Jacob should have known she was going to ask him. He should have been aware but... well. He wasn't really thinking about himself.

"Me? I... want him to be settled. To make peace with what's happened. Whether he wants to contract with me or not, I wouldn't hold it against him. I think I might be too old for him now."

And that hurts. If they had grown old together, it would have been better, it would have been wonderful. But that isn't what has happened, and he can't change it.