest in romance novels, I suddenly found myself curious about what made this one so captivating to a young girl like Ellie.
However, just as I turned to the second page, Ellie said, “Mae, you can’t read this book.”
She reached out, trying to take it from me.
I chuckled. “Why? Does this book hold some secret?”
Ellie’s face flushed slightly. “No, it’s just that you and my brother are already in love, so this kind of novel isn’t really for you anymore.”
Seeing her shy expression, I teased, “Oh, this is a textbook for a rookie in love like you?”
Crimson lotus tea–what a treat!
“Alright, I’ll make it for you and Mae,” Brandon said, making it clear that he wasn’t forgetting about his girlfriend just because his sister was around.
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The readers' comments on the novel: Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)
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