“Jesse, no. Stop. Talk to me. There has to be more.”

She looked at him. “There should be, but this is all we have now.”

Then she left, doing her best not to run, not to show weakness. But it was hard to go, with her eyes filled with tears and her heart begging her to listen and given him one more chance.

MATT’S SUGGESTED DATES and times for seeing his son arrived in Jesse’s e-mail, along with a notice from her bank about an automatic deposit. Jesse stared at the large amount and suspected it would appear at the same time every month. It was child support. Matt had found a way to get her the money.

She didn’t bother wondering how he’d found out her bank account number. A man like him could do that easily. Computers were his thing. And he had near unlimited resources.

No doubt her bank would be stunned by her new balance. She’d always been one of those customers who sometimes had to ride her balance down to the last couple of pennies. She’d never bounced a check, but it had been close a few times. She’d struggled for so long and now there was more than enough.

Her first thought was to put most of it aside to pay for Gabe’s college, but to what end? Matt would take care of that. She could offer Paula rent, again, but doubted she would take it. Eventually she would move out and get her own place, but Paula had made it clear she didn’t want that to happen anytime soon. Jesse wasn’t in a hurry, either. Paula loved being with her grandson and Gabe thrived under her attention. Jesse appreciated having another adult around. So for now, she would stay.

Gabe ran into her bedroom and stood next to the bed where she sat with her computer on her lap. His eyes were big, his expression hopeful.

“It’s Grandma’s birthday on Saturday,” he said in a loud whisper. “I heard Uncle Bill say that. Grandma needs a party.”

Paula’s birthday? Jesse had never known the date. She pushed her computer aside and scrambled off the bed. “You’re right,” she told her son. “We need to have a big party for Grandma.” She had a feeling Bill would want to take Paula somewhere nice for dinner. “What about lunch? We could have balloons and presents and a cake.”

“And ice cream,” her son said, clapping his hands together. “And presents.”

“Lots of presents.” Paula might not be willing to accept rent money, but she wouldn’t turn down a few gifts. Jesse knew it was the least she could do. Plus it would be fun. “I’m going to go tell Uncle Bill our plan. I think the party should be a surprise.”

Gabe grinned. “A secret?”

“Uh-huh. So you can’t tell.”

“I won’t.”

She had her doubts. Excitement usually won out in the four-year-old consciousness, but either way, Paula would know she was loved and appreciated.

“Can Daddy go shopping with us?” Gabe asked.

Jesse hesitated. “He’ll buy his own presents for his mom.”

Gabe’s chin came up-a sure sign he was about to be stubborn. “I want Daddy to go shopping with us.”

Refusing would be so easy. She could say that Matt was busy and Gabe would never know the difference. Except that would be lying and she’d done her best to never lie to her son. But spending time with Matt?

She hurt every time she thought of him. Her heart ached and her body burned. She missed being around him, missed his touch, his laugh, the way he knew her, understood her. Telling herself that knowledge had allowed him to devastate her didn’t take away the fact that she still loved him.

“I’ll ask him,” she promised, knowing it was the right thing to do. Knowing she would get through it and hey, maybe even be stronger for it. She would ignore the fact that every time she was with him, another piece of her heart withered and died.

GABE SNIFFED ONCE, then sneezed. Matt laughed. “Not that one, huh?”

His son wrinkled his nose. “It doesn’t smell like Grandma.”

Jesse bent down and touched Gabe’s cheek. “Are you sure you want to get perfume? Grandma might like a nice sweater, or some gloves to keep her warm this winter.”

Their four-year-old shook his head. “I want ’fume. But it has to smell like Grandma.”

Matt glanced at the sales associate who had patiently sprayed scents on half a dozen paper sticks and handed them to Gabe. “Sorry about this,” he said. “We should have headed him off earlier.”

She smiled. “That’s fine. The right scent is important.”

She was pretty enough, and smiling in a way that let Matt know she was more than interested. Not that he cared. His attention was solely on Jesse, who had been polite and emotionally distant ever since he’d picked both her and Gabe up an hour ago at his mom’s place.

He’d been surprised when she’d called him about his mother’s birthday and pleased when she’d suggested the three of them go shopping. Even her making it clear that the idea had been Gabe’s didn’t detract from his pleasure in her company. However he got to spend time with her was fine with him. He would use every minute to his advantage.

“You don’t like any of these?” Jesse asked.

Gabe shook his head.

“Not even this one?” She picked up the sample of the first fragrance.

“Uh-uh.”

“Maybe we should take a break from perfume shopping,” Jesse told the boy. “I want to get Grandma a sweater, so let’s do that and we’ll try somewhere else.”

“Okay.” He slipped his hand in hers. “Grandma likes red.”

“Yes, she does.” Jesse glanced at Matt. “Is this making you crazy?”

“Not yet.”

She smiled. It was an easy smile that told him, at least for the moment, she’d forgotten to be on her guard. Then the smile faded and she looked away.

“We should go upstairs,” she said. “I saw sweaters there.”

Matt hesitated. “I’m going to grab a coffee. You want one?”

“No, thanks.”

He waited until they’d gone up the escalator, then returned to the perfume counter. The girl was waiting.

“You’re back,” she said, her tone suggestive.

He ignored that. “The first perfume we tried. What was it?”

“Shi by Alfred Sung. It’s lovely. One of my favorites.” All he cared about was that Jesse had liked it.

“Give me a bottle. Or a set. Do you have a set?”

She showed him a box with perfume and lotion.

“I’ll take that.” Maybe showing Jesse that he paid attention would help.

He caught up with them over a table of sweaters. She glanced at his package. “What happened to the coffee?”

“I changed my mind.”

She held up a dark red sweater. “I think Paula would look great in this. What do you think?”

“I agree.”

She glanced at the price and winced, then shrugged. “She’s worth it.”

He wanted to point out that the money he’d deposited in her bank account would keep her comfortable, but guessed that was the wrong tack to take. He also didn’t offer to pay for the sweater. She would take that as an insult.

“Now we’re getting ’fume?” Gabe asked as they stood in line to pay.

Jesse nodded. “There’s a Sephora store here. Let’s try there. You might like the Philosophy scents.” She looked at Matt. “They’re really clean and appealing.”

“Then we’ll go there next.”

She paid for the sweater. Matt took the bag from the clerk. “I can carry this.”

Jesse hesitated. “Thanks.”

They walked toward the escalator. As they paused at the top, waiting for a couple of women to go in front of them, he put his hand on the small of her back.

He felt the heat of her body through the fabric of her long-sleeved T-shirt. She didn’t react at all. Was she aware of his touch? Enduring for the sake of Gabe? What did she think when she looked at him? Did she allow any possibility of forgiveness?

One step at a time, he reminded himself. He’d worked his plan before and it had turned into a disaster. This time he was going to live the moment, doing the best he could to prove himself to her.

They left Nordstrom’s. Matt motioned to the Ben Bridge Jewelry store. “I need to stop here.”

Jesse raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

“I want to get my mom a pair of earrings.” He didn’t mention that for the past five years he hadn’t bothered with a gift at all. He’d been too angry, then too lazy to bother. Another relationship that needed mending, he thought. Although Paula had been completely open to his apologies.

Jesse followed Matt inside the jewelry store. The beautiful pieces glittered and winked from behind their protective cases. At least everything was locked up so she didn’t have to worry about Gabe bumping into a display or picking up something breakable. She relaxed her death grip on his hand, although still kept him close.

Matt walked up to the salesman behind one of the counters. “I’d like to see what you have in black Tahitian pearls,” he said firmly.

Jesse blinked. Okay, so he was a man who knew what he wanted. She wasn’t sure she even knew what Tahitian pearls were.

“Right over here, sir,” the man said and moved to his left. He opened the back of the case and brought out several pairs of earrings.

She stared at the deeply colored pearls. They were lovely and sophisticated. Some dangled, some had diamonds. Matt pointed at the pair with the largest pearl, each set off by a sizeable diamond.

“What do you think?” he asked.

“They’re exquisite,” she told him. “The dark pearls will be beautiful with Paula’s coloring.”

“Good. I’ll take these.”

Jesse noticed he didn’t bother asking the price. She knew he could afford whatever they were. Five years ago he would have writhed and hesitated. Not because he was cheap but because he’d never spent the money he earned. He’d been too busy being a computer nerd. He’d been sweet and honorable and he’d made her feel safe. If she had to say what she’d missed the most when she’d left, she would have to admit it was how right she’d felt in his arms. Like she belonged. As if nothing bad would ever happen.

“Mommy, look.”

Gabe pointed to a display of diamond bracelets. Several of them looked expensive enough to cost the same as a small car.

“They’re pretty.”

“I like that one.”

She looked at the white-gold bangle with graduated diamonds.

“It’s very nice.”

Matt moved next to her. “Which one do you like?” he asked Gabe.

The boy pointed.

“You should try it on, Jess.”

She took a step back. “No, thanks.”

“Not your style?”

It was too beautiful for her to say that. “I don’t have anywhere to wear it.”

The salesman pulled the bracelet out of the case. “Today women wear bracelets like this all the time.”

Not in her world, she thought, releasing Gabe and tucking her hands behind her back. “I’m okay. Thanks.”

“Just try it on,” Matt told her. “See how it looks.”

As if it could look bad. “I’m-” All three of them were staring at her. She sighed. “Fine. I’ll try it on.”

“This is a Journey bracelet. Two carats of diamonds set in white gold.” He put it around her wrist.

It fit perfectly and looked amazing. Jesse had never tried on anything this lovely before. The diamonds seemed perfect, so bright and practically casting a rainbow when they caught the light.

“We’ll take it,” Matt said.

She gasped. “No, we won’t.”

“Why not? You like it. It looks good on you.”

“It’s insane. I can’t take this.”

“Your bracelet is pretty, Mommy,” Gabe said.

It was too much. It implied…she wasn’t sure what, but something. It had to.

Matt leaned toward her. “A man giving the mother of his child a gift is traditional.”

“There’s a stretch,” she muttered. “I can’t. And even if I could, this is too extravagant.”

“Your gift with interest. Please, Jesse. I want you to have this.”

“It doesn’t prove anything,” she whispered. “It’s not going to make me like you more.”

The words sounded more harsh than she’d intended, but before she could apologize, he nodded.

“I know you well enough to believe that. Take the bracelet. Because it’s nearly as beautiful as you are. Please.”

His dark gaze seemed to see inside of her, to the place that still wanted to believe in him.

“Matt, I-” She nodded. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

He looked pleased. Not victorious, but happy. Which shouldn’t have made her feel better, but it did.

SATURDAY MORNING, BILL took Paula out to run some errands so the rest of them could get ready for the party. Matt arrived right at ten-thirty, his arms filled with bags and packages.

“I still have the cake in the car,” he said as he put everything on the kitchen table. Then he grabbed Gabe and swung him in his arms. “How’s my best boy?” he asked.

Gabe laughed. “We bought ice cream.”

“I had to hide it in the back of the freezer,” Jesse told him, trying to keep things light, trying not to show how good it was to see him. “Why don’t you go get the cake and I’ll get this unpacked?”