Page 73 of Memories By the Shore
Turning back to Jasper, I shut my eyes and answer the phone.
“Hey.” Dave’s voice on the other end is cheery.
“Hi, I’m just getting home. Can I call you in a bit?”
“Sure, of course. I didn’t hear from you this morning. I wanted to check in.” There’s now a slight annoyance in his voice.We just talked about him giving me some space to handle this yesterday.
“I know, sorry. I’ve been trying to take things out here as quickly as possible like I told you I would,” I whisper, stepping off to the side. From the corner of my eye, I see Jasper rub the back of his neck and stare at the clear night sky. This entire interaction shouldn’t be awkward, but it is.
“I didn’t know that meant you couldn’t check in with yourfiancé,” he snaps.
My eyes lock on Jasper’s back as he slowly walks away. Panicking, I rush Dave off the phone. “Yeah, I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Jasper!” I yell. He doesn’t turn around or respond to me even though he’s only a few yards away. Moving into a jog, I quickly catch up and place my hand on his shoulder. “Hey, sorry about that.”
He whips his body around to face me fully, with frustration growing by the second. “Sorry for what? That you had to answer a call from your fiancé?”
I run a hand through my hair, speechless. “I guess.”
His hands come out in front of us. “No need to be.”
“Thank you for driving me home.” I’m unsure of what to say. He’s unsettled, and so am I.
Jasper flashes me a weak smile, then places his hand on my lower back, ushering me toward the steps to the back door. Anxious, I take them two at a time with him close on my heels.
“Safely at your door,” he states, leaning in to press a gentle kiss on my forehead. On instinct, I lift my head, angling my lips toward his. My eyes fall closed, waiting for the kiss I desperately crave.
His jaw tenses. “Good night, Avery.”
I can’t let this go. My emotions are raging, and my thoughts are a mess. Heat builds in my core. Instinctively, I move my face toward his, letting my lips float past his.
Jasper pinches my cheeks. I watch his eyes darken. Then his mouth crashes into mine. My knees buckle, almost leveling me with the ground.
I black out. His lips move with mine. Losing my balance, I fall forward, only for my body to come into contact with his hard chest. My lips start to tingle, and my world spins, then abruptly, it stops.
Jasper pulls back. His features are firm and ice-cold. “Good night, Avery,” he says, giving me his back as he walks back to his car.
I feel it crawl up my throat—word vomit. I’m unsure if it’s the liquor fueling my bravery or just plain desperation, but the following words come out without hesitation.
“Why did you let me go?” I burst out louder than necessary.
Jasper squares his shoulders, pauses, and then slowly turns to face me. More than a few feet in front of me and underneath the dim porch light, I can still make out the sharpness of his features. “What?”
I swallow a cotton ball lodged in my throat while my hands shake, but I’m determined to find answers. I came all the way here for them and intend to do whatever I can to see closure. “Why did you let me go?”
He scoffs and starts walking back toward the front door. “Why didIlet you go?” he repeats my words condescendingly.
I firmly place my hands on my hips, trying to show conviction in my question, but my insides are raw from the hurt I’ve endured. “Yes.”
“Why didyouleave?” he counters.
“You know why I left.”
“Do I?”
Tears prick the back of my eyes—a sting of regret for opening this box. “Answer the question.”
“You answer it, Arizona,” he challenges, stepping onto the first stair. I haven’t been called that name in years. It rips through me like a knife.
