Page 92 of Ghost of a Chance
She was right.But that didn’t change the way he felt about her.Or the fact that she was shoving him away.
“Probably.But there is a part of me that believes you were waiting for me to mess up.”
She opened her mouth and then closed it.Her arms wrapped more tightly around her chest as she took several deep breaths.
Yeah, that was a bit on the nose.But he wasn’t the only one who was fumbling their way around here and making mistakes.She was too.
“When you care for another person the way I do about you…you give them some grace.Take the screwups but stay together.If not, what’s the point of letting anyone in?”he asked.
She was too important to him to just let her walk away.Though she’d stay to finish this thing with the textbook, it wouldn’t be the same.She was already wrapping herself back into her armor and retreating.The energy in the room had changed in the last thirty minutes.
For the first time he didn’t feel her curiosity and her passion.She’d shut down.Completely locked herself away.
“You’re right.”The words were softly spoken and quiet.
“Great, because being right is what matters,” he said sarcastically.
“Hear me out.I’ve been sitting over here acting like the injured party when there are things I haven’t told you.”
What?
“Anything big?”he queried, wanting to know if her secret like his had nothing to do with who they were now.
* * *
Jasper had knocked her off from the first.Pushing her in ways she doubted he’d recognize.Tapping her into the supernatural in a way she’d honestly never expected.
He was right, she had been waiting.She’d found her nice, safe routine and settled into her life.Writing books that gave her a chance to live out her favorite goth girl fantasies.Living next to her mom who’d step in if things got too tough.
Just existing until she’d gone back to his place and they’d kissed.Magic had wrapped around her as steadily as Jasper’s arms had.That ghost had tied the two of them together and as reluctant as she’d been to come on this trip…it had been the adventure she’d always secretly craved.
It was easy to point to Jasper.You lied to me.But she’d never been honest.He’d been counting on her to help him with the ghost and she’d never had the ability to do it.
At some point, that should have been made clear to him.Her emotional hideaway was a big comfy sweater that she could tug down to cover her knees when she drew them up to her chest.Just a place where she bundled into herself and hid.
But there was no hiding from Jasper.He pushed her with things like his smile and his big, furry dog.Nothing that had anything to do with why she was scared to really let him in.
That fear came from deep inside.From being a child that one parent didn’t want.She could even understand that her father had promised them he’d be a crappy family member because he truly only cared for himself.
It took a lot to admit that…she got it.It was a him thing not a her thing, but still that feeling of not being good enough remained.
A kernel deep inside of her that had been reinforced over time by the relationships she’d allowed herself to fall into.Larry in high school and Buck in college.That had been it.Two risky moves and she’d retreated.And they’d let her.
But Jasper wasn’t letting her.He sat across the table from her, looking anxious and sad and worried and mad.Showing her all his emotions without censoring himself because that was how he reacted.
His father had been taken from him and he still took chances.Sure, he sort of rolled over everything in his path and today seeing him with Victor she realized there was still so much to this man she was coming to care for that she didn’t know.But it was all good things.
What if there was nothing good left for him to discover about her?
She looked just like her mom and had always feared that meant that inside she was just like her dad.True, her relationships had ended for things other than her being selfish but she’d picked men who she knew weren’t looking for long-term.
“Are you just going to stare at me?”
“No.I don’t really believe I have any psychic ability.That thing in Chicago was me starting my period and needing a quick escape.Until I came to this house I had never experienced anything remotely paranormal.”
Shaking his head he stood up and put his hands on the table and leaned over toward her.“Why did you pretend with me?”
“You sort of left me no choice…but now… I don’t know.I’m hearing a voice from that textbook.Paranormal shit is happening all over the place.Now I’m connected to it and to you.”
