Chapter 2

Jasmine didn't waste any time. She cleared out the entire place in just one day. When the realtor walked the buyers through, it barely looked lived in. That was Jasmine in a nutshell. After all those years with Niall, it was like she'd barely existed in his life, too. "Ms. Chetney, are you sure you want to move this fast on the sale? In this neighborhood, with these finishes, this price is well under what you could get." Jasmine signed the listing paperwork, her voice flat. "I'm sure. The sooner it's gone, the better." She'd bought the place riding a wave of optimism. Now that she was leaving, there was no reason to keep it. The research institute wanted her to finish handing off her projects before she left, so she was stuck at the main branch for another two weeks. The day Niall and Kendra got back, it poured in Jerrington City. Jasmine was sorting data in the laboratory when her phone lit up. It was a text from Niall. "We just landed." Once, no matter the hour or weather, those words would've sent her running straight to him without a second thought. One time, she went even with a fever and a bad cold, forcing herself to drive. By the time she got there, she collapsed while waiting, and Niall ended up taking a cab back to the laboratory on his own. When he heard what had happened, all he said was, "You don't have to come if you're not feeling well." He wasn't trying to be kind. He was just stating a fact. Still, that one sentence stuck with her for a long time. She couldn't shake the feeling that she'd done something wrong. Jasmine locked her screen and went back to her data. The research institute threw a small welcome party for Niall and Kendra, freshly back from their trip with honors. Jasmine hadn't wanted to go, but the associate director asked her in person, and she couldn't think of a polite way to say no. She showed up late and slipped into a seat in the corner. Dinner was already in full swing, and of course, every eye was on Niall at the head of the table, with Kendra tucked in close beside him. Kendra was animatedly telling funny stories from the summit, keeping the whole table laughing. Even Niall, who usually kept to himself, sat there quietly without looking the least bit annoyed. Whenever she got especially excited, Kendra would latch onto his arm and give it a shake, and all he did was twitch a little frown, never pulling back. Then Kendra switched gears, her gaze drifting toward Jasmine in the corner. "Anyway, yesterday was a disaster. Our flight was delayed, and when we finally landed, it was pouring. "Niall and I waited forever and still couldn't get a cab, and our suitcases got soaked. Ms. Chetney, you used to always pick us up at the airport. Why didn't you come this time?" Suddenly, everyone at the table was looking at Jasmine, their eyes keen with interest. Jasmine set her fork down, dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin, and met Kendra's seemingly innocent look. "Airport pickups aren't part of my responsibilities." Kendra's smile slipped. Niall finally looked over from the head of the table. His face gave nothing away, though Jasmine caught the brief surprise in his gaze. He'd probably gotten used to her taking care of everything, to her showing up whenever he needed her. She was like air to him, easy to overlook until it was gone. The dinner wound down under a thin layer of awkwardness. As everyone filtered out, Niall stopped Jasmine at the end of the hallway. "What's going on with you?" he asked, his tone as flat as ever. Jasmine stopped and looked at him. The hallway lights threw faint shadows along his sharp features. There was a time she'd thought getting to look at him like this for the rest of her life would've been a gift. "What do you mean?" Jasmine asked. "Kendra was just asking," Niall said, pausing as if he had to line up the right phrasing. "Her expertise really helped at the summit. You're my personal assistant, so little things like that should—" Jasmine saw it clearly. He assumed she was throwing a fit over Kendra, and that was why she'd embarrassed Kendra in public. "Niall Shepherd." She'd never said his full name before, and even spoken quietly, it still cut him off. He looked at her, clearly not expecting to be interrupted. "I'm not throwing a fit. And this isn't about who you went to the summit with." Jasmine met his eyes, a dull ache spreading through her chest. She took a deep breath and said the words she'd gone over in her head again and again. "Let's call off the engagement."