Jasper Vale (The Edens #4)(49)

“You okay?” Jasper asked.

“Long day.” I forced a smile. “What are you doing?”

“I need to go on a trip.”

I blinked. “A trip? When?”

“Tonight.”

“Tonight?” What about fish tacos? Or a little advance notice? Had something bad happened with his family? Did he need me to go with him? “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’ve got an interview in Vegas with an up-and-coming fighter. It’s last minute.”

“Oh.” Someone might as well have kicked the chair out from underneath my ass. “That’s . . . great.”

That was great, right? This could be a new challenge for Jasper. He’d need that now that Foster was retired.

“What time is your flight?” It was supposed to come across as supportive but it sounded like a whine.

“I’m driving. I don’t need to be there until Friday, but I don’t want to bother with the airport in Missoula.”

Driving? To Las Vegas? “I could take you to the airport tomorrow.” It was only two hours away. Not that I had two hours to spare, but I’d find the time.

“Nah. I’ll hit the road. Find a hotel along the way. Get there tomorrow before my interview Friday.”

“Oh. Um, all right. When are you coming back?”

If Jasper heard the desperation and disappointment in my voice, he didn’t let it show. “Next week sometime. I’m not sure. I might stick around Vegas for a while. Check in on my house. Hit the old gym.”

In my imagination, I heard a piece of paper tear in two. Rrrrrip. There went our marriage certificate.

This was Jasper stepping back, wasn’t it? Planning his life. Leaving Montana.

I was supposed to have a couple more weeks.

Guess not.

“Drive safe.” My voice wobbled.

Jasper rounded the corner, forcing me to turn and face him. Then he framed my face with his hands, dropping a chaste kiss to my mouth. “The fridge is full of food. I even made you cookies. Which means there’s no reason for you to turn on the oven.”

I gave him a small smile. “No oven. Got it.”

Jasper’s brown eyes searched mine. So I searched his right back, wishing I could hear whatever thoughts were in that gorgeous head. Would he miss me?

I’d miss him.

Now. Later.

I was afraid that I’d miss him for the rest of my life.

“Will you text me updates as you drive?” I asked. “So I won’t worry?”

He nodded, kissing my forehead. Then he was gone, walking out the door.

To start the next phase of his life.

It was time to plan mine.

The Eloise Inn. That was the goal. I couldn’t let a couple months of incredible sex with Jasper steer me off that path. So I waited until Mateo returned with his coffee, then spent an hour wandering the hallways, up and down each floor, smiling to guests passing by. Taking mental notes of what I’d change when—if—the hotel was mine.

By the time I made it home, I was starving. Jasper hadn’t lied about the food in the fridge. It was teeming with storage containers, each labeled. I snagged the one marked fish tacos. The tortillas were on the counter. So were the cookies.

Everything was set.

For me to eat alone.

For me to stay alone.

How long had he known about this interview? How long had he planned this trip?

“Last minute, my ass,” I muttered.

Instead of taking the food to the table and eating my dinner alone, I balanced it in one hand while I snagged my purse with the other and marched outside, climbing in my car and driving back to town.

Lyla was dressed in sweats when she answered the door to her house. Gray joggers and a matching hoodie. She was also wearing that freaking fake smile. “Hey. What are you doing here? Everything okay?”

“No, it’s not okay. Stop being so nice. And happy. It’s weird.”

“Me being happy is weird?”

“You know what I mean, Lyla. You’ve been acting strange since you found out about Jasper. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I had no idea that you liked him.”

The fa?ade slipped as she crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not. You’re upset.”

“I’m embarrassed,” she corrected. “It was just . . . embarrassing.”

My heart pinched. “I’m sorry.”

Lyla straightened, waving it off. “You didn’t know.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” It wasn’t like Lyla to keep her crushes a secret, especially from Talia and me. Usually half of Quincy knew she liked a guy before they even had a date.

“I don’t know.” She lifted a shoulder. “But if you’re happy with Jasper, then I’m glad I didn’t.”

Because had I known she liked him, our night beside the fountain in Vegas would have been entirely different.

That made both of us glad. Otherwise I never would have known Jasper.

“What’s that?” Lyla pointed to the container and tortillas in my hand.

“Dinner. Jasper had to leave, and I don’t want to eat alone. How do you feel about fish tacos?”

“Um, well, that depends. Did you make them?”