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“There’s plenty of time for that when the season is over,” Mom said.“We’ve only got a couple more weeks to make the money that will sustain us through the winter.”
“Right, yeah.And you’re the only one who can do marketing outreach and the only one who can deal with our suppliers.”
“I’ve built these relationships—“
“And they are strong enough that Jasper can fill in for you, right?”
I thought about the addition to my workload, balanced against my desire to see my mother doing better.“Yeah, I could take over whatever.You could take the rest of the season off.”
“Stars.The two of you actually agree on something.Well, too bad, because that’s not happening.Especially when Jasper’s fate has brought us the exact person we need right now.Don’t scoff,” she said when Flint rolled his eyes.“I saw her this morning.She’s very sharp.An outsider who questions our assumptions might be just what we need.”
“But we can’t trust her,” Flint insisted.“Her father spent his whole life trying to prove that shifters are real.Don’t you think she’ll want to fulfill his legacy?”
“She signed an NDA.Right, Jasper?”
I pressed my lips together.I had sent it to her this morning, and then forgotten about it completely.“I actually didn’t get it back from her yet.”
“See?”Flint dumped broken plates in the trash with more force than necessary.“This is what I’m saying.Jasper, what’s wrong with you, man?You want to take the afternoon off, fine.You’re a few minutes late for dinner, no big deal.But you forget to get some obnoxious and important document signed?That’s not like you.”
“Itisn’tlike you,“ Mom agreed.“And while I think it’s a good idea to get a second opinion from Edie, I don’t like the way you went about it.Andyou went over my head when you offered to buy her house.”
“It would be a good investment, and help on our taxes,” I started.
She held up her hand.“What else have you been planning without telling me about it?”
“Nothing.”
She raised an eyebrow.“I spoke to Marisol today.”
I swallowed.“From San Jacinto?”
Mom gave me an exasperated look.“Do we know any other Marisols?Yes, Marisol Alvarez from San Jacinto.You know, the woman you’ve known your entire life and that you already know is not your fated mate?She told me you’ve called her every two weeks like clockwork for the last three months.”
Dammit.I knew I should have randomized the repeat task on my to-do list.“Oh,thatMarisol.”
Mom stared at me, waiting to see if I’d explain.“And why were you calling her?”
“Shouldn’t I be maintaining healthy relationships with members of other clans?”
“Jasper.You’re trying to woo her.”
“Marisol?”Flint could be a jerk, but he wasn’t exactly cunning.“You were planning to…marry her?”
I started filling a bucket I’d found under the sink so I could soak the stains on the short-nap carpet.“I wasn’t coming on super hard, or trying to seduce her or anything.I was just ...putting myself in her way.Letting her know I was an available option.”
My mother scoffed.Her water had boiled, and now she was making herself a cup of that gross tea she liked.“I’m thinking, you’re trying to line up my heir.”
“She already knows the ropes,” I retorted.“She could step right into the role.It would shore up her power too.And you’re always saying that the clans should be united.If we joined forces with San Jacinto, we could have more influence on Arcadia.”
Dominic’s knife scraped against his plate.“What about Arcadia?”
“It’s just a thought,” I said.Dominic and Dylan had moved up from Arcadia after the current Alpha took over and purged the previous leader’s supporters.“And it doesn’t matter now anyway.I couldn’t--” I swallowed, realizing the truth of what I was about to say.“I couldn’t go through with it now.Not since Edie.”
“See, that’s what makes me wonder.”Mom frowned at me.“Are you doing the same thing with Edie?Faking it because you’ve got some bullheaded idea of what is best for me?”
“Of course not,” I said, offended.
“You called Marisol yesterday.Afterwe met Edie,“ Mom said.
