The conversation’s getting heated; I try to smooth the tones. “So, basically, we’ve both just been very proud and very stupid.”

I smile nervously. His jaw relaxes, and he smiles back.

“You haven’t answered my question,” I say.

“What question?”

“Would you want me to move here?”

“No,” he replies, decisively.

Oh. My heart falls into the pit of my stomach.

“It’s my turn to haul my ass to where you are,” Jake adds.

My heart is immediately back in my chest and pulsating at a crazy tempo. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“I don’t know. What do you think I’m saying?” Jake flashes me a wicked lopsided grin. It makes him look like the boy I fell in love with so many years ago. Besides my heart racing, now there’s some fluttering in my belly too.

“That you’re moving to London?” I ask tentatively.

He winks at me before taking a sip of wine. “The London Clinic contacted me about a research job opportunity a while ago. I didn’t give it much thought at the time. But now, it feels almost like it was destiny.”

“It does. It’d be so perfect! You could move in with me—I’m kicking out my roommate from hell in two weeks when her sublease expires. I’ve already given her notice. You could move right in.” I stop abruptly and blush bright red. “If that’s what you want… if it’s too much, too soon.” I’m babbling. “If you need some space to… I don’t know. What’s the recovery protocol after a broken engagement?”

Jake throws his head back and roars with laughter.

“What’s so funny?”

He shakes his head. “I’d forgotten…”

“What?”

“What it’s like to be around you… how cute you are… how much…” he stops.

“How much w-what?”

He looks me straight in the eyes. “How much I love you.”

Eeeeeeeeee. I could die happy now. Jake’s stare on me is so intense it fries my brain.

“I love you too. So, so much. I’m so sorry I’ve waited this long to come tell you… we wasted so much time…”

“We’re not going to waste another day. I’d be happy to move in with you.”

I beam at him; I’ve never been this happy.

“So you’re not regretting your decision, not even a little?”

“No. I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused…”

“Me too,” I interrupt him.

“But I couldn’t stay. You are who I want. You always have been…”

Unfortunately, my phone rings at this point, interrupting Jake.

“It’s my sister,” I say. “Do you mind if I pick up? She calls so rarely; it could be important.”

“Say hello to her from me.”

I mouth “thank you” and slide my finger on the screen to answer.

“Hello.”

“Is it true?” my sister asks.