Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CLAIRE
When her hand found an empty space instead of his warm body, Claire opened her eyes.
A quick glance at the clock confirmed her suspicion—it was still early.
She rolled over and looked toward the bathroom.
Darkness filled the room, and she wondered how he’d managed to slip away without waking her.
She lay still for several minutes, listening to the quiet sounds drifting through his apartment while replaying the last few hours in her mind.
What had begun as another carefree evening of dinner and a classic movie had turned into something more.
Something better. Something right. Falling asleep in his arms had marked a turning point in their relationship.
The moment had little to do with sex and everything to do with what came after it.
He made her feel safe. Connected. Seen in a way she had never experienced before.
Deep down, she knew she would never find that kind of connection with anyone but Jay.
She tiptoed toward the bathroom, observing traces of him.
His pajama bottoms, tossed carelessly on the chair.
One loafer, peeking out from under the edge of the bed.
The dress shirt he'd worn days before, dropped without a thought on the floor.
She smiled. These weren't just random things discarded in haste. They were little pieces of him… and she’d fallen for every little piece.
She brushed her teeth and washed her face, deciding to wait until after coffee to shower.
Her hand searched the vanity for a fresh towel, but found nothing.
She opened her eyes, dabbed her chin with the hem of her shirt, and headed straight for the cabinet.
Inside, she pulled a small white hand towel from a neatly folded stack and finished drying her face.
Smiling at her reflection, she turned to leave, eager to find Jay.
As she tossed the towel onto the vanity, something caught her eye.
She picked it up again and stared at the elegant monogram stitched into the center—an intricate gold H.
Her heartbeat quickened as she brushed her fingers across the shiny thread.
Oh God. This was her towel.
Days at sidewalk cafés and nights spent talking until all hours had given them insight into each other’s lives.
But Jay rarely talked about the life he’d shared with Hope.
He spoke openly about the guilt he carried after her death, the rough period that followed her flirtatious tryst with another doctor, and the divorce he had expected before the accident.
But he never shared anything deeply personal about Hope herself.
Other than the fact that Hope had been a surgeon and that they’d been married for several years, Claire could think of almost nothing else.
What color were her eyes? Her hair? How old had she been?
What exactly had happened in the accident?
Jay had never volunteered those details, and Claire had never asked.
Truthfully, she couldn’t blame him. Her relationship with Calvin had received almost no airtime either.
Aside from the emotions she’d confessed on the rain-soaked steps of her childhood hideaway, she never talked about him.
She hadn’t even spoken his name. She knew that wasn’t fair.
"Good morning." Jay poked his head around the door.
"Good morning," she replied in a hushed tone, carefully folding the towel. "Uh, I didn't realize it was hers until I'd already—" She started to explain.
"It's not hers. This place came fully furnished, remember? And even if it was, it would be okay. It’s just a towel, Claire. Okay?” He pressed a kiss of reassurance to her forehead.
"Okay," she sighed.
Jay dropped his gaze to the floor, leaving Claire to wonder if the towel triggered something else. A forgotten memory?
“What? Is something wrong?” she asked.
“I need to fly back to L.A. for a few days. I already planned to go back for business, but something else came up. I promise my trip home will not affect our New York plans. Our Nancy Chen date is happening, come hell or high water.”
“Is everything ok? In L.A.?” she asked.
“I think so. Yeah. It’s fine, it’s fine.”
Something in his tone said otherwise, but Claire didn’t press him.
“When are you leaving?”
“Tonight, if I can get a flight,” he said.
Her face fell. “Tonight?”
“I’m sorry. I know it’s last minute, but this can’t wait.”
“I understand,” she said. “I was hoping we’d have a chance to have dinner with my dad, Hamish, and Molly again before my dad flies back home and I fly to New York.”
“How’s this for a plan? I’ll book a flight for tomorrow morning, and we’ll have dinner with everyone tonight—my treat. Think they would mind making the drive into the city?”
Claire smiled. "I don't see why they wouldn't. Let me talk to Molly.”
Handshakes and hugs went around as Claire and Jay arrived last at the restaurant.
The five of them sat in a small room at the back of the eatery, their laughter spilling out so freely that the wait staff closed the doors to contain them.
Claire stayed mostly quiet, watching, completely absorbed by the rapport between Jay and the two men in her life.
Several times, she met Jay’s gaze across the table and found his eyes bright with enjoyment.
"If you gentlemen will excuse us." Molly placed her napkin on the table. "When the server comes back, tell him we'll have chocolate ice cream for dessert." She gave Claire a knowing look as Hamish stood and pulled out her chair.
"I, uh, guess we'll be right back," Claire whispered to Jay.
Inside the ladies’ room, Molly checked to make sure they were alone before throwing her arms around Claire in jovial celebration.
"I win! I win!" Molly squealed.
"What are you talking about?" Claire pulled away.
"The bet," Molly said.
Claire’s eyebrow arched. "What bet?”
"The bet I made with Hamish."
"Which was?"
"Don't play coy. I knew it the minute you walked in the restaurant. It's written on both your faces in bold print."
Claire fought to back a laugh. "I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
"Let me see if I can recapture the scene.
" Molly cleared her throat. "It was just going to be another innocent evening of dinner and a movie.
You laughed and talked just like you always do.
You had some wine. He had some wine. Then, there was a moment when you both looked at each other, and you knew. " She clapped her hands several times.
"Molly…” Claire shook her head.
"That's Madam Wise. Children's book editor, cigar aficionado, and fortune teller extraordinaire." Molly bowed. "And now, a little ice cream celebration, just like the good old days."
"Can we make it gelato?" Claire asked, taking Molly's arm and leading her back to the table.
Though they could have lingered all night, Harry signaled for the bill and announced it was time to wrap up the evening.
An argument followed between the three men over who would have the honor of paying.
In the end, Harry won, reminding them with a wink to obey their elders.
With the tab settled, Hamish called for the valet while Jay ordered an Uber.
He had managed to secure an early flight to L.A.
and would be leaving for Heathrow at dawn.
Hamish and Molly still faced a long drive back to the country.
Harry, struggling with chronic leg pain, made a last-minute decision to stay in town at Claire's urging.
Well wishes passed between them before the group split into two cars and headed off in opposite directions.
When the Uber driver turned onto her quiet street, Claire’s heart sank. She had worked hard all day to push the thought of being without Jay for a week—or longer—out of her mind. Now, standing on the sidewalk in front of her flat, she couldn’t avoid it anymore.
Jay smiled and extended his hand to Harry, which the old man brushed away in favor for a hug.
"I won't worry about her so much now, knowing you're here," he whispered in Jay's ear.
"You can count on me, sir," Jay replied.
The old man released him after a warm pat on the back, taking his cane from Claire's hand.
"Keep an eye on her for me, Jay?" Harry spoke in a loud voice, shooting a look in Claire's direction.
Jay smiled. "My eyes don't want to be anywhere else."
"Well, darling, I shall leave you to say your good-byes." He touched Claire's shoulder in passing.
"Be up in a minute," she said. “Careful on the stairs, okay?”
"Goodnight, Jay." Harry gave a nod and a slight wave. "Safe travels tomorrow."
"Goodnight, sir,” Jay said. “And thank you."
Aided by his cane, Harry shuffled slowly inside, leaving Claire and Jay alone. They stood staring at each other for several moments. Her mind raced, curious if his thoughts about their impending goodbye mirrored her own.
"Your Ms. Wise was very smug all through dinner. You two aren't up to something, are you?" he asked.
Claire rolled her eyes. "She was gloating because she won a bet with Hamish."
"A bet?"
"That you and I leveled up last night. Molly said it’s plastered on both our faces."
"Damn. She’s good,” he said.
Claire laughed. "For the record, I neither confirmed nor denied. But it makes no difference. I can't hide anything from Molly. She knows me too well, and it's no use arguing with her. Once she's made up her mind, that's that. The celebratory chocolate ice cream was happening regardless."
"Celebratory ice cream?" he questioned. "Inside joke?"
"Well, yes. It's pretty silly actually." Claire laughed again. "The night I lost my virginity, Molly showed up at two in the morning with a princess crown, a bag of confetti, and chocolate H?agen-Dazs. She wouldn't leave until I replayed every clumsy, awkward detail of my encounter."
Jay nodded, then grinned. "I hope the details weren't awkward or clumsy this time around."