Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Yates spoke with an easy, indifferent air. "Figure out who you're looking for before

you accuse me of stealing your woman."

Vince couldn't help but silently give Yates a nod of approval.

It was the kind of question Timothy simply couldn't answer.

He could only try to find his wife, Jessica.

But when he arrived at the Zimmerman house, there was no one named Jessica.

He asked for Salome, but Salome had nothing to do with him.

Timothy's expression darkened. "So you're against me too?"

"No," Yates replied calmly, "I'm just trying to protect my fiancée. Timothy, if you

can't answer that question, you should go. Your wife isn't here. The only people in

this house are Vince's sister, Mrs. Zimmerman's daughter, and my fiancée."

Inside the house, Jessica and Mrs. Zimmerman emerged from the study. Zachary

set a steaming dish on the dining table and called out, "Salome, your brother and

Yates are outside. Go call them in for dinner."

"Okay."

Jessica opened the front door, surprised to see snow quietly falling outside.

Wonder lit up her delicate features.

She tilted her head back, gazing up at the sky.

toward

before she could, a familiar figure unexpected

Timothy's eye.

then did he realize just how much he'd

"Jessy!"

spoken in that familiar yet foreign voice, cut through

Jessica's ears. She turned

was Timothy, kneeling just outside the iron fence, his

it had turned

her heart pausing before settling back

steady beat.

stepped to the doorway, calling out to

to come

an arm protectively

siblings turned to head back

his feet, gripping the wrought-iron

wait-please! I need to talk

Jessica stopped, turning back.

go, quickly shrugging off his coat and draping it over

might

say, say it.

as soft and

almost melodic, but every word landed on

like a stone.

a time, she had waited for

and days

face felt

"I'm sorry."

else? Dinner's getting cold,"

detached as if she were speaking

day at the

you'd stay