Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Jessica froze, her body tensing for a split second before she shoved Timothy

away with all her strength. She yanked the comforter up to shield herself, glaring at him with a wariness that hadn't been there before.

"It was just a kiss. Was that really necessary?" Timothy scoffed.

She never used to react like this.

Her rejection stoked his frustration-ever since Herbert Wheeler had shown up, Jessica hardly let Timothy touch her at all.

Jessica silently cursed her inability to speak; if she could, she would have called him a creep to his face.

As if he even realized where he'd tried to kiss her.

After making sure the blanket was secure around her, Jessica reached out and signed, "Trying to pull that stunt in broad daylight at the hospital? Get out. I'll change by myself."

Timothy's irritation softened, if only a little.

She was shy-especially in the middle of the day, in a hospital room no less. With her temperament, of course she couldn't accept it.

As long as she wasn't pushing him away for another man, he could live with it.

He was still coaxing her, after all; the last thing he wanted was to drive her so far that she'd never come home again.

So he left the room.

a hurry and slipped out

her hand and led her toward the exit, his

ignored him the entire way home. When they returned to The Gilded Whisper Estates, Henry was nestled up against Sheila, chatting with her. "Miss Sheila, could you please talk to my dad? Tell him now's not the time for a wedding. If he's not embarrassed, I

was cold,

Remembering the scolding he'd received at the paper-cutting contest that morning,

they could talk Timothy out

Timothy. "You shouldn't be so harsh with Henry all

"Sir, ma'am, dinner's ready. You can come to

had intended to lecture Henry, but with dinner ready and guests around, now was hardly the

he nor Jessica had eaten lunch, so

to the dining room. Pulling out her chair like a perfect gentleman, he waited for her to sit before

two of them sat across from

authority, ladled a bowl of soup for Jessica and set it in front of her. "You just got

voice was gentle, almost

as if her heart

tenderness had belonged to

kept her head

it

picking out