Page 25 of Jasper

“Why?”

“You know why, Erin.”

I watch the shuttle empty, but before I can take a step forward, Erin catches me by the arm, looping hers through mine. “I need to show you something first.”

“I don’t have time?—”

“This won’t take long,” she says, dragging me across the hotel lobby to the gift shop I’ve yet to visit. A woman I recognize from the J-Squad dinner last night is behind the counter. Her hand rubs her belly lovingly as she talks to an elderly couple. It’s stupid that I’m envious of her glow.

I’ve always wanted kids, but my career has been too demanding to even consider it at this point in my life.

It’s why I started writing children’s books.

It was the escape I needed. A way to hold onto that dream. To promise myself someday my future children would read my books.

“Vanessa, hey!” Mara greets me with a hug, as though we’re old friends.

Damn Jasper.

I didn’t just fall for him. I fell for everyone in his life, too.

“Hey, Mara.”

“Mara, I’m Erin,” my bestie pipes up. “I wanted to introduce you to someone.”

“We already met,” I say to Erin, my eyebrows drawing in confusion.

“Mara, you met VanessaWheeler.But have you met VanessaSterling?”

“No way!” Mara shrieks, turning half a dozen heads. “You’re Vanessa Sterling?”

“I—I’m, uh?—”

Mara drags me by the arm to the book section. “Iloveyour books! I have them all.” She rubs her belly again. “I’ve been reading them to my baby girl every day.”

“You have?”

“I can’t believeyou’rethe author. But now it all makes sense.”

“It does?”

“Jasper insisted we carry these books.”

My heart stops beating for several seconds. “He did?”

“He’s so proud of you, you know. I just didn’t realize you were the same person. Oh, I feel so foolish. But you know, pregnancy brain and all! You have to do a book signing before you leave. I can order more today. How long are you staying?”

“A book signing?” The sound of Dad’s voice causes me to stiffen with dread. Well fuck. This is not the way I wanted to tell him about my decision to leave the event planning world to pursue children’s books. Maybe I’ll get some bonus points because I used Mom’s maiden name for my pen name. Or maybe it’ll just break his heart a little more.

Too late to back pedal now.

Slowly, I turn to face him.

“Dad, we need to talk.”

“Everything okay?” he asks, his expression showing a rare glimpse of compassion.

Erin offers me an encouraging smile.

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