By Chance

Chapter Twenty Eight : By Chance

Summer's POV

I sneak my way upstairs as soon as I realize Brady's in the kitchen cooking something. He's absolutely adorable for trying his best, but I know he's going to need some help. It's a cute gesture nonetheless.

When I reach the kitchen, I'm quite surprised to find him actually controlling the situation well. He must sense me behind him because he turns around with a huge, energetic smile plastered on his face.

"Happy birthday!" he shouts and engulfs me into one of his classic Brady hugs. I've never met a better hugger in my life.

I giggle into his chest and thank him before pulling away and looking at what he's attempting to make me. To my complete and utter sheer surprise, the French toast actually looks amazing.

"I must have taught you well. You've moved up from barely being able to make toast to making French toast!"

I see amusement dancing in his captivating blue eyes. "Sure have! Want to try?"

I accept his offer, grab a fork, and take a bite from a piece that's done. The moment it reaches my taste buds, I stop chewing and look at him with panicked eyes. I'm not sure if I should tell him it tastes awful or pretend to like it so he feels good about himself.

I choose the latter because him waking up early to make me a special meal is the sweetest thing, and I don't care that it tastes terrible. "Yum!"

He smiles at me and shakes his head in disbelief. "You're so fake," he teases me.

I've been caught. "It's the thought that counts."

"I realized a few minutes ago that I forgot the vanilla and the cinnamon," he admits. "But don't worry your newly twenty-five year old head, I ordered some from a diner a few minutes away. I'm going to go pick it up in a little bit."

He takes the fork from my hand and tries a bite of his creation for himself. "Oh wow. That's fucking terrible," he spits it out into the trash can.

Just as I'm about to joke with him about being so mean for tricking me into trying it, I realize that it's two hours past when he's supposed to leave for work. "Did you take the morning off?"

"The whole day, actually. I worked hard yesterday and finished a lot of shit I had for today. I asked James if I could get the day off since I'd have nothing to do, and he told me I could. I was shocked, but I'll take it," he throws away the rest of his French toast.

Now I get Brady for myself the whole day. The only thing I want. I give him a quick kiss on the lips before I try to help clean up the kitchen, but he's very quick to stop me.

"What do you think you're doing?" he takes the dirty dishes from me.

"Just because it's my birthday I can't do dishes?"

"Well, yes. But I made the mess so I'll clean it up."

My heart swells at the simple but adorable gesture. If I were still with Lance, he would leave the kitchen and expect me to deal with everything he got out. I went from Lance to Brady. I really did that.

I can't help myself, so I give him one more kiss and thank him. He thinks I'm thanking him for doing the dishes, which I am, but it's for so much more than that.

I'm thanking him for showing me what a respectful relationship looks like. For treating me the way I deserve to be treated. For being Brady.

I go into the living room only to be met with him leaving a few minutes later. "I'm going to the diner," he announces before opening the door to the garage.