“Yes, and only because he wanted to say thank you for helping fix his fence, so he fixed me dinner. And before you ask, dinner was delicious.” Bert returned just in time to exchange looks that they didn’t even pretend were subtle. “Don’t start planning a wedding.”
“Hank, you’ve got to admit that you’ve put relationships on the back burner since you took over for your dad. You’ve had plenty of opportunities to make a connection with someone, but you haven’t. It seems like you might like him.”
“He’s a nice enough guy. I like him all right.” That faint praise was the best I could offer.
They weren’t wrong, but I didn’t want to examine it too much. Whatever craving Jasper had woken in me was too unfamiliar for me to put a name on it. It was evasive, but a few days without introspection hadn’t killed anyone.
“I guess I’ll have to leave it at that.”
“Faust, if it changes, you’ll be the first to know.” I crossed the room and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. His nosy questions were borne out of love, and I knew it. “Just let it go for now, okay?”
“Fine, but a pseudo-parent can dream.”
Honk. Honk.
I had expected Jasper to come out when I pulled up with the planters and goat feed. But after honking a couple of times, there was no response. His car was parked off to the side like usual, and Sissy’s old truck sat next to the barn. But no Jasper.
After I left Bert and Faust’s place, I’d swung by the hardware store. I had no idea what kind of hooks or screws Jasper had—or where the hell he kept them—so I figured I’d play it safe and bring some with me. I bought heavy-duty hooks since those planters weigh a ton when wet. Got him some pull-down ones for easier watering too. Hell, I even threw in a watering wand just in case.
I grabbed the ladder from the barn, gave the goats the last of the feed that was still out there, and got to work. By the time all the planters were hung and secure, Jasper still hadn’t come out. With nothing left to do, I replaced the ladder and refilled the goat feed bin.
The front seat of my truck was as far as I got. The logical part of me said he was taking a nap, working, or just didn’t want to see me. What Ishouldhave done was haul my ass home and not create more headaches for myself. But I couldn’t bring myself to turn over the engine.
What if he was hurt? Or sick? Home injuries were the most common cause of emergency room visits. Probably.
With a sigh, I heaved myself back out of the truck and made my way to his little house. Nothing looked out of sorts. The cushions were still on the porch swing, and the chairs were tucked in at the bistro table. There were no bodies lying around that appeared to have fallen off the roof. It sounded like the TV might be on, but it was hard to tell from outside.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I knocked. It took a minute before the door eased open. Jasper appeared, but not a version of him I’d seen before.
Gone was the guy in cutoffs with a fast mouth and a quicker smile. This version of him stood there in what looked like a full-body bear onesie, clutching a beat-up puppy stuffy that I vaguely remembered from his cozy corner. His eyes were rimmed red…maybe from crying, maybe not…but either way, he looked wrung out.
“You all right?”
He didn’t answer. Just gave me a one-shoulder shrug.
I softened my voice.
“You feelin’ little, sugar?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Hank
My first instinct was to stay.
“Can I come in?” Jasper gave a hesitant nod and stepped back from the doorway.
When I stepped inside, I realized the home that had been bright and open during my last visit was now more of a cocoon. The roller shades were pulled, leaving only slivers of light to penetrate the darkened room. Jasper had created a nest on the couch with a fleece blanket, a pillow, and another stuffie, which looked like he’d been using it as a pillow. His sippy cup sat on the coffee table.Goldie & Bear, according to the ID in the corner, played on the TV.
“Are you sick?”
Jasper stayed quiet but shook his head, making no attempt to answer aloud. Now that I was closer and more adjusted to the light, I saw the faintest tracks of tears down his cheeks.
What the hell had happened? When I left him at the feed store, he was chatting with Jace, and I’d seen him playing with the chicks. I wasn’t friends with Jace, but I’d seen him more times than I could count at the store, and I’d never seen him be ugly to anyone. Had someone given Jasper shit at the store? Had something happened at the house? I had no idea what had flipped the switch, but something had sent Jasper into a spiral.
Research could only go so far, but one thing had been clear from my reading: if Jasper was in little space, now wasn’t the time to lay out some kind of interrogation. As it was, he seemed to be struggling to speak. He didn’t need to be badgered by me. What he did need, though, was for someone to take care of him.
He needed his Daddy. And today, that was gonna be me.
