“What request?” Jamison was struggling to keep his composure, so focused on holding himself together that he didn’t catch her meaning right away.
Ivy glanced at him, her face falling as if she thought he was backing out. “The thing you just said…”
Had he already forgotten?
Their eyes met. Jamison saw the mixture of shyness and anxiety in her gaze, and suddenly it clicked–his face lit up. “Wait, you mean… the marriage thing?”
Ivy lowered her lashes, hesitating. Rushing into marriage–it really was sudden. This was the exact opposite of what she’d intended when she came back. She wasn’t even sure if she was making the right choice, or if she’d end up regretting it. “Ivy, you’re saying yes?” Jamison was over the moon.
Ivy kept quiet, on the verge of taking it back.
Seeing her hesitation, he reached out and held her by the arms, eager and joyful. “Ivy, say something! Are you agreeing? What was your request? Whatever it is, I’ll say yes. Anything.”
She pressed her lips together, her expression caught somewhere between awkward and amused. “You don’t even know what I’m asking, and you’re already agreeing…” Jamison chuckled, completely at ease. “I’d give you every penny I have. What could you possibly ask for that I’d refuse? My life?” He shrugged, grinning. After all, what matters most to a man? His money and his work. She couldn’t take his career from him, and making money had always come easily to him. So what was there to be afraid of?
Ivy saw how far he was willing to go, and her doubts finally began to fade. Drawing a deep breath, she looked straight at him, gathering her courage. “We can get married in a rush–honestly, you’re the one getting the short end of the stick, not me. Still, this is just… it’s all too sudden. I can’t wrap my head around sharing a bed with you right away. So, after we get married, I want to live separately for a while. I need time to adjust, and maybe, when I’m ready… well, you know what I mean?”
Jamison’s eyes searched hers. At first he looked tense, but then a subtle relief softened his face.
That was it? He’d thought it was something far worse. Turns out, it was just her
17:07
own hang–up.
He understood–more than she realized.
Ivy had forced herself to spit out those words. When he just stared at her, silent, she started to panic. Maybe he thought she was trying to get his money, that she’d take her time, stall on the marriage itself, then find some excuse to leave.
“Jamison, do you think I’m just-”
“No,” he interrupted, shaking his head and squeezing her hand. “I don’t suspect you at all. I know it’s hard for you to face your fears, and the fact that you’re willing to try anyway… that means a lot to me.”
Ivy stared at him, wide–eyed. “How–how did you know?”
She’d only ever mentioned it during her late–night chats with Dr. Handsome.
“I didn’t know for sure,” he said gently. “But when you said it just now, I thought about everything you’ve been through these past three years. Of course you’d have some scars left. I get why you can’t accept all this right away. Honestly, I understand.”
She gazed at him, her heart softening. Jamison was so perceptive–he could read between the lines, even when she couldn’t put her feelings into words.
Maybe, just maybe, they really were kindred spirits.
At the very least, Jamison understood her in ways no one else did.
“So, you agree?” she asked, hope flickering in her voice.
“I agree,” he said, pulling her into a warm embrace. “Take all the time you
need.”
He hadn’t expected it, but he truly cared for this girl–cared enough that the thought of her being pressured or hurt was more than he could bear.
