65

My chest ached from the look on his face, the intensity in his eyes.

I almost couldn’t breathe.

“You know what else I’ve realized?”

I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak.

“How much I miss you.”

Twenty-Seven

Jenner

I

couldn’t fight this for a second longer.

Jo Spade needed to be mine.

I didn’t know the ramifications of that decision, I didn’t know what our future would look like, I didn’t know how her father was going to react or how that would affect me—or us—but I had to be with her.

Because it was agonizing to be without her.

“You miss me?” she whispered.

“Those words aren’t nearly strong enough.” I gripped the armrests, so I wouldn’t reach across the table and lift her from her seat. “I understand why you didn’t tell me. I wish you had, I wish that weight weren’t between us, but I get it.” I studied her gorgeous face. “If you still want to be with me, then I need to find a way to talk to your father. I don’t want to hide this from him.” I took a deep breath. “I don’t want