Page 43 of Born in the Spring

I blink myself out of staring to note that Jasper’s body has stilled next to hers, and when my gaze trails up to his, I find him watching me back. Eyes, soft and piercing, right on me, giving me another flash of six months ago, but now the onlydistance as he holds us here is the actual space between us.

I see pieces of Shepherd every time I look at Amie. I only see Jasper when I look at him. His only similarity to his brother is his jawline. The way he looks at me is also not the same.

Shepherd looked at me with pure love. Like I was just what he wanted. I was his and he was mine.

Jasper looks at me with that love and desire, but there’s this recognition there, like he’s always known me, even before he did. Like he’s been looking at me his whole life.

He sees me too.

Now, he’s studying me like he’s seeing through me. A furrow has formed between his brows, lips parting and lids fluttering, with my gaze still holding his, and I look away with a drink.

The several swallows slosh around in my stomach before finally settling.

“Thirsty?”

Vanessa collides into me, and I grip my cup tighter as I sway to the side, her ass then nudging me to make room for hers. I take another drink at her smirk as I shift enough so she’s not hanging half off the arm.

“I changed my mind,” Madison, one of Vanessa’s kids, announces from in front of us, trying to cross her arms, but her coat is adorably too thick for them to latch together. “Let’s leave.”

“Why?” Vanessa questions her, leaning closer to her level.

“He’s talking topigtails.” Madison hisses the identifier, gesturing toward a corner that both Vanessa and I stretch our necks to get a glimpse of, and sure enough, a pigtailed girl is chatting up Rory, a popular boy among the bigger kids.

“So go pull her away by them,” Vanessa suggests, thenlaughs at the noise of protest that gurgles out through my next drink.

“Don’t do that.”

“I’m scared,” Madison whispers, a pull at my heart.

“So is Elara,” Vanessa whispers back and I snap her a look. “But being brave is doing the shit that scares you.”

“Stuff,” I amend quickly, repeating the word when they both glance at me. “Stuff.”

Madison sneers. “I hear worse from my mom, okay?”

“So that’s why you’re with Vanessa,” I joke back, raising a brow her way.

“Pigtails has nothing on you,” Vanessa assures her against the other poor child. “So go show her and talk to your boy crush while I talk to my girl crush.” She gives the girl a little push, and after eyeing me like I’m unworthy, Madison sulks off.

“Kids,” Vanessa says, the plaint lighthearted, knowing she loves them. Especially the girl now inserting herself into Rory’s conversation.

“Only yours,” I say back with a side stare.

“So what’s with the face I saw you making before I walked up here?”

I snort a laugh. At least she’s done phrasing her concern asare you okay?“Are you insulting my face?”

“I will if you insult my intelligence.”

“Well, I don’t have to go very far to do that,” I tease, and Vanessa elbows me as I down another drink, my sips having long shifted to full swallows, some filling my cheeks and gulping down my throat.

I spin the cup in my hand, staring at the liquid as it swirls, almost wanting to exchange the rich brown for a red. “I miss being young,” I murmur, a nudge at the burn in my chest.

Vanessahmphs. “The young thing again.” I sigh at her response and she gives me a lighter elbowing. “I’m only acting ass hurt because it’s the second time you’ve implied we’re old, and I still think we’re young.”

I’m taking my last gulp of chai when she asks, “Are you still eating toast?”

I chuckle around my swallow. “Every morning. I’ve added over easy eggs to the plate too.” The meal is life changing.

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