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"Ben, please, don't do this." I inhaled deeply. I could feel myself starting to shake. "The realtor is coming in an hour. I am supposed to pack up and get ready to move."
Ben looked at me and reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring, holding it up for me to see. "You asked me the other morning why I still carried this. I have carried this ring with me since the day you gave it back. It may not mean much to you, but for me it carried all of my hopes and dreams. It carries the ones I want to share with you. It carries every memory, every accomplishment, and every dream that's come true for me, except for one—you."
I felt the tears fall down my cheeks as I looked at him standing there holding this ring. I didn't want him to leave. I didn't want to let him walk away, but I still couldn't bring myself to say anything. I wiped the tears from my cheeks and composed myself.
"You know what else this represents?"
I couldn't respond because I knew if I did my voice would give me away and the tears would start flowing again.
"It represents the promise of a new beginning. Our new beginning. I can build a business anywhere. It doesn't have to be here. It can be anywhere you want to go. What do you say?"
I said nothing. I didn't have to. The knock on the door said everything. I knew on the other side of that door stood the realtor that was here to list the apartment. "I'm sorry, Ben. I have to deal with this," I bit out.
His gaze fell to the ground, and I knew in that instant I had broken his heart for good this time. He shoved the ring into his pocket, opened the door, and rushed off down the hall, almost knocking the lady to the ground.
"Jessica Hayward?" she asked, reaching out to shake my hand. "I am so excited to see this apartment."
I moved to the side for her to step in, but before I shut the door, I leaned out into the hall to see Ben standing waiting for the elevator. I heard the sounding bell that the elevator had arrived, and I watched as he turned to look at me one more time before he got in and left the building.
Chapter 21
Ben - One month Later
After I left Jess's place I had gone back to Sunset Builders. I'd turned in the paperwork to Jules and made my way back to my apartment.
I'd spent the next month working my ass off, trying to get all the projects done that we had fallen behind on. It was Friday afternoon, almost one month to the day that Jess had signed off on all the paperwork, and I was sitting in my office scrolling through the online paper when an article caught my eye.
Jess had apparently gone back to LA. There was an image of her with her friend, Kate, raising two wine glasses and clinking them together. She looked happy. The article stated that they would star in a Broadway production of Saltwater Moon.
I'd gone home that night and gotten drunk alone, passing out on my couch. It really wasn't that much different from every Friday night lately, until I woke up the next morning and looked around my apartment. The place was a disaster,and I decided that it needed to be cleaned up. Jules was right, no woman would ever be interested in a guy who lived like this.
A knock on the door Sunday night surprised me as I dipped the mop into the bucket and rang it out. I turned to look over my shoulder to see Jules standing there.
"My God, you own a mop." She smiled.
"What's up?" I asked, ignoring her comment and sliding the mop back and forth across the floor.
She pulled the door open and stepped inside, keeping quiet as shestood and watched me.
"Something I can help you with?" I asked as I made my way closer to her.
"I tried to call you yesterday to see if you wanted to join Glenn and I at Monterey's, but you didn't answer. Are you okay?"
"Does it really matter?" I bit out, changing my direction so Jules could stand there a little longer and the rest of the floor could dry.
"Yes, Ben, it really matters."
I stopped what I was doing and rested my hands on top of the mop pole, keeping my eyes away from her. "I will be."
When I started mopping the floor again, I caught Jules staring at me through squinted eyes. "I'm not sure I believe you."
"Well, you should. I spoke to Glenn this morning. He will look after Sunset Builders for a month. I'm taking off, heading to the cottage. I need a break."
I'd expected Jules to fight me on this, but she nodded in understanding. "Good, I think a break will do you good. Glenn and I can get things taken care of. You have nothing to worry about."
I could sense the tension in the air between us as I finished the last few swipes of the mop across the kitchen floor. I did my best to ignore it, dumping the dirty water into the sink and filling the mop with fresh water and cleaner to wash the bathroom floor with. Jules still stood inside the door.
"What else did you want to say?" I questioned. I didn't want her staring at me with pity.
