Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Vince understood Timothy better than most.

If Sandra and Abell had actually managed to persuade Timothy to file for divorce, they would have reached out to him ages ago-asked him to get in touch with Jessica, at least. But now, with the court date less than twenty-four hours away and still no word, it was obvious things weren't going as planned.

Larkin turned to Jessica and asked gently, "So, you're really sure there's no chance of you and Timothy getting back together?"

Jessica nodded.

"In that case," Larkin continued, "once the hearing's over tomorrow and you and Timothy are officially divorced-why not marry our Vince?"

Jessica blushed so deeply she could feel the heat creeping up her neck.

She waved her hands in protest, flustered.

"You don't want to?" Larkin prompted.

Hurriedly, Jessica grabbed a notepad and scribbled, "It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

She wrote, "Mr. Zimmerman is such a good man. I'm not worthy of him." Vince, silently watching from across the room, caught the words she'd written.

Larkin chuckled. "You're an exceptional woman yourself, Jessy. There's no such thing as 'not worthy.' Vince has always been the more gentle one in the family, always quick with a smile. I think you'd be a wonderful match. And I know he admires you, too."

But Jessica still felt uneasy. The timing was all wrong: she was just coming out of a marriage, for one. And someone like Vince-well, with his family, his standing, and his talents—he could easily find someone who'd never been married, someone without a child, not someone like her with so much baggage.

Vince. "If Jessy and Timothy

Timothy had known each other for years; they

it. No woman had ever occupied his thoughts the way Jessica did. No woman had

to him. Even if she wanted custody of Henry, he'd find a way—no matter what

things ever turned romantic between them, she doubted she'd have the courage to keep talking to him at all. She'd always assumed Vince's concern for her er was

more-especially given his

to her grandmother

to Larkin.

ready to start anything new, not when

everything

is willing.

good match.

wanted to

to hold back? I'd hate to see someone else swoop in and

interrupted, "Not

frowned. “You just agreed a second ago—don't tell

him altogether if things moved too fast. At the very least, he wanted her to feel she

could pretend to

a little softer. "You and my Salome would have gotten

Jessica wrote, "Twenty-seven."

would be a year younger than you now. She disappeared when she was six. It's been twenty years, and we