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Evangeline
“If you don’t think that cookies and cream is the best ice cream flavor, then I think that there must be something wrong with you,” I say as we head out of The Little Moo ice cream parlor.
“No way. Vanilla with sprinkles all the way,” Jasper says as he takes a lick of his own cone.
“Ugh, so boring,” I complain with a laugh as we head down the sidewalk.
“Alright, alright. My favorite flavor is peanut butter ice cream but they were out. Is that better?” he asks as he grabs my hand, interlacing our fingers as we head over to the little park in the town square.
“That’s a little bit better,” I tease him and he laughs as he takes another lick of his ice cream.
The sun is just starting to set. Jasper picked me up an hour ago and we went to Mountain Peak Grill for dinner before he suggested we get ice cream and take a stroll.
“How was girl’s night last night?” he asks as we head down one of the paths that circles around.
“It was good. We had tacos and it was great to catch up. Rowan has a baby girl now. She’s seven months old and so cute,” I say with a wistful sigh.
“Yeah? Do you want kids someday?” Jasper asks carefully and I realize that maybe I’m coming on a little strong for only our second date.
Everything just feels so easy and natural with Jasper that it’s easy to forget that we’ve only been out twice and are still getting to know each other.
“Yeah, someday,” I say with a smile and he squeezes my hand.
“How’s the house coming along?” I ask after a minute, trying to change the subject.
“Uh, pretty good. My friend, Brooks, just got to town yesterday morning and he helped me out yesterday with getting rid of most of the furniture. He’s going to hang around for a few days or weeks with me.”
“I don’t remember a Brooks,” I say, searching my brain of everyone who went to our high school.
“I met him in the military. He’s an Army Ranger too and was injured in an attack overseas a few weeks ago. He’s been discharged too and just came for a visit.”
“I hope that he’s alright.”
“He’s fine. All healed. Now he just needs to figure out what his next moves are going to be.”
“What about you?” I ask him.
“What about me?”
“Are you all healed? Do you have a plan for what to do next?”
Those are the questions that I’ve been so curious about for the last two days. I don’t want to get serious about Jasper if he’s going to leave, although I fear that I might be too late on the getting serious part. Which seems crazy because we barely know each other. I mean, this is only our second date.
“I’m healed, for the most part. I might have to have another surgery and until I figure that out, I’ll be sticking around. I have enough savings to take it easy until I figure out what I want to do next.”
“Well, I’m glad to have you around.”
“Good,” Jasper says, leaning over and kissing me.
His lips are cold from the ice cream and just as sweet. His beard brushes against me, tickling my sensitive skin, and I smile against his mouth at the feeling. I’m about to wrap my arms around him when I remember that I still have my ice cream cone in my hand.
I pull back before I can smear him with my cone and he laughs, taking my hand in his again. We start to walk again and I smile, enjoying the cool night breeze and feeling Jasper’s strong hand wrapped around mine.
We finish the loop in the park and finish off our cones. Jasper wraps his arm around my shoulders as we head back down the street to his new Jeep.
“When did you get this?” I ask him as his car comes into view.
“Yesterday morning. That rental car was getting expensive and it wasn’t really my style.”
