Page 12 of Jasper

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. Together. All of this, we're going to do together.

"Alright, y'all, we're done and ready to go."

* * *

Two hours later, I'm standing in the middle of my new home. There's only ten boxes. That's what my life has been condensed into. "I'll get this out of the living room as soon as I can." I look around, watching as Jasper strolls over to the fridge and reaches in, pulling out a large bottle of water.

"Do you want one?" he asks.

"Yes, please."

He grabs another, and hands it to me. I'm slow opening the bottle, but it gives me time to watch him. He twists the top off then looks like a goddamn super model as he chugs it down. His Adam's apple moves up and down as he swallows the water, and I'm wondering if he still does the same thing when he's going down on a woman.

God. It's hot in here.

He's the best I ever had, and I've compared the three other guys I've been with since him to him. Sadly, they're fucking lacking. I would give a lot to spend another night with him. I guess I'll get to experience it again, since we do have to have a child in order to fulfill the terms of the will.

"You okay?" He raises an eyebrow. "You look like you're about to pass out."

This man has absolutely no idea how hot he looks standing there drinking down a bottle of water. "Just tired." I clear my throat. "It's been a really long day."

"Yeah, I'm gonna go take a shower if that's okay with you? Then when you're in the shower, I can figure out dinner. Tomorrow, we can take care of all of this." He gestures to the mess in the living room.

"Okay." I roll my lips together, exhaling slowly. I wasn't prepared for how this was going to affect me. I don't think I realized how attached I was to my apartment and my own personal space. "I'll just be relaxing on the couch over there until you come back."

He nods, and without another word, leaves. When he does, I let my shoulders sag and wonder how in the fuck I'm going to survive this.

CHAPTER TEN

Jasper

I'm trying not to think about the fact that the woman who got away is now sitting in my living room, wearing my ring, and fixing to take my last name. She has an appointment on Monday at the social security office. Never before have I ever had someone who was going to count on me for anything. It's a type of responsibility I never saw myself having, but I guess my grandfather had other ideas.

Reaching in, I turn the knob on the shower and wait for it to warm up. This might be the best shower I've ever taken. Although I tend to do physical work every day, I'm exhausted tonight. It's more than likely because I've been aware of Daisy all day. Every time we got close to one another, I could smell her body wash or shampoo, or I'd feel her around. It's been enough to drive me crazy, and not in a good way.

I've been constantly reminded of what I actively pushed away. Not that I haven't been reminded of that for the last few years. Coming home wasn't a choice I made easily, because I knew she'd end up here, too. I thought about going all over the country. I didn't really want to be anywhere around my grandfather again, but I wanted to visit my parents' graves whenever I wanted. Not to mention the only support system I've had in recent years is my friends and their families.

Boone and his family dinners are the only thing that's have kept me sane for years. I even spent Christmases with the Wilsons. The entire time, I'd wonder what Daisy was doing. If she missed me, if she knew why I'd done what I did. I still remember the first time I saw her once we'd both moved back to Broken Falls.

Monroe's is hopping tonight, and I need a drink like yesterday. Walking through the crowd of people, I'm laser focused on the table that has my best friends sitting at it. They've already got the beer I like to drink waiting for me. It's been a fucking day.

"Is that mine?" I ask before wrapping my hand around the neck. "Don't want to take a drink if it's someone else's."

"Nope, that's yours," Abel says, tipping his back. "If you don't drink it, I'm about to. It's been a long one."

"That's the truest statement I've heard today," I mumble, before taking a drink that's enough to drain half the bottle. "Anything that could go wrong went wrong today."

"Same here. Something must be in fucking retrograde." Boone reaches in, grabbing a handful of peanuts they have on the tables here. "I mean, we may as well have sat on our hands all day for the fuckin' work we got done. Which means we'll be working Saturday."

Abel sighs heavily. "I had plans, but I guess that's out."

I tilt my head back and gaze around, trying to see who all is here tonight. Maybe I can get someone to go home with me. It's been a while, and I'm lonely for a lot of things, including just someone to have a conversation with. My brain reminds me I had that with Daisy, but then I had to go and fuck that all up. As if my mind conjures her up out of my memories, I see her. She's dancing with some bastard in the middle of the floor, swinging her hips and backing her ass into his crotch. It takes every single ounce of restraint I have in my body not to go over and ask both of them what the fuck they're doing. But then I remember, I don't have any claim to her. I let that go, and I can't expect her to live like a nun because I was too scared to be hurt.

She sees me. Her hazel eyes hardening when they land on mine. Instead of ducking her head and being the shy person she was with me, she pastes a bright smile on her face, grabs the hands of the man behind her, and puts them on her hips. Once there, she entwines their fingers and then brings them closer to the vee between her thighs. But then she does it; the part that hits me right in the fucking chest. She purses her lips and tilts her head back, angling it so she and this mystery man can share a kiss.

Acid burns in my gut, and although I know I have no one to blame but myself, this shit sucks. Grabbing my beer, I drain it, before standing up. "On second thought, I'm out. It's been a really fucking long day."

Barrett's eyebrows go together in question. His gaze lands behind me, and when he sees her, I know. "Jasper. You don't have to leave," he starts.

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