Silence stretched on, and Gretchen decided to end the call before it grew awkward. For as much as she loved Wyatt and considered him family, she understood he was Jax’s friend. “Thank you for talking to me tonight. I was in a bad place, and you helped me a lot.”

“Anytime, Gretchen. I love you both very much and nothing will change that.”

She was overwhelmed with gratitude for all the small things in that moment. “Thank you. Give Carly my best and have a good night.” She hung up and looked at the ceiling.

Gretchen was hit with exhaustion instantly and closed her eyes. She thought of what to do next and what to say to Jax. She knew it was time to let go and surrender to all the damage that had already been done. She fell asleep with the lingering scent of Jax in her nose.

Chapter Twenty-one

33 days, 4 hours, 15 minutes

A loud slam startled Gretchen awake. She struggled to focus when the overhead light came on. Jax was standing next to the bed, and she looked angry.

“What are you doing in here?” Jax’s nostrils flared.

Gretchen only had one eye open when she fully realized where she had fallen asleep. “I’m sorry. You didn’t show up and—”

“And that gave you the right to go through my stuff?”

She was fully awake now. “You moved out, which makes this my house.”

“Hasn’t it always been?”

She sat up and started picking up the discarded letters. “Glad to see that insecurity is still alive and well.” She shoved the letters back into the box.

“You didn’t answer me. Why are you in here?”

Gretchen had no fight left in her. “Because we’re done, and I have finally accepted that. I wanted to feel close to you one more time, so I came in here. I didn’t go through your things. All I did was sit here and open the closet.” She sat on the bed and held up the box, its weight nearly too much for her tired body. “I found these. I thought I had thrown them away.”

Jax stared at the box, her throat flexing with a hard swallow. “I told you I couldn’t make it tonight.”

“It wasn’t just about dinner. I had planned on talking, really talking to you. Not fighting.” She decided to lay it all on the line. “I wanted to ask you for another chance.”

Jax’s eyes flashed with surprise.

“I really thought we could make it work, even with whatever we had been through, because I love you so much.”

“Gretchen…”

“I know. I was horrible, and you don’t love me anymore. I heard you loud and clear, and I’m moving on from the fairy tale.” Even as Gretchen spoke calmly, Jax seemed to hold on to her anger.