Jasper Vale (The Edens #4)(38)

“You could prove them wrong.”

He turned on the faucet and started peeling a potato.

“The last guy I brought home was for Foster’s first dinner at the ranch. Did he tell you about it?”

“No.”

“He was a guy I met at Willie’s. He was sort of lanky with a hippie vibe. Cute though.”

The peeler scraped harder against the potato as Jasper’s frame tensed. Was that jealousy? If so, I liked it. Though he had nothing to envy. That guy had been a solid two compared to Jasper’s eleven.

“We’d gone on a couple of dates,” I said. “Nothing serious. But since Foster was coming to the ranch, I thought, why not bring a date too? We’d get all of the introductions over with. So we get to the house and it turns out my date wasn’t entirely a stranger to everyone in the house.”

Jasper’s focus was still on the potato and peeler in his hand, but he’d slowed, listening.

“Winn knew my date. She’d gotten a call at the station from the general manager at the grocery store because he’d caught this guy stuffing a cucumber down his jeans.”

“What the fuck?”

“Exactly.” I huffed a dry laugh. “Come with me. Show everyone my taste isn’t as bad as they think.”

Jasper set the peeled potato aside and picked up a towel to dry his hands.

“Don’t make me beg,” I whispered.

Jasper crossed the room, towering in front of me. His hand came to my cheek, tilting my face up so I could stare at him while his thumb stroked my jaw. “It’s better this way. Keep some separation.”

Begging it was. “Please.”

“Go without me, angel.” His voice was soft, smoother than I’d ever heard before. Either because he talked more when I was home. Or because he was trying to lessen the blow of his refusal.

“This is important to me.”

“Why?”

I blinked. Why was it important that he meet my family? What the hell kind of question was that? “Um, because it’s my family. And you’re supposed to be my husband.”

Not supposed. He was my husband. Temporarily.

Was this about his family? We hadn’t spoken about them. I had no idea where he was from. Where his parents lived. If he had siblings. Curiosity bubbled but I tamped it down, saving those questions for another day. There was begging to do.

“Jas.”

His hand fell away from my face. “I’ll be gone in a couple of months.”

My heart squeezed. Why was that so painful? It wasn’t a surprise, not really. We hadn’t exactly talked about what would happen after the divorce but I’d known the chances were high that he’d leave Quincy. Still . . . it stung.

“Please go with me.”

“El—”

“This is ridiculous.” I shot out of my chair, slipping around him to pace in front of the island. “I shouldn’t have to beg for you to go with me. Why is this even a debate? You’re going. You promised me that you’d help me prove to everyone that this was real, so you’re going.”

Jasper looked up, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

I mirrored his posture, mostly so I wouldn’t squirm beneath the intensity of his stare. It took all my willpower to breathe evenly and keep my chin held high. “You’re coming with me.”

His eyes narrowed. “You’re awfully bossy today.”

“I’ve been taking lessons from my husband.”

His jaw flexed. But then I saw it, a crack in that steel armor. He dropped his arms. “You’re right. I just . . . I struggle with family. But I’ll go.”

The air rushed from my lungs. “Thank you.”

Jasper crooked a finger, luring me closer. Then, when I’d stopped in front of him, my arms still crossed, he shook his head. “They don’t need to like me.”

Yes, they did. I wanted them to be proud that I’d married a good man. Just for a little while, I wanted them to like Jasper. Because when he walked away, no matter how hard I tried to convince them otherwise, he would become the enemy.

So for now, for two more months, sixty-ish days, I wanted them to like him. To be happy for us.

Starting Sunday with dinner at the ranch.





CHAPTER TWELVE





ELOISE





This dinner was either going to be incredible or an incredible disaster. I was betting on the latter. Regardless, even if this was an epic failure, I wasn’t sorry for pushing Jasper to come.

“Turn off up there,” I told him, pointing to the gravel road that teed into the highway ahead.

Jasper slowed and took the left without so much as a nod. He was as silent now as he had been all day. Hell, other than a few groans, he’d barely made a sound when we’d had sex this morning.

Still, no regrets.

My family was a huge part of my life. He was my husband. At some point, the two had to learn how to play nice. Besides, it was only for a couple months.

The ranch’s open gates greeted us as we rolled down the gravel drive. My stomach, already in knots, twisted tighter as we passed the log archway emblazoned with the Eden ranch brand—an E with a curve in the shape of a rocking chair’s runner beneath.

“That’s our brand,” I told Jasper.