Joanne cleared her throat, forcing herself to meet his gaze. A part of her wanted to look away, to avoid the heavy tension crackling in the air, but she knew she couldn't. If there was something wrong—if there was something off about Jeffrey's demeanor—she needed to understand it.
One thing was certain: whatever had put this distance between them, she needed to clear it.
She took a breath and steadied herself. Start with honesty.
"You might want to sit for this," she said, keeping her voice light despite the tightness in her chest. "It's a long story."
For a split second, she thought she saw his expression soften, the rough edges smoothing just a little. But it was gone as quickly as it came.
Still, she told him everything.
