“Oh.” She looked away, taking a break from Jax’s cheerless face. “What about reading it today brought you here?”

“Aurora.”

Gretchen looked at Jax as if seeing her would help things make sense. “Aurora?”

“I went to go see Wyatt and Carly’s baby. She’s cute, lots of hair.” Jax smiled and Gretchen couldn’t help but join. “They named her Bethany,” Jax said. “Bethany Aurora.”

Gretchen pushed herself back from the table and knocked her mug on the floor. The sound echoed through the café, and patrons turned toward the clatter. A young waitress rushed over and pulled a towel from her waist and started cleaning up the mess.

“I am so sorry,” she said quickly.

“It’s okay.” The waitress waved her off and held up the mug. “Not even a chip.” When the young woman looked at Gretchen, she seemed puzzled. “It’s really okay. I can get you another, no charge. No point in crying over spilled cappuccino.”

She became aware of the tears streaming down her face. She touched them and flushed with embarrassment. “Thank you—I mean, no, thank you. I’m fine.” Gretchen turned away and hid her face. She waited until she heard her walk away before looking at Jax, who wore a small smirk.

“I had the same reaction, but I didn’t throw anything on the floor.”

Gretchen closed her eyes and let out a small laugh. She felt her hot tears and the warmth of familiarity in her heart. Jax always had a way of making her feel better. “Bethany Aurora,” she said. Oddly, the name now carried peace instead of pain. “I like it.”

Jax folded her hands on the tabletop and tapped her thumbs together. “After that, I just couldn’t stop thinking about her, and then I read your letter.” Jax swallowed hard and bit the inside of her cheek, but she couldn’t control the quivering of her chin. “You were right. We should each be able to say our piece.”

Gretchen’s hopes sank, but she always knew this was the more likely outcome. “I’ll let you go first. You’re really doing me the favor by being here.”

“You know, I sat watching you check the door and drink your coffee, and I still don’t know what to say.”

“Anything. You can say anything to me.” She felt awash with nerves when Jax pinned her with an intense stare.

“I missed you.” Jax held up her hand when Gretchen tried to speak. “I’m not talking about recently. I’m talking about when we lived in the same house. When you were always working, and I was always waiting for you to come home.”

“It won’t be like that anymore.”