Chapter 1874

"Then… Could you give me a kiss? Just one—a goodbye kiss, okay?" Once, Patricia's pleading look might have melted Jack's heart. He might even have given in and kissed her. But now, after everything with Wilhelmina, he knew better. One kiss, and he'd be pulled straight back into the tangle he'd worked so hard to escape. No matter what, this time he had to steel himself. "Patricia, get some rest." Under Patricia's aggrieved gaze, Jack closed the door and stepped out. In the hallway, he leaned against the window, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag. He mulled over how to handle things with her from now on. Everything that had happened today had caught him off guard. He needed to adjust his mindset and handle his relationship with her cautiously. Still, maybe things would get better with time. Perhaps her feelings for him were more about emotional dependence after losing her father and Patrick. Maybe, once she had a boyfriend and experienced real romantic love, things between th