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Seth sounded so sincere. So did Garrett.
“All right then, I’ll think about it.” Should I think about it?
“We know it will be a difficult transition, but we’ll gladly help you with the move back to Chicago.” He smiled. “Well, once we get back in town next week we’ll help.”
“You will?” Jessica wasn’t really paying attention to the conversation. She was still stunned they wanted her gone.
“Of course.” He looked at his watch and his eyes widened a bit with his smile. “Hey, it’s getting late. We’re going to have to hustle to make our dinner reservations.”
“Right,” she said absently, suddenly not at all hungry. “Dinner.”
“Can you be ready to go in ten minutes?” Seth asked.
Jessica plastered a smile on her face, using her hotel-management DNA as a brace to hold back her true feelings, and nodded. She climbed the stairs to her bedroom like she was headed to the gallows, closed the door only barely keeping it together, and robotically put on new clothes as she contemplated leaving Montana to go back to Chicago.
But she didn’t want to go back. She wanted to stay here. With Seth and Garrett. Meanwhile, they wanted her gone. Or perhaps they were afraid she wanted to go.
They who’d been betrayed, deserted, and wounded by the last serious relationship and hadn’t sincerely had any woman in their lives for longer than a weekend for nearly a decade until she’d come along. Two hurt men who’d spent literally years without any stable companionship, were perhaps not yet ready to add Jessica to their lives on a permanent basis after all.
Mr. Barrington’s idiotic offer was about to ruin what little happiness she’d managed to find.
Jessica swallowed hard, glancing at herself in the mirror, seeing the myriad changes of expression shifting across her face. Sadness. Fear. Anger. Unsettled lust. Lust that would obviously never be settled now.
She hardened herself again. Just exactly like she had when Chucky had burst into the staff meeting to ruin her life months before.
Back then, her mind had immediately gone to the sad fact she wouldn’t be getting married. At least she didn’t have to cancel her wedding plans this time.
Suddenly her brain screeched to a halt.
Wait a minute.
Jessica remembered something so vitally important she couldn’t believe she’d forgotten about it. Although to be fair, her day had been fraught with unpredictability, ex-fiancés, and possible arrest for harboring stolen goods.
Luckily, she remembered the key information before heading down the rabbit hole of despair.
Several days ago, she’d accidentally found a ring box in Seth’s desk. She hadn’t opened it to look inside, but put it back where she’d found it in her quest for a postage stamp, of all things. Her first thought was that it might be left over from their last relationship, but didn’t think they’d keep that sort of memento around. Besides, she recognized the jeweler logo on the box as a local one. Gray had told her Seth and Garrett came here after breaking it off with their ex.
The next thought circling excitedly around her brain was that the ring must be for her. Jessica’s heart had pounded a deep thudding beat in her chest, as the thrilling idea of marrying Seth and Garrett settled around her heart and soul.
The hidden ring box also explained why the local jeweler, Mr. Mueller, kept staring at her left hand when she’d gone in to have her watch repaired. Not to mention that the engagement ring she’d once admired in his jewelry case was missing when she’d picked up her watch a few days later. Mr. Mueller had been staring at her ring finger that day, too.
Also, both Seth and Garrett had made a big deal about dinner tonight. They’d said it was because they were about to leave for business trips, and wanted a special night out before they left. The ring box, plus Mr. Mueller, plus a “special” night out could only mean one thing. She was about to be engaged to two perfect men.
All of those things had been forgotten today in the wake of what had happened with Chucky at the bank. But now she was free.
Jessica expected them to propose marriage tonight at their special dinner. She’d practiced being surprised all week. Perhaps this whole job offer thing was to throw her off and surprise her. She’d have to put her serene face back in place and prepare to be totally shocked.
