Page 78 of Surrender

I don’t know what I expected to find, but disappointment sags my shoulders.Maybe I didn’t put the ring in its proper place like I thought. Maybe I was interrupted or distracted and tucked it in a pocket only for it to fall out later. Maybe Lucy’s been carrying it around for weeks and dropped it at some point when we got here, only to rediscover it his morning. Toddler narration can be terrifyingly inaccurate.

Whatever happened, I don’t like it. I feel a little crazy. Both for being suspicious and for trying to dismiss where it came from.

My gut is telling me I put the ring in this box. Then why does this box look untouched?

“Whitney?”

“It doesn’t look disturbed.”

“What are you thinking?”Those beautiful gray eyes search mine. I love that he doesn’t try to offersolutions. He doesn’t try to explain away my confusion with excuses that discredit my memory.

Maybe you forgot to put it in there.

Maybe you kept it out on purpose.

Maybe you’reunder a lot of stress.

I brush my fingers over one of the velvet boxes. A string of pearls necklace my grandmaboughtme for my eighteenth birthday. “I think I put the ring in this box with all myotherjewelry. But I don’t have any proof of that.”

“Your gut feeling is enough.”

Suddenly, I don’t want to look at the jewelry anymore. I don’t want to think about that stupid ring. I start to shove it all back intothe cardboardbox. “I’mgoingto clean up the mess I made in the garage.”

“Leave it,” Jack says, stilling my hands with one of his own. He turns to the side to hand off Bennett. “I’ll take care of it. You guys need to finish getting ready and head off to work.”

“Thank you.” Avoiding his eye, I hold out the poorly repacked box of jewelry. Istudythe small, white scar on his jaw instead.

“Will I see you later?” Concern leeches from his tone.

“We’ll be back around five.”

“See you then.” With a dip of his chin, hemoves purposefully to the garage.

20

Jack

Christmas music is piped through the speakers in the ceiling, a stark contrast to the thrumming bass playing when I was here a week ago. Mom rented out a portion of The Rocks for our annual family Christmas party. A weird tradition, seeing as we all still get together on the actual holiday, but she likes to have one day a year to celebrate and not have to provide all the party fare. I won’t complain. Ruben’s cooking is phenomenal for a small town restaurant cook.

We’ve been here for about forty minutes. Everyone managed to show up on time, including Aiden, which is a Christmas miracle in and of itself. I scan the group, my fingers tightening around the beer in my hand.

Almost everyone.

“Where’s Sebastian?” Lee asks Cortney. She leans against a booth with Charlotte bundled securely in her arms.

“He’s running late, but he’ll be here.”

“Late to a Christmas party?” Lee nudges her shoulder, but she just rolls her eyes.

“It is a Tuesday morning. Not all of us own our own businesses and can take the day off.” She strokes Charlotte’s fine, dark hair.

“I think the only people that’s true for are your boyfriend and Juniper, and she’s banging her boss, so she gets as many days off as she likes.” Lee winks.

“Lee Powell!” Juniper shouts from halfway across the room where she hangs garland from a buffet table.

“Seriously, man. Don’t talk about banging my sister when I’m in the room.” Lincoln sets down his plate, and he and Oliver walk away.

Lee simply grins and tips his beer back for a drink.

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