Chapter 4: The Necklace

Hugh walked into my office on my last day, carrying a small velvet box.

I saw him through the glass wall of the meeting room, where I was boxing up my notebooks.

He was smiling the way he did before he forgave me for something.

The receptionist stopped him at the front desk.

"Hello, I'm here for Joelle Brandish."

She gave him a careful look. "Sir, Joelle's transfer was approved two months ago, and today is her last day. Are you sure you have the right person?"

His smile stayed where it was.

Then it slid.

I stepped out of the meeting room before he could argue with her.

"Hugh."

Everyone on my team looked up from their screens.

He saw me and hurried across the floor. "Jo. Thank God. I tried your phone all day."

"I turned it off."

"I brought you something." He flipped the lid of the box open.

Inside lay the necklace from the jeweler on Delancey Street, a thin silver chain with a small pearl.

I had stood at that window four times last spring and walked away every time because of the price.

Hugh lifted it out with two fingers.

"You wanted this, remember? I know I've been distant. I want to talk about our future. Turn around."

My teammates were watching. Nobody pretended otherwise.

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