Still, Glenn couldn’t deny that the agent’s words had shaken his resolve. 

If he’d had the courage to confess his feelings to her back then–if he’d told her how much she meant to him–maybe Soren’s marriage could have been avoided. 

If he’d just been a little more assertive, would things have turned out differently…? 

“What’s wrong? Is it stuck?” 

Lost in thought, Glenn’s hands had stilled. Evangeline, noticing, assumed her hair had gotten hopelessly snagged in the zipper. 

She turned, concern softening her features. “If it’s really stuck, just use scissors.” Of course, that would mean the end of this jacket. 

Her words snapped Glenn out of his daze. He quickly averted his gaze, pushing aside the flood of regret and focusing on the task at hand. With a gentle tug, he zipped the jacket up. “All done.” 

Evangeline let out a relieved sigh. “Thank goodness.” 

Seeing the unguarded joy in her eyes, Glenn pressed his lips together, his heart pounding for reasons he didn’t dare admit. He was annoyed with himself. 

How could he let a few careless words from a stranger make him question everything he’d planned? 

Evangeline trusted him–nothing more. There was no love there. 

Until he was sure her feelings matched his own, he couldn’t risk making a move. 

He forced himself to calm down and asked if the jacket fit all right. 

Evangeline grinned, giving him a thumbs–up. “Perfect fit! How did you know my size?” 

She couldn’t remember ever telling him. 

Glenn replied easily, “You and Tessa are about the same build. After all these years, it doesn’t seem like much has changed.” 

At the mention of that name, Evangeline froze. 

Her expression dimmed. 

Her mind conjured up an image of Theresa Carlisle’s delicate face–horlat 

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Water F 

memory: Theresa standing at the rail of a ship, the wind tossing her short hair, sharp features unusually pale. 

Theresa tucked a strand behind her ear and, with a faint, tremulous smile, cupped Evangeline’s face in her hands. “I’m sorry, Evangeline. I can’t stay with you anymore.” 

“My happiness is gone, but I hope you’ll find yours.” 

A dull ache bloomed in Evangeline’s chest. 

Glenn realized too late that he’d said the wrong thing and hurried to change the 

subject. “I just finished moving in. Why not come over for dinner tonight? It’ll make the place feel more like home.” 

Evangeline nodded, picking up the cue. “Sure.” 

Over dinner, they both carefully avoided any mention of the past. 

Afterward, Evangeline helped him tidy up before heading back to her own apartment to shower and change. 

She’d spent years trying to forget the name Theresa, but the harder she tried, the more it seemed to haunt her. 

Maybe it was just exhaustion from her first day at the new job–maybe it was the comfort of knowing Glenn was right across the hall–but for the first time in a long while, she felt a little more at ease. 

Fresh from her shower, she dried her hair, crawled into bed, and drifted off almost instantly. 

The next morning, Evangeline got up for work as usual. As she stepped outside, she ran into Glenn, who offered her a ride–an invitation she couldn’t refuse. 

Before starting at her new firm, Evangeline had done her homework on UME’s technology stack, but theory was one thing; putting it into practice was another. There were still some critical systems she needed help with. 

Unfortunately, a lot of people in the Tech Division clearly weren’t ready to accept her. When she asked for help, they either pretended not to hear or claimed they were too busy, leaving her with no choice but to move on. 

With no other options, Evangeline went to find Theo, the director. 

In