Page 49 of Glass & Groundwork
I leaned in and lowered my voice. “Noah?”
“Yeah?” He matched my level, turning this into a whispered conversation.
“I was thinking… when you get ready to start the next book, maybe you could tell me what it is so I could read it, too, and we can talk about it?”
Noah’s eyes widened and he sat up fully, turning in his seat to face me. “Really? You’d want to do that?”
“I’d love to,” I said, trying to portray my sincerity. It made my heart soar to see him perk up.
“Do you, um, have any genres you prefer?”
“No. Whateveryouwant to read, I’ll be happy to read with you.” I wanted Noah to know that I was interested inhim, that I valued him and who he was. He wasn’t simply here because of his sister, he wasn’t merely a tagalong, but that he belonged here, too.
“Okay. I’d really like that. Thanks.” His eyes beamed and a slight smile appeared on his face, which I took as a win. I owed Jasper a big kiss for showing me the way to break through his walls.
Noah retreated to his book, but he would glance over every so often and his eyes would light up, making me feel victorious and proud. I was excited to get to do something that was just for the two of us.
Jasper appeared with damp hair, wearing a blouse with a bold flower print, tied in the front, showing off his stomach. The shirt was paired with a bright orange pair of pants that sat low on his hips. I would say he dressed up for dinner, except, I’ve seen the closet he managed to fill, and it was an explosion of colors and textures. I loved that I never knew what he was going to wear, and he looked gorgeous in everything.
He met my gaze and we shared a smile. Seeing me sitting in a different spot than usual, I gave a slight indication toward Noah, and Jasper nodded with understanding. When he sat next toFrankie, they reached out and played with the edge of his silky shirt sleeve.
“I want to play in your closet.”
“Sure, kid. Maybe we can do a whole fashion show montage.”
“Really? That sounds so fun!”
“Oh, I want in on that, too.” Nicky exclaimed. “But only after I get to see you do the glass thing. I’m so bummed I missed it earlier.”
“I’d like to see it, too,” Eduardo chimed in.
“Of course! But like I told Yahir, I need you all to promise not to go in and touch anything if I’m not there. You can’t play around when it comes to fire and glass, the risk is too high, and I would hate it if any of you got hurt.”
Everyone mumbled their agreement, and I was just captivated at how easily Jasper had taken to them. My heart felt so full it could burst. I’d been happy working the farm and getting to be papa, but now, I didn’t have to do it alone. I had a partner, and it was looking like Jasper was going to be a great parent, too. For a moment, I envisioned him as a dad. He was already finding his way as a dad to our kids, but the idea of him holding a child with his same curly hair made my eyes well up. I blinked hard to force the tears back and chastised myself. We’d only just agreed to not pretend anymore and already I was picturing our family growing.Ridiculous.
The rest of the evening was full of laughter and conversation, fueling me up with endorphins, and bringing me a sense of tranquility and rightness. Everything that happened in my life brought me to this moment, right here. To my husband.My husband.It sounded good before, but even more so now that it wasn’t simply platonic.
When we ended up in bed again that evening, a part of me was anticipating the possibility of more naked fun with Jasper, but his face fell as soon as we were alone. I scooped him into myarms and spent the rest of the night holding him, trying to infuse as much comfort as I could through touch.
It had been a rough night. I was growing used to how much Jasper moved around in his sleep, but it was different this time. He still crawled all over me and entangled his limbs with mine, but he seemed more agitated. In the morning, I woke before my alarm and hurried to shut it, not wanting to wake him. It didn’t seem to matter, because he stirred anyway, letting out a groan.
I kissed his head and murmured, “Sorry if I woke you.”
Jasper yawned. “No. You didn’t, not really. I had a hard time sleeping.”
“Are you thinking about the trust?”
He sat up and ran a hand through his hair, pulling at the tangles. “Sort of. It’s more my parents. I know I need to do this, but I’m dreading it, too. I don’t know, my head is loud right now.”
A loud head was something I was very familiar with. “I think it’s time you meet Queen Beeatrix.”
Jasper cocked his head, his brows pinched together. “Now?”
I nodded. “Yes. I think it might help.”
He seemed a little uncertain, which was understandable given the turmoil I could see in his eyes. “Okay. I’ve been wanting to see the apiary, I suppose today is as good as any.”
I cupped his cheek and gave him a soft kiss. “Trust me, beautiful, it’ll be good for you.”
