I felt the blood drain from my face.

Why had I said that?

I swallowed hard, my throat dry and tight. My mind raced, but I couldn't grab onto a single coherent thought.

"I just meant," I fumbled further, "Someone like you would never, ya know. I'm-." I was on the verge of tears as the words registered too late after I said them. I tucked my head down and mentally screamed, "I'm sorry. I'll be quiet."

He didn't laugh. Didn't even crack a smile. His voice, when he finally spoke, was controlled, but there was a sharp edge to it, something quiet and biting that made me want to shrink back into the seat.

"What do you mean, 'someone like you'?"

The chill in his tone made my stomach churn. My face flushed, panic rising in my chest. I shook my head, fumbling for an escape. "I didn't—I just meant—"

His eyes narrowed slightly, and his lips pressed into a thin line. "You think I'm offended?"

I flinched at the way his words sliced through my attempt to retreat. He leaned back against his seat at a red light, taking time to level one timed, steady look on me.

I could feel the sting of tears threatening to spill.

He scoffed, muttering bitterly, "Someone like me."

"I just meant," I stammered again, my voice trembling, "someone like you—you're—you're better than—"

I stopped myself, forcing my hands to still when I realized they were shaking. His expression didn't change, but something flickered in his gaze, a brief crack in the ice.

"I... I've admired you," I blurted out, my words tripping over each other. "From the beginning. Even when you didn't notice me. I thought—I mean, you're... beautiful, and I said that once, didn't I?" I flushed, the memory tumbling out unbidden. "I asked if you were married. That was one of the first conversations we had. Remember?" I could hear the stress in my own voice.

His eyes widened, just for a fraction of a second.

I pressed my palms against my thighs, trying to ground myself, even as embarrassment burned my cheeks. "It was... stupid. I didn't know how to talk to people back then."

James shifted, glancing toward the window as though looking for something, anything, to break the tension. He rubbed the back of his neck, his movements slower than usual.

"I remember, you caught me off guard. Nobody had ever called me that before—beautiful."

I blinked, startled by the admission. "But... it's true," I whispered.

His gaze flicked back to me, sharp and questioning, but I couldn't stop rambling. "You've always been so... together. Strong. Everything I could never be. And I—I don't even know how to be normal, let alone—"

"Jane," he interrupted, his voice firmer now, and I froze under his gaze. "Stop."

"But it's true," I insisted, my throat tightening."That's the only reason I said it was ridiculous."

I didn't realize we were pulling in until the tires crunched against the gravel.

The car jerked slightly as he parked, his movements abrupt and uncharacteristically careless. He killed the engine, his grip on the key lingering as if grounding himself.

I glanced out the window and saw Ben in the distance, crouched near a headstone. Relief flooded through me, the thought of his calm presence offering a strange sense of safety. My hand moved toward the door handle instinctively.

But before I could open it, James's hand shot out, grabbing my wrist. His touch wasn't rough, but it was firm enough to stop me.

"Don't."

The single word was low, quiet, but it carried a weight that made me freeze.

I turned back to him, startled, and before I could react, he pulled me toward him. My breath caught as the space between us vanished, his face close enough that I could see the tension etched into his features. His usual composure was gone, replaced by something raw and unfamiliar.

"Jane," he said, his voice strained, as if he were forcing the words out. "There's nothing there to admire."

I blinked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

He let out a bitter laugh,"You don't get it. You don't see the whole picture. And if you did—if you knew—" He shook his head, his expression pained. "You'd take back every word you just said."

I stared at him, stunned, unsure how to respond. He let out a shaky breath, his gaze fixed on mine, a flicker of vulnerability breaking through the storm in his eyes.

"And you?" he continued, his tone softer now, almost incredulous. "You sit there and talk about yourself like you're-" he paused, not seeming to find the right words.

I frowned, my chest tightening at the unexpected shift. "I—"

"All those things you said about me," he cut in again, his voice low and biting. "I've thought every single one of them about you."

The words hit me like a wave, stealing my breath. My pulse raced, and for a moment, the weight of his confession pressed down on me, leaving me speechless.

"You don't know what you're saying," I whispered.

"Don't I?" he shot back, his hand dropping from my wrist as he pulled away abruptly, leaning back against the seat. His gaze turned toward the windshield.

For a brief, fragile moment, the air between us seemed to shift, charged with something unspoken. My heart ached, torn between the rawness of his words and the wall he was so clearly trying to put back up.

But just as quickly as it appeared, the moment shattered.

James shook his head, his lips curling into a bitter smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You need to get that fantasy of me out of your head, Jane," he said coldly. "Because if you don't, you're going to end up disappointed."

The words cut deep, and I flinched at their finality. He turned away from me completely, his body tense, as if retreating into himself.

"Go," he said, his voice flat now, devoid of the fire it had carried moments before. "Ben's waiting, I'll be right behind you."

The crunch under my boots grounded me for a fleeting moment, but the stillness of the cemetery pressed against me, heavy and suffocating.

Ben was already there, leaning against one of the towering oaks. His arms were crossed, his face shadowed in the afternoon light. Even at this distance, I could see the frustration in his posture, the worry in the way he held himself.

I forced myself forward, each step weighed down by the lingering tension from the car ride. My heart thudded painfully, still caught on the way James had looked at me—so distant, so unreachable. The words he'd thrown at me, so cold, still echoed in my head.

Ben pushed off the tree as I approached, his eyes scanning me before flicking briefly to James, who stood a few feet behind. His presence was like a weight, towering over me in silence, his expression hard to read.

"You were supposed to stay in the shed," Ben said, his voice measured but heavy with disappointment.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly, knowing it wasn't enough but unable to offer more. My words felt like they were barely reaching him, falling short of whatever he wanted or needed to hear.

Ben's attention shifted back to James, his brow furrowing. "What happened?"

I hesitated, my gaze darting between the two men. The weight of their eyes on me was suffocating. "Pretoria," I began, my voice barely above a whisper. "She found me at the cemetery and... well, things got out of hand. She asked me to come with her."

"And you went?" Ben asked, his tone sharpening, concern creeping in.

"You don't understand," I said, my voice rising slightly, a lump forming in my throat. "I didn't have a choice."

I glanced back at James, who remained silent, his expression unreadable, but the tension in his posture was palpable. His shoulders were tight, his jaw clenched. He seemed to be holding himself together by sheer force, like something was barely holding him back from unraveling.

Ben sighed deeply, shaking his head. "I'm not angry. I'm just... You scared me, Jane."

His words deflated me, guilt settling like a stone in my stomach, heavy and unyielding.

Ben's eyes softened. "It's not safe out here—not with everything that's happening. We've talked about this."

"I know," I whispered, but the weight of his words pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe. It felt like I was suffocating, trapped in my own skin.

Ben glanced at the shed, his expression darkening. "I don't think you should come to work with me anymore."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. My stomach twisted painfully as I stared at him, unable to process what he was saying. "What?"

"It's just until things settle down," Ben said..

"I can't keep worrying about you wandering off. And I know staying in the shed all day isn't fair to you either..."

I looked down, my vision blurring as the sting of tears pricked at my eyes. The timing of it all was cruel, too cruel.

Ben's voice softened, but there was a finality in it. "Please, Jane. It's for your safety."

I nodded numbly, though it felt like my chest was caving in.

Ben reached out, touching my shoulder gently. "You'll be okay. I promise."

I tried to smile, but it wavered, falling apart before it ever reached my lips.

Ben turned to James, his demeanor shifting into something more formal. "Thank you for bringing her back, Mr. Thomas."

James stepped forward, his movements stiff, his presence suddenly overwhelming. "Considering it was my sister who took her, it was the least I could do," he said, his voice clipped, cold—like he was forcing the words out, each syllable heavier than the last.

I flinched at the sound of his voice, the harshness in it sending a shiver down my spine. I couldn't look at him, not with the hurt still fresh from the conversation in the car, not with the memory of how quickly he had shut me down, how easily he had pushed me away.

Ben glanced at me, then back at James. "I hate to ask this, but... would it be possible for Jane to work an extra day or two a week? Just until things calm down?"

James nodded immediately, the movement too quick, too sure. "I was just about to suggest the same thing."

I felt the ground shift beneath me, my thoughts swirling as I processed his words. "What?"

"I'm sorry, Jane, but I can't leave you home alone after what happened," Ben said, his voice resolute, steady.

"What about Lilly?" I asked desperately, my voice rising with a mix of panic and frustration. "She's home. I wouldn't be alone."

Ben shook his head. "You know as well as I do that Lilly can't help in an emergency." His voice softened, but it didn't waver. "I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you. Please, Jane."

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. I wanted to argue, to refuse, but I could see the plea in Ben's eyes, the sincerity of his worry. I couldn't fight him, not when it felt like the world was closing in.

"Jane?" he prompted gently, but firmly.

I nodded, barely managing to find my voice. "Okay."

Ben sighed in relief, but James remained impassive, his eyes locked on me. His gaze was heavy, unrelenting, like it was searching for something, but I couldn't tell what. I felt like I was drowning in it, unable to escape the weight of his stare.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow," James said, his voice devoid of warmth, a command rather than an offer.

I nodded again, unable to say anything. The cold finality in his tone cut through me, leaving me raw and hollow. I felt like I was standing on the edge of something I couldn't understand, and the more I tried to reach for clarity, the further away it slipped.

Without another word, I turned and walked away, my footsteps heavy on the gravel as I headed for the shed.

I didn't look back. I couldn't. Every step away from James felt like it was tearing something inside me apart, but I didn't know how to fix it. The ache in my chest was a constant reminder of everything I didn't understand, everything I couldn't say.