Todd offered her the crook of his arm and she took it. The cozy, upscale bistro, with its intimate, white-linen-covered tables and candlelight, rose up before Jessica and took her back three years ago, when Todd had proposed.
Theirs had not been an easy relationship. Both of them had resisted the attraction they had felt for each other for years, for Elizabeth’s sake. After all, Elizabeth and Todd were the ones everyone thought would get married, not Jessica and Todd. That all changed when Elizabeth found out about them, and then moved to New York. A bitter and heartbreaking eight months passed, but eventually Elizabeth began to forgive them as Bruce came into the picture.
It was three years ago, next month, that Todd got down on one knee in the middle of Le Bouchon and offered her a beautiful diamond solitaire platinum ring. He’d had tears in his eyes when he proposed, and Jessica had, too.
Now here they were again, back in the place their life together really began. If there was a better place to reconcile, she didn’t know it.
The maître d’ led them to the cozy table in the back where they had sat on their one-year wedding anniversary. The top of their wedding cake hadn’t survived the ceremony, but Todd had gone to the same bakery and had commissioned them to re-create just the top with the decorative pink roses.
Sitting across from Todd now, Jessica realized that she was never as happy as she was when she was with Todd. This was where she belonged.
After he’d ordered a bottle of their favorite wine, he took her hand in his and drew her close.
“Jessica, I have to say, I feel so happy tonight. These last few months I have been miserable. And I just want to tell you how sorry I am…about Sarah, about…accusing you of trying to get her fired…for everything. Mostly about the things I said about that first night all those years ago. I knew it wasn’t true.”
“These last few months have been the hardest for me, too. I’m so sorry.” And then, because she had to know: “Are you still seeing Sarah?” Jessica took a deep breath to brace herself for the answer. Her throat went dry and she reached for her water glass.
“No.” Todd shook his head. “Jessica, she doesn’t mean anything to me, and I’m so glad to hear that nothing happened between you and Liam, because…well, nothing happened between Sarah and me, either.”
“What?” Jessica nearly choked on her sip of water. “What do you mean nothing?” Could it be possible that Todd had never slept with Sarah? “But what you said, and the rumors…”
“Were just empty threats and rumors,” Todd said. “Look, I’m not going to lie to you. Sarah wanted to take things further, but any time she tried…well, I just thought of you. And I couldn’t. Because I love you, Jessica. You’re the only one I really want.”
Jessica felt a rush of relief—Todd really hadn’t slept with Sarah.
“I love you, too,” she said, shaking off the little twinge of guilt she felt, and squeezing his hand. “And that’s why, tonight, after the gala, which was completely amazing by the way…” Jessica saw the tight look cross Todd’s face, and she immediately backed away from any talk of the gala. That’s not what this night was about. Who cared if it went well? Her job with VERTPLUS.NET was history. Todd was her future. “What I meant to say was that right afterward, I quit. It’s over. I’m not going to work at VERTPLUS.NET anymore. I want to be your wife and the best mother I can be for Jake. That’s it.”
“Jessica…are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my whole life,” Jessica said, and right at that moment, holding Todd’s hand and seeing him gaze at her with love, she meant it.
Todd slipped into the seat next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist, and gave her a kiss that made everything worth it. Jessica didn’t care if other patrons were staring, either. This was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.
Todd pulled away first.
“You know, I knew we would be good together, but I had no idea how good.”
“Me too.” Jessica’s voice sounded a little husky.
“And I knew we would get back together the moment I found out that there was nothing between you and Liam,” Todd continued. “You don’t even know how the thought of you and him drove me crazy. I know I shouldn’t ask, but I can’t help it. How did he take it when you turned him down? I bet he doesn’t get turned down very often.”
Jessica’s stomach tightened a little. It was one thing to omit the truth. It was another thing to fabricate a whole story about how it didn’t happen. Was she going to have to do that?
Thankfully, the waiter interrupted them.
“Are you ready to order?” the waiter asked, and Todd and Jessica looked at each other and grinned.
“My wife will start with the beet salad and then have the salmon.” Todd knew her favorite meal by heart.
“And my husband will start with the tomato bisque, followed by le steak frites.”
“How would you like the steak cooked, monsieur?”
“Medium rare,” they both said at the same time, and then laughed a little. The waiter bowed and then retreated, and Todd lifted his wineglass.
“To us,” he said. “To true love.”
“To true love,” Jessica agreed, and they clinked glasses.
There might have been other customers that night, but Jessica didn’t notice them. All she saw was Todd. The meal was the best she’d ever eaten, and she just felt warm all over. She knew she’d made the right choice. She was happy for the first time in a long, long time.
“Todd, I only ever wanted to be with you. There’s no one else for me. Will you come home?”
Todd smiled.
