Page 53 of Dandelion Sighs

A divot formed between his brows, and concern etched into the corners of his eyes. “Crazy, isn’t it?”

Poppy snorted. “Not in our family.”

Clover gave her a fist bump, and the entirety of the Duke family history got clearer.

“You all married to get your properties.” All of them had found something irresistible in their partner to risk it. How cool was it to have struck every member of the family. Except Jasper. At least not yet.

“Basically. But it worked out to be real.” Clover shoved a cracker and cheese into her mouth and walked away.

“Best thing I ever did,” Lily said and circled around me and Jasper to finish filling her plate.

“Same.” Poppy sighed. “I’m sure Jensen and I would’ve found our way back to each other, but I’m glad the trust expedited everything.”

I glanced to where her husband had their new baby propped on his shoulder as he chatted with Alder. Magnolia was rocking Clover and Van’s baby. This whole damn shop was filled with people who built their families by getting married to get a house.

Then there was Jasper.

Why was I upset? It wasn’t like I wanted to get married—I did. In the back of my mind, the hope was still there, and now it had been dangled around me, but Jasper didn’t bite. I found him so irresistible that I was risking my reputation. I was risking constant distraction. But he risked nothing. Was that what morphed this anger into stinging hurt?

He wasn’t so overcome with affection for me that he’d use the cabin as an excuse to make me his. He took care of me. He wanted to fuck me. But live together as partners? Nope. He’d rather lose a whole-ass piece of land.

Did I know how to pick men or what?

I spun on a heel to return to my seat. The wall of heat followed me. I sat and dug into the pudding mixed with fruit and cookies. I tasted nothing. Why was this bothering me so much?

“Sheridan,” he said quietly and took the seat next to me.

“Yeah?” I shoveled a big bite into my mouth.

“I can explain.”

“About what?” I summoned the most innocent look possible. He didn’t want me in that way, and I didn’t want to talk about it.

He tightened his jaw. “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you.”

“It’s not my business.” Only I had told him over and over how important getting that land was. And he’d let me lament without telling me the deal. His reality was my obstacle, but he lacked the respect to clue me in.

“It sort of is,” he said softly.

In the end, it wasn’t. Or he would’ve talked to me. I couldn’t reach into his mind and pry out personal information. I wanted him to want to tell me. I put more cookie salad in my mouth. I had no saliva. The food was dust.

His gaze bored into me, but I focused on my plate. I wished I had grabbed more water. He finally tackled his own food. Was he only going through the motions to keep everyone from thinking there was anything wrong? Why would he care? No drama. He’d come to Coal Haven to be carefree.

Magnolia sat across from us. “How is Bishop’s Landing? I haven’t been out there for years.”

I spent the rest of my time at the gathering small-talking with Jasper’s mom. It wasn’t hard to push aside the cabin situation. There wasn’t one. It wasn’t like I could fault him for not getting married when he didn’t want to.

My parents might’ve met and married after a few weeks of knowing each other. Sure, they stayed together until death did them part, but that didn’t mean it was a good idea for others. Jasper was “others.” Maybe he wanted that all-encompassing passion. He didn’t want hesitation and contracts. Nor did I.

I wanted respect, and something about hearing the news at the family gathering lacked that.

After another hour of excruciating small talk, people started to leave.

Good. I could go home and lose myself in my boxes. Grief over losing my mom would smother what I was feeling now. I turned to Jasper. “I should get back. Do you mind, or should I see if I can catch a ride?”

His eyes were hooded, and his lips were flat. “I’ll take you.”

“Thank you.”