When I’d crossed paths with Jenny’s father yesterday, he’d told me she was in Greece. I stared at the velvet box I’d set on the coffee table, a necklace I’d bought to give her for Christmas before she’d left me that damn note and then disappeared from my life.
Almost every one of my officers had invited me over for Christmas dinner, but I’d politely declined. This was a time for families, not to have a lovesick man hanging out with them.
Daisy apparently sensed my mood because she sat, staring at me with that worried look I was getting used to seeing on her. I opened the jewelry box. The platinum heart and chain with an emerald on the heart that matched Jenny’s eyes had caught my attention as soon as I saw it. I’d thought of the gift as symbolic. I might have never said the words, but I was going to give her my heart.
Garrett’s words bounced around in my head.Don’t let her slip through your fingers.I snapped the lid closed.
“It’s true, Daisy. I am a fool.” She tilted her head as if not sure whether or not she should agree. “Who’s your favorite cop? Tommy?” At hearing his name, she barked. “Good, then you won’t mind staying with him for a while?” She went to the door, making me laugh. “Ready to be rid of me, are you?”
I got out my laptop and started making a list. When I had everything I needed to do down, I went to bed and slept through the night without any ghosts giving me advice.
43
~ Jenny ~
Izippedup my hoodie against the chilly December wind blowing in from the Aegean Sea. After two weeks in Greece, I was supposed to leave for England tomorrow. Natalie and I had been here together shortly after we graduated high school, but before we could finish the rest of our trip, she’d gotten sick. When the debilitating headaches and nausea didn’t get better, we flew home, only to find out she was going to die. The ache in my heart had never gone away.
Since arriving here, I’d explored the island, revisiting all the places we’d gone to together. God, I missed her. Traveling wasn’t the same without my twin at my side. I didn’t feel her with me. She had moved on to a better place while I’d hung on to a promise that I’d thought would bring her back to me.
Along with being lonely, I was worried about Savannah. She wasn’t the same happy girl who’d left the valley to make her dream come true. She’d refused to talk about what was going on in her life during the three days she’d been home. Instead of traipsing the world, I should be home where I could try to find out what was going on with her. Autumn would be back from her honeymoon in a few days, and we could make a trip to New York, see for ourselves what the deal was with our friend.
And then there was Dylan, my real reason for being miserable. I lifted my head to the star-filled sky. Was Natalie up there, looking down on me? “I know I made a promise, Nat, but I think I made a mistake. I miss him something awful. You would understand if I went home, wouldn’t you? I need to know if he misses me as much as I do him.”
“He does.”
Oh, great. Now I was hearing Dylan’s voice in my head.
“Turn around, Jenny Girl.”
I pressed my hand over my heart to keep it from exploding out of my chest. He wasn’t here. He couldn’t be. It was only because I missed him so much that I was hearing his voice.
“You’re not really here,” I whispered, afraid to turn and see nothing but sand behind me. He chuckled, the sound traveling through me slow and easy like warm syrup.
“Are you sure about that?”
No, I didn’t know anything anymore. I turned and there he was, but to make sure, I closed the gap between us so that I could touch him. I put my hand on his chest, right over his heart, feeling it beat against my palm.
“You’re real. How?” So many questions crowded my mind, but when he wrapped his arms around me, surrounding me with his warmth, nothing else seemed important.
“Your father told me where I could find you.” Dylan put his mouth against my ear. “I came to tell you something.”
“Something good?” I said through my tears.
“I guess you’ll have to decide that.” He stepped beside me and, with his arm around my shoulders, led me to a bench.
Maybe I was dreaming. I still couldn’t wrap my mind around him really being here. My eyes soaked him up. He was gorgeous, so sexy wearing a cream-colored cable-knit sweater, jeans, and hiking boots. I’d told myself repeatedly before leaving that I wasn’t in love with him. What a fool I’d been.
He enfolded my hand between both of his. “I forgot to give you your Christmas gift before you left.”
“You came all this way just to give me a Christmas present?” Disappointment crashed through me that he hadn’t come to… I don’t know. Ask me to come home? Tell me he loved me? I forced a smile that I didn’t feel.
“Partly.” He reached behind him, pulling a thin jewelry box from his back pocket and handing it to me.
I opened the black velvet box to see a silver heart and emerald necklace. “It’s beautiful, Dylan.”
He took it out. “Turn around.”
Obeying, I pulled my hair up so he could hook the clasp. His fingers lingered on the back of my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. “Thank you. It really is lovely.” I still didn’t understand why he’d flown all the way here just to give it to me when he could have mailed it.
