Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Chapter 409

Vince understood Timothy better than most.

If Sandra and Abell had actually managed to persuade Timothy to file for divorce, they would have reached out to him ages ago-asked him to get in touch with Jessica, at least. But now, with the court date less than twenty-four hours away and still no word, it was obvious things weren't going as planned.

Larkin turned to Jessica and asked gently, "So, you're really sure there's no chance of you and Timothy getting back together?"

Jessica nodded.

"In that case," Larkin continued, "once the hearing's over tomorrow and you and Timothy are officially divorced-why not marry our Vince?"

Jessica blushed so deeply she could feel the heat creeping up her neck.

She waved her hands in protest, flustered.

"You don't want to?" Larkin prompted.

Hurriedly, Jessica grabbed a notepad and scribbled, "It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

She wrote, "Mr. Zimmerman is such a good man. I'm not worthy of him." Vince, silently watching from across the room, caught the words she'd written.

Larkin chuckled. "You're an exceptional woman yourself, Jessy. There's no such thing as 'not worthy.' Vince has always been the more gentle one in the family, always quick with a smile. I think you'd be a wonderful match. And I know he admires you, too."

she was just coming out of a marriage, for one. And someone like Vince-well, with his family,

to Vince. "If Jessy and Timothy divorce, would you be willing to

Vince together, not like that. Besides, Vince and Timothy had known each other for years; they weren't exactly close, but they weren't strangers,

Jessica did. No woman

willing. Her past didn't matter to him. Even if she wanted custody of Henry, he'd find a way—no matter what it took-to bring the boy over from the Lawson family

She couldn't even look at Vince now. If things ever turned romantic between them, she doubted she'd have the courage to keep talking to him at all. She'd always assumed Vince's concern for

more-especially given his

to her

to Larkin.

anything new, not when her old wounds hadn't

with everything

is willing. I've always thought

a good

I wanted to bring

Timothy were already married, so I kept quiet. But now that you're getting a divorce, there's no need for me to hold back? I'd hate to see someone else swoop in and take you

interrupted, "Not

agreed a second

Jessica's discomfort, and he worried she'd withdraw from him altogether if things moved too fast. At the very least, he wanted her to feel she could still come to him for

Not long ago, Jessy and I discussed that if, in the end, she still hasn't turned up, Jessy could pretend to be her for a while to comfort my mother. But if

voice a little softer. "You and

Jessica wrote, "Twenty-seven."

she was six. It's been twenty years,