Page 11 of Romeo

The first time he met me, I was practically crying my eyes out over Joseph Higgins standing me up and walking into the dance with Amy after he’d asked me to go with him.

Not exactly the kind of first impression a girl wanted to make on a man like Jasper Dubois.

I imagined he saw me the same way everyone else did.

As a child.

What I felt for Jasper was just a crush—I knew that. It would go away eventually when I met someone else.

Not that the attraction would ever go away. That man was hot as hell. How he wasn’t a model, I’d never understand. I bet he’d look good in a pair of Calvin Klein underwear.

Way better than Mark Wahlberg.

My mind was stuck on the image of Jasper in nothing but his underwear as I pulled into the high school and parked in my designated spot. Georgie had bought me a car and paid for my parking spot so I could drive myself to school. Though he constantly texted me every morning to make sure I got there safely.

Which was why I ignored the buzzing of my phone as I rushed inside, practically running into none other than Joseph Higgins.

He’d been acting really strange since we came back to school after Christmas break. And right now, he was practically falling all over himself apologizing for almost bumping into me, yet he wouldn’t look me in the eye.

“Sorry,” I said automatically.

His eyes widened. “No. Sorry. I’m sorry.”

Then he was gone.

I stared at his retreating back rushing down the hall as if the Devil himself was chasing him.

Weird.

Shaking my head, I moved to my first class of the morning.

Biology.

Who scheduled a biology class first period when students weren’t even fully awake yet?

My phone buzzed again, but I knew if I looked at it, Mr. Kramer would take it. He might even read the texts out loud, and I didn’t need the entire school giving me grief about my overprotective biker brother.

No, Georgie would just have to wait.

It was lunchtime before I was able to even look at my phone. I wasn’t worried about Georgie; I knew he’d call the school to make sure I was there.

What surprised me were the text messages from Jasper. He asked me for my number after everyone spent the week between Christmas and New Year’s in New Orleans after Jack’s wedding. I thought he was being nice; I never expected him to actually text me.

Jasper: Made it home alive, Cher. Nebraska is cold as fuck.

Jasper: You awake?

Jasper: Figured you’d be getting ready for school by now.

Jasper: Fiona?

Jasper: You make it to school?

Jasper: I know you have class but figured you could answer before the bell.

Jasper: Text me when you see this.

Jasper: Cher, I’m trying real hard not to overreact.