I shrug, trying for nonchalance even though my heart is racing. “Is there a better time?”
She looks at me for a long moment, her eyes searching mine, then steps back. “You want to come in?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
I follow her inside, and the apartment envelops me in warmth and the smell of cinnamon and pine. Christmas lights twinkle along the walls, casting a soft, multicolored glow across the living room. The tree we decorated together stands in the corner, the star on top just like we left it.
Jhett pads over from his bed to greet me, his tail wagging.
“Hey, buddy,” I say, kneeling to scratch behind his ears. “Keeping an eye on things?”
“He’s been my only company tonight,” Cheyenne says, closing the door. “Genna’s out with Paul.”
“I know.” I straighten, and meet her eyes. “I checked with her before coming over.”
“You did?” Her eyebrows rise slightly. “Why?”
I glance down at the box in my hand. It’s not much—just a simple silver package with a red ribbon. But it’s what’s inside ... that matters.
“I wanted to talk to you. Alone.” I take a deep breath. “And I wanted to give you this.”
I hold out the box, and she looks at it for a moment before taking it. Her fingers brush against mine, and even that slight contact sends a jolt through me.
“What is it?” she asks, looking confused.
“An early Christmas present.” I shove my hands in my pockets, suddenly feeling awkward. “And kind of an apology. For the article and all the trouble it’s caused you.”
She looks up, her expression softening. “Dylan, you don’t have to apologize. It wasn’t your fault.”
“Kind of was, though.” I gesture toward the couch. “Can we sit?”
She nods, and we sit down—me at one end of the couch, she at the other, the gift between us. Jhett follows, settling at Cheyenne’s feet with a contented sigh.
“I should’ve thought about what would happen,” I continue, watching her face in the soft glow of the Christmas lights. “Going into that jewelry store, pretending we were engaged ... I didn’t think about how it might look to other people. How it might affect you.”
“It’s fine, really,” she says, but I can see the tension in her shoulders, hear the slight strain in her voice. “I mean, yes, it’s been weird. My mom called. And Garrett texted.”
“Garrett?” I feel a surge of something hot and unpleasant. “What did he want?”
“Just to make me feel bad.” She shrugs, trying to look casual but not quite pulling it off. “He said I didn’t waste any time replacing him.”
“That jerk,” I mutter, my hands clenching in my pockets. “What did you tell him?”
“Nothing.” She looks down at the gift. “I didn’t respond.”
Good. He doesn’t deserve a response.
But I keep that thought to myself and just nod instead.
“Well,” I say, picking up the box and handing it to her. “This is the least I could do for all the trouble I caused you.”
She gives me a small smile and begins unwrapping the gift, carefully removing the ribbon and lifting the lid. I watch her intently, my eyes never leaving her face as she peers inside.
For a moment, she just stares at the contents. Then her lips part in surprise, and she looks up at me with those wide hazel eyes.
“Dylan,” she breathes, lifting the silver bracelet from its velvet cushion. The dog charm catches the Christmas lights, sending little sparkles across her face. “This is ... this is the bracelet from the jewelry store.”
I nod, suddenly unable to form words. The look on her face—genuine surprise and something else, something warmer—makes my chest tight in a way I’ve never experienced before.
