Reggie nodded, not sure what to say. Jake’s father had gone to his office one morning, and after sitting down at his desk, he’d suffered a fatal heart attack. The sudden passing had rocked the town. Reggie remembered her mother calling, wanting Reggie to know what had happened. Reggie had sent a note to Jake’s mom and had made a donation to the suggested charity, but hadn’t gotten in touch with Jake. They’d split up five months earlier, and reaching out to him had felt strange.

“I wasn’t sure what to do when he died,” she admitted. “I was thinking about you...” Her voice trailed off.

He looked at her. “I get it. After what had happened, you wouldn’t be sure what to say. I know you wrote my mom, and she appreciated that.”

“I always liked her.”

“She liked you. She was disappointed when we broke up.”

“Is that what she thinks happened?” she asked before she could stop herself. “That we mutually decided to end things?”

His gaze was steady. “No. She knows it wasn’t like that. She knows I...” He seemed to search for the words.

“Proposed on a Friday, went to an engagement party with me on Saturday, then dumped me on Sunday?” she offered.

One corner of his mouth turned up. “That’s a very clear way of talking about it.”

“It’s what happened.”

“I know. I’m sorry about that. It’s why I’m here. To explain what happened.” He held up a hand. “I realize you may not want to hear anything from me, and if that’s the case, I’ll go quietly. But I thought you might like a little closure. I’ve found it helps to know the truth when it comes to moving on.”

Wow—she hadn’t seen that coming. Reggie briefly considered telling him she couldn’t be less interested in his excuses, only she found she did want to know. Everything had happened so fast. She’d still been in the staring-at-her-ring stage of their engagement, and then it was over. They hadn’t fought or even disagreed. They’d had a great couple of days, and then poof, that was it.

“I would like to hear what happened,” she admitted. “Closure is probably a little strong, but finishing the story would be helpful.” She thought about adding that she was completely over him, then decided against it. She knew she’d moved on, and what he thought of her was a whole lot less important than it had been a year ago.

“Thank you,” he said, his gaze locking with hers. “I want to tell you. I wish I’d told you then.” He surprised her by smiling. “I’m going to start by saying I was an idiot.”

She raised her eyebrows. “I’m not going to disagree. Go on.”