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I race back and snatch it up.

Kate

I don’t think there’s much to say, Jensen. I told Luna and Felicity I’d be civil with you, so that’s what I’ll be. But just know, I’m done with playing games.

“Argh!” I toss my phone at the kitchen wall. The crack is audible as it breaks into pieces, scattering across my light wood flooring. It probably came off better than my wall, though. There’s a gouge in the crisp white paint exposing the plasterboard underneath.

I hate that I want her. I hate that she holds me in the palm of her hand, crushing me in her grip whenever she wants.

But mostly, in this moment right here, I hate the way she called me Jensen.

I’m JJ.

CHAPTER SEVEN

THREE WEEKS LATER

KATE

Ihaul my heavy suitcase out of the trunk of the Uber and settle up with the driver.

As the car pulls off, crunching along the gravel driveway, I look up at the picture-perfect English cottage. The entire drive here was like a scene out ofBridgerton. I’ve visited London before, but never Oxford and never this kind of countryside.

I can see why Jon was so determined to marry Felicity here, in her late parents’ house. It’s stunning. The purple wisteria wraps around the classic English white porch, the huge flower heads framing the entryway perfectly. The double-fronted stone cottage has flower baskets under each window, and I smile at the purple and green combination he’s clearly gone for. I gotta hand it to him, he doesn’t miss a detail. He never has when it comes to his soulmate.

I took a different flight than Luna and Felicity, who are already here. A case I thought I’d wrapped up took a last-minute left and I didn’t trust anyone else to see it through. So, I backed out and caught a red-eye last night. I have to be here today since,in true Jon fashion, the celebrations last not just one day but two. Not that I’m complaining since I can’t wait to spend every second with the happy couple. No one deserves a happily ever after more than these two.

I tap the big brass knocker twice, but my breath catches in my throat when the last person I expected to answer swings the door open.

“Kate. Um, hi.”

There, standing in all his freakin’ glory, is Jensen Jones. Argh.Why does he have to wear backward caps?

“Hi,” I squeak out. Aside from a couple of pre-wedding meals we’ve both been at, we’ve barely spoken beyond handing each other the breadbasket and politely saying thank you.

“I thought you were the, um, the florist. They're coming to set up the archway today.”

I nod as we hold awkward eye contact. “Nope. Just me.”

He scratches at the thin white T-shirt he’s wearing and then reaches out to grab my suitcase. I put my hand on the handle. “I got it, thanks.”

I don’t miss the way his eyes narrow at me, but I can’t tell if it’s frustration or that he simply likes me about as much as I do him. “Fine.”

Stepping to one side, he holds the heavy white wooden door open, and I step into the hallway. “Where are the others?”

“In the garden. Jon’s parents have just arrived with Adam, so they’re spending some time showing him the garden and house. I came inside so there weren’t too many of us around.”

Adam, Jon’s brother, is autistic and has some sensory processing needs. He can get overwhelmed with crowds of people, especially when he’s in unfamiliar surroundings. But I’m betting he’s doing just fine since he’s with his number one person, Felicity. Those two are inseparable, with a bond like nothing else I’ve ever seen.

What does surprise me, though, is the way Jensen thought about someone else. He came inside to give Adam the space he needed.

I quickly shrug off the feeling. One moment doesn’t undo the countless dickhead moves he’s made. “Okay, do you know where my room is? I can go dump my suitcase.”

I stand at the bottom of the wooden staircase. This place is seriously stunning. Jon’s spent a fortune restoring its original features.

Jensen takes a step closer and holds out his hand to take my bag. “Your room is next to mine. I can take it up—it looks heavy.”

I prop a frustrated hand on my hip. “You don’t need to pretend, you know.”