Page 55

“Mrs. Jones,” the man said. “I’m Rhett Bartley, Mr. Jones’ counsel. I believe you will find everything to be in order here. It’s missing only your signature.”

He placed a packet of papers on Evan’s desk. I settled into the rolling chair on the opposite side of the desk, trying not to look at Evan. I could feel his eyes on me, intense but implacable. As impenetrable as stone.

I stared at the papers and sighed. I paged through them and initialed all the little boxes where I was supposed to initial. I signed and dated all the places I was supposed to do that, too. Every time I did so, it was like another knell of the funeral bell of our time together.

Inevitably, I got to the end of the packet and signed for the last time. I slid it back over to Rhett, who stared at it for a moment before going through it page by page.

The oppressive space bore down on me like a tomb. Rhettnodded as if satisfied that I’d crossed all the t’s and dotted all the i’s and then handed the packet to Evan.

“Mr. Jones, if you will please double-check the document and make sure you’ve signed and initialed where indicated?”

Evan’s gaze blazed into me as he took the packet. I had to look away. He signed a couple of places he’d evidently missed, then slid the document back to Rhett. Everyone was being so civil, but also so stiffly formal it was almost like a practical joke.

Jenna arched her brows and addressed me directly.

“Signing these documents frees you from all of your contractual obligations, save for one. Your NDA about the nature of your contract with Mr. Jones will remain off limits in discussions with the press. If asked, you will only say two words. No comment.”

I nodded, remembering that little caveat when I’d signed up for the deal.

“I suppose we’re done here?” I asked stiffly.

“Yes, we are,” Rhett said.

“Then I’m out of here.”

“Wait.” Evan stood up. “Can I get five more minutes of your time?”

I scowled at him.

“Please?”

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

“Five minutes and not one second longer than that.” I held my fingers apart a short span. “Not one little bit, you understand me?”

Evan turned to his employees. “Would the two of you please give me a few minutes in private with the former Mrs. Jones?”

I blinked in confusion. His politeness took me aback. I was not used to seeing Evan treat his employees like that.

On their way out the door, Jenna winked at me, exactly the way she had on my wedding night.

I was too sad to care what she meant by her wink.

Evan waited for them to leave and then caught me with his gaze.

“What I want to know right now, more than anything else in the world, is why you left like that.”

I tried to formulate a response, but he was not done.

“But I’m not going to ask you that. Do you know why?”

I shook my head.

“Because you’ve taught me something very important.”

“And what’s that?” I asked, rather stiffly.

“If you want to truly have something, truly have it, then you need to let it go.”