Page 8 of Moonlight and Mischief
Oh, shit.
“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it like that.” His frown deepens as I continue to babble. “Besides, if you were a toad, you’d be one of those adorable little tomato frogs.”
“Toads and frogs aren’t the same,” Cedar says quietly, walking away.
Jasper raises an eyebrow, eyes sharp with skepticism. “A tomato frog?”
“They’re my favorite reptile,” I say, goading a smile out of him. “Amphibian?”
I study his face for a moment, begging him to ignore my stupidity. The last thing I want to do is hurt his feelings. Even after these last few months, he is still sensitive about fitting in. I know Jasper belongs here with us. He’s a piece we didn’t know we were missing until he arrived. But he doesn’t see it that way.
“We okay?” I ask quietly.
“No harm, no foul,” he says as his lips curve into a smirk. Jasper winks at me and my breath rushes out, relieved he isn’t truly mad.
He stretches and steps away from our bench. “Night, everyone.”
“Good night.” I fold our blanket and hand it to Onyx.
Jasper gives me one last look, reassuring me that he isn’t upset before I make my exit.
Hazel wraps her arm around mine as we both stroll home, our paths intersecting until we meet my grandmother’s cottage.
Hazel and Slate’s home stands a short distance northeast. It’s a sprawling two-story cabin that satunoccupied after Slate’s father passed away. Over the last season, the couple has renovated it, keeping the original charm while modernizing fixtures and appliances. It’s only been a few weeks since they moved in.
We walk in silence until my worry overcomes my good sense. “I feel like crap,” I tell her in a hushed voice. “I can’t believe I said that.”
Hazel cocks her head, waiting for more context.
“About him being ick.” Hearing the word again makes me cringe.
She raises her shoulders up and drops them with a sigh. “I shouldn’t have said what I said. I wasn’t thinking and I put you in an awkward position.”
“It’s fine,” I say automatically.
Hazel’s cheeks hollow as she weighs her words. “Honestly, I think it was on my mind because I’ve been concerned,” she says.
My brows furrow as I look at her. “Why?”
“Like I said, you guys have been touchy-feely.”
Scowling, I open my mouth to argue.
“I know shifters are more physically affectionate,” she says, cutting me off. “And I get that he can’t be physically close to me, so you’re the only cuddly one available.”
“That’s all it is,” I say, nails biting into my palms at the swirl of anger and embarrassment heating my cheeks.
“He really values your friendship. And it would suck if you accidentally led him on.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
She’s right though. I’ve enjoyed comforting and encouraging Jasper over the last few months, but maybe we’ve gotten a little too close. Holding hands was perhaps over the line.
“I’m probably worrying for nothing. And I don’t think you’d ever do something like that intentionally. But he didn’t grow up with close friends like you did, and frankly, you’re always busy staring at Cedar, so I’m not sure you’d even notice if Jasper was staring atyouthat way.”
I bite my tongue. I should listen to her. Hazel is shockingly insightful and usually correct in her assessments. The situation calls for more thought on my part.
Slate catches up to us as we reach the corner of Cedar’s garden.
