“Yeah, still.”

“What’s new in Willow Creek?” he asks.

I fill him in on the job, the beach trip, and the charity dinner that Grayson didn’t attend. Jacob listens, asking a few questions here and there. Mostly, we discuss how I had to practically carry Delia out of there and have Alex drive us home.

For hours, she alternated between crying in my arms and getting sick from drinking too much. I hated seeing her like that. She was so sad and I wished I could make it better.

“How about in Sugarloaf?”

“We decided that I’m going to stay here.”

“I knew you would.”

He chuckles. “Well, I’m going to surprise Brenna by renovating the house. Melanie needs her own bathroom, and I know Brenna would like a bigger bedroom.”

“That’s sweet.”

“The things we do for the people we love, right?”

“And the pain we suffer . . .”

Jacob goes quiet for a minute. “Are you suffering?”

I shift in my seat. “No. I’m fine. Everything is how it should be. Things are looking up now that I’m working, and my stuttering is so much less. I even endured a party without one slip up.”

I’m really proud of that. I’ve been working a lot on focus and I think that’s really helping. The doctors said it’s a muscle that needed not only to heal but also be trained on how to function again. With the help of my neurologist and Dr. Warvel, I’ve been treating both sides.

“I’m really glad it’s working.” I can hear the happiness in his voice. “Listen, I wanted to ask you something.”

“You can ask me anything.”

He sighs. “Okay, my premiere is in about two months and I’d like for you guys to all be there. My family is going, and I’m planning something huge for Brenna.”

I grin, knowing exactly what he’s planning. “You’re going to propose?”

“Yes.”

“Good! The way you did it the first time was an epic failure.”

“No shit,” he agrees.

Jacob asked her the night after he returned or something ridiculous. Brenna, being a therapist, asked him to wait on it. I was incredibly proud of her for not just going with it. Although, anyone who turns down Jacob Arrowood has to be a little crazy because he’s Hollywood’s most beloved actor.

“Are you going all out?”

“Yes, I want to give her a proposal she’ll remember.”

“Brenna is a lucky girl,” I tell him.

“When do you go back to the neurologist?”

“You know that I am not your responsibility, right?”

He chuckles. “Yes, but I’m worried about you.”

“I appreciate that. However, you don’t need to be. I’m a big girl and can take care of myself.”

“You’re also stubborn as fuck and don’t want to accept help.”