Page 81 of Now or Never

The bus started up behind him, and he panicked.

“Sorry,” he said, avoiding eye contact with Chelsea. “I can’t stay.” He knew that as soon as he looked at her, everything would make sense again, and he’d dig himself further into this fucking hole he was in.

So he quickly turned, flagging down the bus and hopping on fast when the doors opened. In the back of his mind, he knew it was a dick move, but he couldn’t think. He’d just go home, regroup, find some way to end things where no one got hurt and they could still be friends.

But nottooclose of friends.

More like acquaintances.

Awkward acquaintances.

“Fuck.”

He dropped his head in his hands, then realized he was still holding Ben’s invitation, now wrinkled up in the corner and clammy from his sweaty palms. He looked at thebagain and sighed.

He’d fix this.

twenty-three

Chelsea pulled a garbage bag from the cupboard under the kitchen sink and began filling it with empty Spider-Man cups and plates left over from Ben’s birthday party.

Ben was playing on the floor in the living room with Jasper, building a Lego set he’d got from him. Jae was staring at Jasper with a scowl, keeping a close eye on the intruder in their house. If it were up to them, Jasper wouldn’t have been there. They would have passed him off to spend a few hours with him as they normally did. But Ben wanted to invite his dad, so they went with it.

Jasper had been on his best behaviour until an hour into the party when he’d pulled Chelsea aside and asked whether Adam was coming. It was just a question, but it had rattled her nerves.

She’d started the day hopeful that he would have calmed down in the last week since Ben had given him the invitation and he’d run off, but that didn’t seem to happen. She’d texted him earlier in the week and got no answer. He hadn’t even been across the lawn.

He’d literally disappeared.

She gathered some plates with half-eaten cake and melted ice cream and shoved them into the bag, imagining her situationship going right along with them.

She wasn’t mad at Adam. He’d told her repeatedly, in no uncertain terms, that he would never have a long-term relationship. He’d never lied to her. But she knew he felt the same about her as she did about him, and she foolishly clung to the hope that he would change his mind.

She glanced over at Jasper laughing with Ben on the floor and patiently handing him piece after piece of Lego. It really warmed her heart to see them together. She wanted Ben to have a father in his life.

Just then, Jasper stood and stretched his hands up. He pulled his phone from the back pocket of his jeans and gave it a quick glance before slipping it back in.

She braced herself, both wanting him to get the hell out of her house and wishing he would stay longer to be with Ben.

He tousled Ben’s golden head, leaned down and said something, then turned and made his way to her.

“I gotta get going,” he said.

Chelsea nodded. “’Kay.”

He glanced at Jae, then back to her. “Can we talk?”

“About what?”

“Us, Ben, work,” he said.

“Work?”

He nodded his head. “Walk me out?”

Chelsea followed him to the front door, shrugging at Jae’s horrified expression as she passed. They stepped onto the porch, and she closed the door behind her. Jasper turned to face her but looked as though he was still working out what to say.

“Are you with Adam Hartley? Just tell me yes or no.”

---