Page 61 of Reclaimed Roots

"So that's what this was really about then?" Natalie shot back, her own temper finally snapping. "You haven't forgiven me. I was eighteen, Jasper! I made a mistake!"

"A mistake? Losing your car keys is a mistake. Forgetting to pay your utility bill is a mistake. You packed your bags and left town."

"And you let me go!" Natalie's voice rose to a new pitch. I vaguely registered the muted click of the door closing as Jeanette made a tactful retreat. "You didn't fight for me, Jasper. You didn't even try."

"Because I thought that's what you wanted!" I shouted, raising my voice to meet hers. "I thought you wanted freedom, and I loved you enough to let you go."

"I didn't want freedom," she cried, face wet with tears. "I wanted you to choose me. To put me first, just once."

I turned away, unable to look at her. For the first time in my life, I was literally shaking with anger.

"I thought we were past keeping secrets," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. The fight drained out of me, leaving me numb and bone-tired.

I felt Natalie hovering behind me, the warmth of her body so close yet impossibly far. She was reaching out, not quite touching my arm. I sensed her hesitation, her fear of pushing me away further.

"Jasper," she said softly, her voice thick with tears. "I'm sorry. I-I wanted to make things right. To prove that I could do my dad proud. That I could be the person you needed me to be."

I flinched away from her touch, the gentleness in her voice somehow more painful than her anger. "And who exactly do you think I need you to be, Nat?" I asked, still not turning to face her.

I could hear her shaky breaths, could almost feel the rapid beating of her heart. Or maybe that was just my own pulse pounding in my ears.

"I don't know," she finally admitted. "I guess I thought if I could fix this, if I could save the orchard, maybe..."

"Maybe what?" I prompted, finally turning to look at her. The sight of her tear-stained face nearly broke me.

"Maybe you'd forgive me. For leaving. For hurting you. For all of it."

I closed my eyes and pressed my hands to my face.God, when did everything get so complicated?

"Natalie," I started, then paused, struggling to find the right words. "This isn't about forgiveness. It's about trust."

She nodded, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I know. And I've ruined that. Again."

Chapter Twenty-Six

NATALIE

The door slammed shutbehind Jasper. The sound echoed through the empty office like a gunshot. My hands shook as I reached for the framed photo of Dad on my desk. My vision was cloudy with tears, distorting his kind smile into a watery smear.

I'm sorry, Dad. I've let you down. I've let everyone down.

Each sobbing breath was a struggle. The truth I'd hidden from Jasper now hung between us like a toxic cloud, poisoning everything we were starting to rebuild. The betrayal in his eyes replayed in my mind on an endless, gut-wrenching loop.

I couldn't stay there. Not in that office, surrounded by the ghosts of my father's expectations and the ruins of my relationship with Jasper. My hands moved on autopilot, shoving papers and personal items into my bag. The picture of Dad went in last, wrapped in a sweater for protection.

I paused in the doorway on my way out, tracing myfingers over the gleaming brass nameplate. "Edward Choi, CPA." How many times had I watched him unlock that door, bursting with pride at the important work he did for our community?

But I was clearly not cut out for it.

Outside, a few locals nodded in greeting as they passed, but I kept my head down, afraid they'd see my failure written over my face.

Finally, I arrived back at Mom's house. A shameful part of me felt relieved when I saw her car was gone from the driveway. I slid into my own car, tossing my bag onto the passenger seat. My hands felt numb and clumsy as I pulled out my phone. What could I possibly say to Jasper that would make this right? How could I apologize for keeping such a massive secret?

After several false starts, I typed out a simple message.

NATALIE

You deserved to know the truth from the beginning. I never meant to cause you more pain.

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