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Jasper did it on the first try. And he’d not come to her room once she’d gotten Maddie settled back down and asleep. But then, she’d also fallen asleep herself relatively fast. Between the climax and the comfy bed, she’d fallen into a deep and dreamless sleep.
She noticed in the mirror this morning that the bags beneath her eyes were fading. And her cheeks looked fuller instead of sunken in from malnourishment.
Jasper didn’t realize how much he had saved them. Nor how grateful she was that he had taken them in the way he had.
But perhaps tonight she could show him.
With Maddie happily playing in her playpen, she started the noodles boiling in a pot on the stove. Jasper had put potatoes in the oven to bake, and their yummy scent made her mouth water. She was getting used to having food to eat every day. If someone had told her a month ago, she’d be living with a man, about to get married, and had a signed contract where at the end, she would have fifty million in the bank and a house that belonged to her, she would have said they were nuts.
Jasper strode inside. “How are the noodles coming?”
“Just a few more minutes.”
“Great. I’ll get the highchair set up and come back for the potatoes and salad.” He moved the chair before she could respond.
She focused on getting the mac and cheese finished before she went to the playpen. “Ready to eat out on the patio with Jasper and me?”
Maddie nodded. “Ja’per noodles.”
“That’s right, you get to eat noodles with Jasper.” She hoisted Maddie into her arms and carted her outside.
Jasper had already taken the steaks off the grill and was cutting a few small bites for Maddie.
“I don’t know how she will react to the steak. She’s pretty finicky with food.”
“I bet the little lassie will love it.” Jasper winked at Maddie and made her giggle.
“If you want to stay out here with her, I’ll grab everything else.” She settled Maddie in the highchair.
“Sounds good.”
She spotted an opened bottle of wine. Freya couldn’t believe that this was her life now. A few days ago, she was cursing fate. And now she wondered how she had gotten so lucky as to stumble upon Jasper.
None of it would have happened if he hadn’t caught her trying to steal. Or perhaps it would have happened in a different manner.
But whatever the reason behind it, she was thrilled. Because Jasper was a good, decent man, and she knew from experience those were next-level impossible to find.
Freya carted the rest of the food out, starting with the salad and a toddler bowl with noodles for Maddie. When they were all seated, Jasper placed a few tiny bites of steak on her highchair.
“There you are, little lassie. Try some steak.”
“No.” Maddie shook her head and shoved a handful of noodles into her mouth.
“What’s this?” Jasper clasped a hand against his chest. “You don’t want to eat my cooking?”
Maddie giggled but shook her head no.
“Blimey, you wound me, little lassie. It’s so good. Watch me eat some.” Jasper took a juicy bite of his steak and acted as if it was the best thing he’d ever tasted. “Mmm, mmm, mmmmm. See, it’s better than noodles.”
“No, Ja’per.” She held up her hand to stop him.
“You won’t even try it for me after I slaved over a hot grill just for you? You wound me.” He dramatically pressed his hands against his chest with a crestfallen expression.
“See. Told ya. At least you’re not trying to feed her peas.” She grimaced at the memory.
“Maddie doesn’t like peas either?”
“Oh, she does, just not for eating. She prefers throwing them, so I stopped trying to make her eat them.”
