Val’s pulse pounded and her mind spun, trying hard to think how to fix this. But the truth was, there was no way to fix it. No words would mend the large crack that was about to split them apart. Not at this moment anyway.

Seconds later the check came and Jack placed some cash inside the pocket of the binder. “It’s all set.” He got up. “I’m heading back to Boston tonight. Now in fact.”

Val watched his back as he walked to the door. She tried to yell out his name, to call him back, but it wouldn’t come to her lips.

Give him time. That’s all Val could think about as she sat alone at the table fighting back tears. She needed time, too. To take in what Jack was about to suggest. Why did she stop him from saying it? Why not let it hang in the air between them, then grab and run with it. Why not try being together?

She knew the reason. She wasn’t ready to take the next step with Jack. It could only destroy their friendship and anything possible in the future. The timing was off and entering a relationship with bad timing only makes a doomed relationship. She couldn’t risk that with Jack.

The bottom line was that she wasn’t ready. Her feelings for Gavin were still there. She loved Jack, she did, but couldn’t enter into anything romantic with him unless he was the only man in her life. She had to be free of Gavin’s spell first.

When Val arrived home, Jack and his bags were gone. For a moment Val wondered if she was ever going to see him again. That’s when the tears began to fall.

The next morning Val stood in Gavin’s office trying to keep her emotions under control. The sadness of losing Jack last night and now she had to deal with this… This, though, wasn’t sad. This was infuriating and made her temper simmer to the boiling point. It was moments like this that Val was actually happy she could rely on the one emotion that never failed her: anger.

“What do you mean you can’t speak with Claudia?” Val tried not to shout at Gavin. She wasn’t mad at him. The situation was just so damn frustrating.

“I’ve contacted the Morgans and they let me know that Claudia had a family emergency. She’s gone to her parents’ home to help her mother take care of her father who had a stroke,” Gavin stated calmly. He was so rational about it and that only made Val more irritated.

“What! Do you believe this bullshit? Jesus, Mitch, it’s awfully convenient, don’t you think? Why aren’t you demanding she come back to town?”