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.

to Vince. "If Jessy and Timothy divorce, would you be

the possibility of her and Vince together, not like that. Besides, Vince and Timothy had known each other for years; they weren't exactly close,

his thoughts the way Jessica did. No

she wanted custody of Henry, he'd find a way—no matter what it

If 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

more-especially given his

her

to Larkin.

to start anything new, not when her old wounds

with everything

smiled warmly. "Jessy, Vince is willing.

good match.

I wanted

kept quiet. But now that you're getting a divorce, there's no need for me to hold back? I'd hate to see someone else swoop in and take you away. You'd be a wonderful addition to the Zimmerman

interrupted,

“You just agreed a second

Vince explained quickly. He'd seen Jessica's discomfort, and he worried she'd withdraw from him altogether if things moved too

sister. Not long ago, Jessy and I discussed that if, in the end, she still hasn't turned up, Jessy could pretend to be her for a while to comfort my mother. But if Jessy and I announce an

to Jessica, his voice a little softer. "You and my Salome would have gotten

Jessica wrote, "Twenty-seven."

younger than you now. She disappeared when she was six. It's been twenty years,