Page 1 of The Space He Left
Chapter 1
Harper
I'd never seen Jack check his phone during dinner before.
The thought flickered through my mind as I watched him glance down at the screen for the third time in ten minutes, his fingers tapping against the white tablecloth. The soft lighting at Rosewood Inn cast warm shadows across his face, but something felt different tonight. Off.
The thought left my mind when Jack smiled at me, though. It was that smile he had when he’d decided everything was perfect. “Sorry,” he said. “Just a delivery confirmation.”
His phone buzzed again. He didn’t pick it up, but I saw it - his jaw twitched, the small muscle in his cheek moved, his shoulders squared as if an invisible weight had landed. He took a deep breath.
"Are you expecting an important call?" I asked, keeping my tone light as I cut another piece of the herb-crusted salmon. The baby chose that moment to stretch against my ribs, and I pressed a gentle hand to the spot. Seven months along, and our daughter seemed to have inherited her father's restless energy.
"No, sorry." Jack's smile was quick, apologetic. He set the phone face down beside his plate. "Just work stuff. You know how it is."
I did know. Henderson Construction had been busier than ever this spring, with three major projects running simultaneously. But Jack had never brought work stress to our anniversary dinner before. He'd always been so careful about keeping our special occasions sacred.
The servers moved quietly between tables, and I caught sight of Mrs. Finlayson from the grocery store giving us a warm wave from across the dining room. Everyone in Willowbrook knew about our anniversary. Three years married, and still the talk of the town because Jack Henderson had convinced the "city girl" to stay.
Not that I'd ever wanted to leave.
"The salmon is perfect," I said, trying to recapture the easy intimacy we'd started the evening with. "Remember our first date here? You were so nervous, you knocked over your water glass."
Jack's laugh was genuine this time, and for a moment, he looked like himself again. "I was terrified you'd realize what a small-town disaster I was and run back to whatever big city design firm would hire you."
"Good thing I'm not that smart." I reached across the table to squeeze his hand. "Besides, someone had to stay and keep an eye on you and your construction projects."
The phone buzzed against the table.
Jack's entire posture changed. His shoulders tensed, and that distracted look crept back into his eyes as he glanced at the screen. I felt something cold settle in my stomach.
"Jack?"
"It's nothing. Just..." He looked up at me, and I saw something I'd never seen before. Conflict. Like he was fighting with himself. "Harps, I—"
The phone buzzed again. Then again.
This time, he picked it up, and I watched his face pale as he read whatever message had come through. His hand tightened around the device, knuckles going white.
"What is it?" I asked, but I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer. The baby kicked again, harder this time, as if she could sense the tension radiating from her father.
"I..." Jack's voice sounded hollow. "I have to go."
The air rushed from my lungs. "Go? Jack, it's our anniversary. We haven't even had dessert yet."
"I know. I know, and I'm sorry, but this is..." He was already reaching for his wallet, pulling out bills with shaking hands. "It's an emergency."
"What kind of emergency?" I kept my voice steady, but panic was building in my chest. "Is it your parents? Sam? What's happened?"
Jack's eyes met mine, and I saw something that made my breath catch. Guilt. Deep, crushing guilt mixed with something else.
"It's Madison."
"Madison?" I searched his face, trying to understand why that name would cause such distress. "Your friend from high school?"
He nodded.
"She's... she's sick, Harps. Really sick. Cancer." The words tumbled out of him in a rush. "She doesn't have anyone else. No family nearby, no support system. She's scared and alone, and she reached out because she needs help."
