Jasper’s ability to see me does throw me off, though. First off, whyhim?He’s a little grumpy for my liking, and his relentless, tactless flirting with Irie is getting on my last damn nerve. Secondly,whyhim? During my training, no instructor ever mentioned the possibility of mortal humans seeing guardians. Household pets, sure, but humans? Nope. Unheard of. I’ve thought about reaching out to other guardians to ask, but I worry that there could be consequences, and for whatever reason, I feel like we need to see this through. We can’t have any interruptions here, especially if he continues to help Irie heal. This flower will come out of hiding to bloom if it’s the last thing I achieve in my existence, whether she knows I’m here or not.
Twenty-One
Iris
Iset the table as Jasper adds the final touches to dinner. To my shock, he cooked a pasta dinner tonight, and he didn’t even use pre-cooked alfredo sauce. Nope, he mixed a bunch of creamy cheeses and seasonings together to make an authentic Italian dish. It turns out he lived in Italy for an entire semester. While there, he took a cooking class and learned how to make various Italian specialties. I asked what I could do to help earlier, and he simply asked if I could set the table, to which I happily obliged. I’ve never been much of a cook myself, but I enjoy watching him cook. He seems so content when in the kitchen.
After setting the table, I freshen up in the bathroom. Upon looking in the mirror, I discover my hair in disarray. I begin to run my fingers through it, then pinch some life back into my cheeks. Opening Katherine’s wedding invite left me feeling… conflicted, to say the least. I’ve always loved spending time with Katherine—she has the kind of smile that brightens a whole room. She and Kai had that in common. Our mutual friends used to joke around about their pairing being a match made in heaven.
She moved to our hometown when we were in high school, being two years older than me and two years younger than Kai. They remained good friends throughout high school and college and didn’t actually begin dating until her senior year of college. They tried long-distance dating for a couple of years while Kai lived in Chrysocolla Cove, eventually leading her to transfer to the Cove for work. Unfortunately for me, her wedding is taking place in our hometown. Truthfully, our hometown is stunning, so I can’t blame her, but I haven’t visited the town in ages. I don’t know how I’ll muster the courage to revisit the town without him by my side for the first time.
On top of that, Jasper practically offered to attend the wedding with me, which added a whole extra layer to my confusion. First, he friendzoned me, then gave me a place to stay, and now he’s offering to be my stand-in wedding date.Why is this man so frustratingly difficult to read?I lightly pat my face in an attempt to look somewhat presentable before wandering back into the kitchen. Pasta is one of my comfort foods; I can’t wait to dig in. As I’m about to take the first bite, my phone rings. I sigh and answer it.
“Hi, Iris. This is Tony, your maintenance tech. I just wanted to let you know that you should be all set to return to your apartment tomorrow. We worked extra hard to get this done ASAP. Sorry again for the inconvenience.”
“Oh, that’s great news! Thank you so much.”
I hang up, smiling. “That was Tony, my maintenance guy. Looks like I can move back in tomorrow.”
“Wow, they finished that quick?” Jasper raises a brow while taking a bite of the pasta. “Hope they did it right.”
“I mean, they only had to replace the carpet in the living room, and given the fact that my apartment is less than 600 square feet, I’m sure it wasn’t too time-consuming,” I affirm, finally taking a bite. Immediately, I let out a moan, unable to control myself.
“Be careful there, Greene. I think you’re giving the Cacio e Pepe the wrong idea.” He arches an eyebrow at me, his lips curling upward into a smirk. Suddenly, my cheeks feel warm—I’m definitely blushing. Lovely.
“So, I’ve been thinking about that wedding you got invited to,” he says, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Did you really react that way because you don’t think you’ll be able to find a date?”
“Um, well.” I pause, determining how to answer this. “Katherine’s wedding is in the mountains… my hometown.”
“I see,” he plainly says, taking another bite of his food.
“It’s been years since I last visited the town—I have zero desire ever to move back,” I say. “The only reason I’d even remotely consider visiting is to pick up my car.”
“Your car?” He quirks an eyebrow.
“Yep, my car. I have been keeping it at my parents' home for the last few years to save money. No car means no parking fees,” I share, taking another bite. He nods, seeming to understand. Deciding we’ve spent too much time on the subject of my family, I shift gears. “So, how did you learn to cook?”
“My mom and I cooked together throughout my childhood. I learned all the basics from her, but I picked up how to cook this dish while in Italy. This is a fan favorite over there.”
“I wouldn’t have initially pegged you for being a momma’s boy,” I tease. He rolls his eyes, quirking the corner of his mouth.
“Oh, I’m not.” He recoils. “Cooking is just the only thing we’ve ever really connected on.”
“I get that—I wish my parents would’ve taught me how to cook. Instead, I’m surviving off a diet composed of pre-made frozen dinners, smoothies, and coffee at age 25.” I take another bite as he snickers.
“I could teach you sometime if you want,” he offers, this being the first time anyone has ever offered to teach me how to cook.
“I’d actually love that.” I bite my lip, looking down at my half-eaten meal. I feel oddly comfortable in his home. I haven’t felt this comfortable in a long time. “So, will you miss me, roomie?”
“Eh, I’ve missed being able to walk around my home shirtless, so I think I’ll manage.” He grins, leaning back in his seat and resting his arms behind his head as I fight back a wide grin. Of course, he’s already finished his entire plate.
“What’s stopping you from doing that now? With us being friends and all, I didn’t think it’d make much of a difference,” I poke fun.
“Greene, if you wanted to see me shirtless, you could’ve just asked.” He folds his arms over his chest and shrugs his grin widening.Well, I guess I walked into that one.
“That’s not what I’m saying, Jasper.” I declare. “I was just wondering.”
“Fair enough.” He smirks, getting up to clean his plate. As he walks away, I wonder if I fancy the company of others more than I thought I did.
