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“Very.”My answer slips out before I take time to think about it, but if it gets me in trouble, so be it.
“Do you like sprinkles on your donuts?”
“I prefer chocolate.”
“What about chocolate with sprinkles?”Mason grins.
Kent glances in the rearview mirror.“You really love sprinkles, don’t you?”
His head bobs, then stops as he leans and looks out the window.
We’re parking outside the donut shop, and it’s clear the kid is anticipating the sweet taste of sprinkles.
As we walk inside, I’m hoping Jasmine doesn’t show up.Who knows what Mason would tell her?I don’t even remember what I’ve said around the kid.
But if I’m afraid of her knowing the truth, something is wrong.I really hope she remembers because I feel like I’m hiding a secret.I’m just not sure how to tell her we met the night she was either wasted or drugged.
And she may have the wrong assumption about why my shirt was in her house.It’d be easier all around if she remembered the night of the party.
I’m leaningon my truck, waiting for Jasmine.She’s later than normal today, but it’s too soon to be concerned.At least I hope.
The regular attendees roll out their mats, feed treats to the goats, and chat.Joji keeps glancing at the gate, which makes me think she’s also wondering where Jasmine is.I’ve already unloaded my tools and started work on the planting boxes, but maybe I should run to her place just to check.
As I’m walking toward Joji to tell her my plan, Jasmine’s car pulls through the gate.She parks next to my truck but doesn’t wait for me to open the door.
“Hi.Everything okay?”
Nodding, she bends over and collects her mat and bag out of the passenger seat.“I’m so late.There was a tractor on the road going ten miles per hour.There wasn’t really a place for him to pull over, so I was stuck behind him.”She stands and swipes dark curls off her forehead.“It’s been a day.”
“Anything I can do to make it better?”
She shrugs, then strides toward the others.Looking back over her shoulder, she adds, “I’ll think about it.”
“You do that.”After staring at her way too long, I get back to work on the boxes.Hammering nails means I have to focus in front of me rather than watch Jasmine do her yoga moves.It’s far easier to watch her while I’m pulling weeds than while I’m using tools.
Bent over, putting the last board in place, I ignore the ruckus behind me until the nail is in place.One of the goats must’ve done something funny, which isn’t uncommon.But whatever is going on is creating quite the uproar.Ladies are shouting, and...wait.The sound of footsteps getting closer cut through the other noise.I turn as Jasmine is diving toward Boingo.That goat jumps like no other goat I’ve seen.It’s been known to hang out in trees.Pens don’t keep it in.But it’s extremely social and likes to come visit when I’m working on the garden.The other thing about Boingo is that it looks very much like its brother Bumpo.
She lands in a heap with the goat.Then Boingo jumps up, shakes his head, and stomps away, insulted.
I extend a hand to Jasmine, who is covered in dirt.“You okay?”
Boingo bounds over to the nearest tree and makes his way into the branches, then watches from its perch.
She sits up and dusts dirt off her shirt before taking my hand.“You were bent over, and I thought...”
“You came to my rescue.”My gaze is glued to her face, hoping she’ll look at me.
Her cheeks are flushed, and she’s staring at the middle of my shirt.“Except I was wrong because”—she looks over her shoulder at the pen where Bumpo is still captive—“the ornery goat is still in there.When that other goat was running over here and you were leaning over—”
“Making myself a target for Bumpo.”
Finally a smile raises her cheeks.“Yeah.I’m sorry to bother you.”Her hand is still in mine, and she stares at it without pulling away.
I brush my thumb across her soft skin.“Thank you.”
“The only thing I did was make a fool of myself.”She slides her fingers free.“I should get back to class.They’re all watching.”
“You didn’t get hurt, did you?”
She shakes her head.“I’m okay.”
“I appreciate that you’re looking out for me.And I don’t think you’re a fool.”
“Okay.”Shoulders slumped, she trudges back toward her class.
I want to chase her, pull her close, and whisper that I think about her all the time.But I don’t.
She goes back to her class, and I’m left trying to figure out what to do.
