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I frowned. “Doesn’t he already have a cell phone?”
“Well, yeah, but I meant for me. That way you and I can talk anytime we want, and we can text when you’re coming to pick me up from school.”
“Hmm, that’s not a bad idea. What does your dad have to say about it?” I didn’t want to step on Jasper’s toes when it came to major parenting decisions. I saw his reaction when he found that TV on Cam’s wall, and a cell phone seemed like it was in the same ballpark.
Cam was shaking his head, though. “We talked about it, but he can’t really afford it, and he’s pretty touchy about money stuff. You know he’ll just say no if you ask.” While that might’ve been true, it didn’t sit right with me.
“Well…” I began carefully, “you do have a birthday coming up. How about I’ll think about it.” I wouldn’t make any promises until after I could talk to Jasper about it.
“Ooh, yeah! My birthday! Can we have the party at your place?” Cam’s eyes lit up with excitement. “It would be so cool! I guess it’ll be too cold for a pool party, but we could use the hot tub and get pizzas and watch a movie in your entertainment room in the basement.”
I had to admit, that did sound pretty fun… “Uh, it would be okay with me, but we should check with your dad.” I looked over my shoulder, searching for Jasper again. Where was he when I needed him? I really felt like I was out of my depth here.
“Are you kidding? It would be a huge help for him! He’s always super exhausted after a party because he tries to do it all himself. If we had it at your place, he wouldn’t have to stress out so much.”
Yep, that seemed like Jasper. But if I could take care of the food and the cake and the cleaning up afterward, he wouldn’t have anything to worry about. All he would have to do was show up, and I would take care of the rest. “I like the way you think,” I told Cam.
I grabbed a cloth and started wiping down the counter, while Cam hopped off the chair. “He told me he used to love you, you know,” he said quietly as he pulled open the oven to slide the metal pans onto the rack. It made me nervous watching him, but he seemed so comfortable doing it, it was obvious this wasn’t his first time baking.
“Your dad? He did?” My chest felt tight, and my heart skipped a beat. I couldn’t believe everything I’d missed out on, all because I was a teenage idiot. “What else did he say about me?” I tried to ask casually.
Cam shrugged, setting the timer. “Not much, but I know he’s lonely.”
“H-he is?” I stammered, unsure of what to say to that. “How do you know?”
“I dunno, I just do. Sometimes when he thinks nobody’s watching, he gets real quiet, and his eyes go all sad.”
Jasper was such an amazing catch, and yet, he’d been alone all this time. It made no sense to me. Plenty of alphas didn’t mind if a guy had a kid. But maybe it was more than a lack of opportunity… A tiny spark of hope came to life inside me. I’d been lonely too, but it was because nobody could compare to the picture-perfect life I’d imagined having with Jasper. Was there a chance he felt the same way? Didn’t we owe it to ourselves to find out?
“Did you love my dad too?” Cam asked, watching me closely, as if he’d be able to tell if I was lying. But I wasn’t about to lie to my kid, and I didn’t want to lie to myself either.
“Yeah, I did…” I leaned in. “Can I tell you a secret?” He nodded and tilted his head to listen closely. “I never stopped loving him, but don’t tell him I said that. I don’t think he’s ready to hear it yet.”
Cam beamed up at me for a second, but then he pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes at me. “My dad deserves somebody who will take care of him and who will make him laugh. He needs someone who can help do the laundry and the dishes, and who can reach the top of the walls when he decides to paint the living room. He likes cuddles, but you can’t be a blanket hog. Do you think you can do all that?”
I felt like I was in a job interview for the most important opportunity of my life, and I would only get one chance at this. “Yeah, I think I can handle that.”
“Do you snore?”
“Not that I know of.”
He paused, considering me, and I held my breath as I waited for the verdict. “Okay,” he said with a sharp nod, like he’d reached a decision. “I’ll help you.”
I wanted to laugh but thought I’d better not. I would need all the help I could get, and Cam was the perfect ally. “That’s great! I could really use a man like you on my side,” I told him. “Is there… I mean, has there been anyone else who wanted to date your dad?” I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer, but if Jasper was seeing someone, I couldn’t make things awkward. Maybe that kiss hadn’t meant anything to him. Maybe it was just for old time’s sake, and then he felt guilty immediately after.
Cam rolled his eyes. “There’s a guy at Dad’s work who’s always hanging around. He’s okay, but I can tell he doesn’t meet the requirements.”
“Mm, Brent. You’re right, he looks like a blanket hog.” I knew exactly who Cam meant, and I had to fight not to let my hands form fists. Brent would keep his hands to himself if he knew what was good for him.
Jasper was mine. Maybe not officially, but it was only a matter of time. And now, with my man on the inside, I couldn’t fail.
13
Jasper
Iwelcomedthesteriletiled floors and front-faced aisles of the grocery store as the impersonal space it was. I needed to take a breather, and since I couldn’t seem to do it at home or at work, then I would take it wherever I could get it.
Wandering down the cereal aisle, I tried to focus on the week’s meal plan in an attempt to figure out what I needed to buy, but I couldn’t seem to get past breakfast. Oh well, nobody ever died from eating cereal for dinner.
