Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
He’d told me about having sex with her and how he’d accidentally let it out with his folks, which again, was a big clue on why they planned today and why they often brought her up in conversation.
I couldn’t figure out if they knew about us or not. Bob definitely had more and more feelings lately about how much time we spent together. Sherry, I was on the fence about, but I knew they both wanted their son with a woman from what they considered a good, Christian family. It fucked with my brain some because they cared about me—Sherry had always loved me like a son—but the truth was, I wasn’t family, and I wasn’t what they wanted for Jasper. If it was between me and the future they wanted for him, they would choose that future, and I’d lose my second family.
“Fuck.” Jasper dropped his head back, the two of us alone in the house. “Can we go back to Asheville?”
“I wish.” And I did. Everything had felt so easy there. I’d gotten to kiss him and touch him in public, and he’d done the same to me.
“I’ll put an end to the Lacey stuff after dinner tonight. I’ll tell ’em I ain’t doin’ this again and that I’m not gonna be with her.”
“Okay.” But damned if I wasn’t hoping he would tell them about us instead. Then I felt guilty for it because I was wishing for him to turn his whole life upside down and risk his relationship with his family for me. “It’ll be fine. It’s just one dinner.”
Jasper wrapped his arms around me, buried his face in my neck, and kissed the skin there. I couldn’t lie, that helped.
“Should we take a shower together to get ready?” Jasper asked.
“I think we should.” I smiled, trying to pretend that dread wasn’t weighing me down, that it didn’t feel like it was spreading through my body like some kinda virus.
We showered and got dressed. We stayed at the house until the last moment without being rude and not getting there before the Prichards. Part of me wanted to stay home, but I knew that would make them wonder even more. I was always involved with things like this before. I’d always been treated like part of their family.
Plus, I didn’t mean any offense to Lacey because I liked her. She was great. She didn’t know about me and Jasp, and none of this was her fault, but I also didn’t want to leave her alone with my man.
We happened to approach the house just as their car was pulling down the driveway. I wondered what Lacey thought about all this because from what Jasper said, she wasn’t looking for anything serious either. But then, I doubted she knew that Jasper had told his parents about them. It was normal for them to have people over for dinner sometimes, just to be neighborly and all. That was how it worked in Ryland.
Jasper and I stopped outside the house to wait for them. His folks came out onto the porch too, and I wondered if Jasper was as nervous as I was, if he felt the shift in the air or if his chest was as heavy as mine.
Her folks got out of the car first, followed by Lacey. She didn’t live at home with her parents anymore, so they must’ve decided to come together.
The first thing I noticed was that she looked real pretty, in a flowy, summer dress even though it was only spring. She had closed-toe sandals on, and strangely, I wondered if her toenails were painted. I bet they were.
Lacey had long, wavy, auburn hair, freckles, and a pretty smile. She liked camping and hiking. She loved football and would hang out at the bar watching sometimes. Someone like her would be good for Jasper. He would be happy with her. And despite hating thoughts like that, I knew it was true.
“It’s so nice to see y’all!” Sherry said as she approached them. She and Olivia, Lacey’s mama, hugged.
Bob shook hands with Alfred. “Thanks for coming.”
“Jasper Finch, it’s been too long since I’ve seen you.” Lacey hugged him, and Jasper hugged her back. My gut clinched, the back of my neck prickling.
“Good to see you, darlin’,” he said to her. That kinda endearment wasn’t anything new. Jasper always used endearments with women our age, but now it burned through me in a different way.
“Sutton. It’s good to see you too. Your hair’s getting longer.” She ruffled my hair and hugged me.
“How ya doin’, Lacey?”
She grinned. “I’m doin’ just fine.” Their folks started walking in, Lacey falling into step beside Jasper, me on his other side. “Why does this feel like a Southern setup?” she whispered softly, slowing down so the parents could get ahead of us.