Jill’s heart stopped. “Nothing! Tom, you have to believe—”
“I know you didn’t cheat on me, Jill,” he said, his voice quiet. “But you can’t tell me that there’s not something there.”
She swallowed. “But… I don’t—we don’t—”
She flung her arms over her head. “I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going on.”
Jill felt the mattress move as Tom moved back into a seated position, and after several seconds, she peeked out from under the safety of her arms and saw him staring out the darkened window with a thoughtful look on his face.
She rolled upward, sitting beside him. Nudged his knee with hers. “What are you thinking?”
He sighed and stood, looking like he wanted to pace, but instead merely looked down at her, hands shoved in his pocket.
“I think you should be careful.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Of…?”
“Vincent.”
“He would never hurt me,” she said without hesitating.
“Not intentionally, no, but…”
Her foot snuck out, tapping against his shin gently. “You called me here to dump me. Don’t hold back now.”
His smile was humorless. “You’ve known Vincent for years.”
“Right…”
His blue eyes were steady on hers. “How many of those years have you been in love with him?”
Jill’s heart leaped in her chest. “I’m not—it’s not—”
“Regardless,” he said, his voice gentle, “the timing of his attentions seems off to me. I’m not saying he doesn’t care for you, but if you move forward with him, be very sure this isn’t a case of him wanting what he can’t have. He’s had plenty of time to make his move, and he waits until you have a ring on your finger.”
His words struck a nerve. Sharply.
The truth between Tom’s words was unavoidable.
If Vincent had feelings for her—and the “if” was incredibly real—why now?
What if all the hot looks lately were classic territorial male? Uninterested in a woman right in front of him until another man wanted her.
She swallowed.
She’d think of that later. Much later.
But for now…
Jill stood as she twisted the diamond ring off her finger and held it out to Tom.
He hesitated a moment before extending his palm. “It doesn’t feel right that I take this back.”
Jill smiled a little as she dropped it into his waiting hand. “Trust me. It’s much more wrong for me to keep it.”
They both looked at the glittering ring for several seconds before his fingers closed around it.
Their eyes met, and then incredibly—they laughed. A real, honest-to-God belly laugh of two people consumed with a heady sense of relief.
“We don’t have to figure this out right this second, but logistically, how does this work?”
Jill blew out a breath. “I’ll take care of canceling the caterer and the venue, but in terms of telling people…”
“You let me know when you’re ready,” he said quietly.
Jill smiled in gratitude. By telling people, she had meant telling Vin, and she suspected Tom knew it. Was letting her handle things her way.
“Actually…” Tom dug his hand into his pocket and came out with the ring. “Keep it for now. Until you’re ready to tell the world. Then you can give it back.”
“Tom—”
He gently pulled her left hand toward him, slipping the ring on. It was a very different gesture than when he’d done it weeks ago, but no less sweet.
“You’re a ridiculously good guy,” she said, leaning her cheek against the door as he opened it for her.
He winked. “I know it. And trust me, there are moments when I wish that light I mentioned—I wish it were meant for me, but…” He shrugged.
Jill gave him a sad smile before she lifted to her toes and pressed her lips to his cheek.
“Good-bye, Tom.”
He smiled, managing to look completely unperturbed after just being dumped. “See ya, Henley.”
It was exactly what she would have done.
She shook her head and smiled as she turned away, realizing now what she should have known all along: that she and Tom were practically the same person.
And it had taken her far too long to realize that she didn’t want a male version of herself. She wanted…
She wanted her opposite.
She wanted Vin.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Traveling with another person could cause turmoil in the most stable of relationships.
And Vincent and Jill were anything but stable.
Still, Jill was looking forward to their California trip. Maybe the new environment was the change she needed to clear her head.
Jill drained the last of her coffee, washed the cup, and dried it. For the first time ever, she wasn’t the one rushing around, and the extra time felt decadent.
Vincent had texted her earlier saying that he was running late. Not really his thing, but the guy was allowed to oversleep now and then. God knew she’d done it a handful of times.
When he pulled up outside her apartment, she was ready, wheeling her bag down the drive.
“Morning!” she said as he came around the back of the car and practically threw her bag in the trunk.
He grunted.
Jill sighed. “Have you had your coffee yet?”
“Yes, I’ve had my coffee,” he snapped.