I take the package. It’s the soft one I found in his suitcase yesterday. Inside the wrapping paper, I find his beloved Harvard Law sweatshirt. It’s faded and worn, and it smells like him.

In the last two years, I haven’t allowed myself to openly covet Jacob. I kept my feelings mostly on lock, letting him think I was just a flirt and a tease.

But on weekends when we had to work for a few hours and he showed up in this sweatshirt, that’s when I was at my weakest. When I would let myself touch him. Squeeze his arm, his shoulder. Rub his back, just a little.

And every time, I’d pretend it was about my love for this sweatshirt.

I picture him panic packing and trying to find something for me in his house. Wrapping this sweatshirt, and then getting to the Portland airport and panic buying a ring.

The two gifts couldn’t be more diametrically opposite, but they both tell me as clear as day that this man loves me. When he was up against the wall and needed to find something to show how much he understands me, he grabbed the one thing that allowed us some intimacy.

I hold it up, then press it to my face, not caring if anyone thinks it’s weird that I’m inhaling my gift.

He chuckles, and I burrow back into his side. “I love it,” I whisper.

“Put it on, if you want.”

I stand up and tug it on over my PJs.

That’s when I realize everyone is quiet. They’re looking at me, and Jacob, and everyone except for Nana has the same weird look on their face.

Nana is nose deep in my Dad’s copy of the interstate highway book.

“What?” I look at my sister first, because my brother was a dick about the presents I bought Jacob, so I don’t care about his hot take on the sweatshirt.

Carina purses her lips together. “Well… It’s just that your boss also went to Harvard Law. What are the chances that both of the small-town lawyers in Conception Ridge did that?”

Oh.

My face flames.

Jacob goes still.

My mother crosses her arms over her chest. “Sienna, what is going on?”

“It’s complicated,” I say.

“It’s simple,” Jacob says.

My dad harrumphs. “Really can’t be both.”

Except it can be. “It is.” I take a deep breath. “I can explain.”

“Can’t wait for this.” That’s Nathan.

I flip him the bird.

Jacob stands, carefully, and wraps his arm around me. We’re a united team, so at least that’s something.

I look up at him. “I’m not really sure where to begin.”