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forever just to have a chance at being with you again,” she said, the words flooding out before she could stop them.
     
    Jack’s mouth gaped open, and she could tell that he had no idea what to say.
     
    “I can’t ask you to stay, Danna,” he finally said without looking her in the eye. “I asked you the last time, and you still left. It has to be your decision. I don’t want you here just because of me.”
     
    “I still love you, Jack.”
     
    “And I still love you, Danna, but our love was never enough, was it?” he said.
     
    “There’s something else,” she said.
     
    “What?”
     
    “You know how poor we were growing up. My mother struggled to make ends meet for me and my sisters. When I left you, it was partly out of selfishness. I saw how hard you worked on the farm, and I was terrified that you’d always been this poor farm laborer who couldn’t offer me anything. I didn’t want to be a struggling mother one day, Jack. As much as I loved you, I was already thinking about the future.”
     
    “So you left because you didn’t think I had enough money?” Jack asked in shock.
     
    “Partly. I’m being honest.”
     
    Jack immediately started laughing, and Danna couldn’t figure out what was so funny.
     
    “So, you left me to strike out on your own, and then you got fired and had to come home?”
     
    “Yes, but that was a mean way to say it,” she said crossing her arms.
     
    “Then you’re going to find this next part quite ironic,” he said with a sly smile.
     
    “What?”
     
    “Danna, I own the farm now. On the other side of the land, we have a retail store and an adventure center where tourists come to zip line and go through our boot camp courses. We board horses and have a small dairy farm on the west side…”
     
    “What are you saying, Jack?”
     
    “The farm is highly successful, and I was just named the wealthiest person in five counties.”
     
    “Seriously?” Danna said with a laugh. “Wow. That is so great, Jack. Congratulations.”
     
    “Ironic, huh?”
     
    “Very ironic,” she said smiling at him. “No matter what has happened between us today, I want you to know how much I’ve missed you.”
     
    “You have?”
     
    “Of course. Every time something good or bad has happened in my life, I’ve wished I could pick up the phone and call you. You were my other half for all those years. I wish we had a chance to get back to being friends at least.”
     
    “I don’t think we can, Danna.”
     
    “You don’t?” she asked, shattered at his response.
     
    “I can’t just be your friend, Danna. Not possible.”
     
    “Oh.”
     
    “Let’s get you home,” he said as he started the truck and drove Danna home.
     
     

Chapter 5
     
    Danna laid in her bed that night, staring at the ceiling. She couldn’t sleep, and thoughts of Jack fluttered through her mind repetitively. How had this happened? She’d been just fine in Atlanta, and now she was pining after the love of her life all over again… and he didn’t want her.
     
    Sure, he had lots of money now, but Danna no longer cared. She would have loved him again even if he’d been homeless. It was Jack, and she just wanted him.
     
    She turned on her side and stared at the light reflecting off her wall from the full moon outside. As soon as she started to drift off, listening to the cooing of an owl outside her open window, she felt something  behind her.
     
    “ Shhh…” Jack’s voice soothed as he slid into bed behind her and slipped his arms around her waist.
     
    “Jack? What are you doing here?” she asked as he pulled her closer.
     
    “Remember how I used to climb up the trellis into your bedroom all the time?” he whispered. “And we always worried that we’d get caught?”
     
    “But my mom is such a heavy sleeper…” Danna recounted the memory. “Are you just trying to tease me now, Jack?” Danna asked as she turned to face him.
     
    “Maybe a little.”
     
    “Not