Chapter Forty-Five
“Please, Jeff. I’d like to call her and apologize,” Kate pleaded, sipping coffee as she sat across from him at the kitchen island. She’d been urging Jeff to give her Wren’s number, but Jeff still wasn’t sure if he was ready to trust her, even though he’d finally agreed to see her if she stopped by. Finally, her husband Murph had called, begging Jeff to accept her apology because it was eating her up inside.
“I just don’t know,” he muttered.
“Jeff. I saw that look on her face when the two of you came over to visit Mom. She was miserable. She’s obviously in love with you, and I’m so sorry I made it harder.”
Jeff heaved a sigh. “I really don’t think she’s going to come back, Kate. I don’t want to get my hopes up.”
“Okay. What makes you so sure she won’t? Did she leave you any clues?”
“Clues?” he asked, puzzled.
“If she cares about you as much as I think she does, there will be some signs somewhere in the house that she’s planning on returning. It’s weird, but I kind of feel like I know her now that I’ve seen the two of you together. You both used the master, right? Come show it to me. It’s all been furnished and decorated, right?”
“It has. Alright,” Jeff agreed, motioning her up the staircase.
When Kate reached the master, she appeared to be stunned. “How beautiful. I see you found the mahogany furniture you were looking for. And everything fits, doesn’t it? Not too feminine, with the turquoise comforter and simple dragonfly quilt. I remember when you purchased this rug a few years ago. It looks like a room from a magazine.”
“I guess she did take the lamp that I had made for her,” Jeff muttered. “Wait a minute.”
“What?” Kate asked, looking puzzled as Jeff opened the two top drawers.
“It’s gone,” he said, giving Kate a grin. “The ring I left for her is gone.”
“The vintage one you told me about. So?” she asked, cocking her head.
“I never actually gave it to her. I left it in her drawer, thinking that she’d ask me about it before she left. I didn’t want to make it harder by proposing.”
Kate smiled widely. “That’s definitely a sign. I’ll guarantee that she’s trying it out for size.”
“And there’s something else that’s missing,” he admitted, looking sheepish. “I can’t believe I didn’t even think about it until now. She must have kept my extra set of house keys. I can’t imagine that it wasn’t intentional since she hasn’t brought it up at all when I’ve talked with her. I guess I’d better get another set made so I don’t get locked out. Especially since I’ve always had a hard time keeping track of my keys.”
Kate barked out a laugh.