I showed the phone screen towards Trace, unsure if he could even see it.
“Cool. I’ll let Jas know.” With that, he jogged back towards his brother.
I couldn’t move my eyes from the two, still trying to figure out why they didn’t exactlybother me like so many other men. There’d been way too many times at a store when a man got too close and I’d start to panic. Although that had gotten better, it still happened more than I wanted.
Before I could figure out if I should maybe move inside, where I wouldn’t have to try to be social, Jasper was pushing the lawn mower from somewhere behind the house, to a level spot to start it.
It didn’t take long for him to get it going, the motor echoing in the quiet. Figuring now as a good enough time to move myself inside, that’s what I did.
Trace waved my way before he, too, disappeared back around the side of the house and I shut the door.
Inside, the mower barely made a sound, but if I stood at the window overlooking the backyard, I could see Jasper as he pushed it through the thick grass.
I don’t know how long I stood there watching him. A few times the mower seemed to get stuck and he had to pull it backwards, only for it to die and have to be restarted. Maybe it was a good thing that Dawn wouldn’t let me do that, because I did hate to be sweaty, even though I spent plenty of time outside.
Deciding that Jasper at least needed something cold to drink, and I guess Trace, too, I found the powdered strawberry lemonadein the cupboard and a red plastic picture in another.
Mixing the powder and water to perfection, I added a few cupfulls of ice to make it slightly colder. By the time it was good enough to drink, Jasper seemed to be just finishing up our side of the yard.
All of a sudden, as I walked out the back door with a small stack of cups and the pitcher, my heart began to beat too quickly and my palms began to sweat.
Maybe I shouldn’t do this,I thought, although it was too late as Jasper shut off the mower and proceeded to wipe sweat off his face with the gray tee he had on. Doing so, showed part of a tattoo that was wrapped around his ribs.
Yeah, definitely a bad idea.
“What did you got there?” His eyes took in what I held when I didn’t move another foot. Finally, I got my feet to move towards the stairs, where I sat, and then poured him a cup. Handing it to him, I had to reach out closer to where he walked up at the bottom of the stairs. “Thank you, Koda.”
I could have sworn my heart skipped a beat as he spoke my name, and I was thankful that I was sitting.
At least I knew that a certain part of me wasn’t broken as it woke up. Even though mypenis was squished, it was hidden. It didn't stop the blush from filling my cheeks, though.
“This is perfect.” He took another sip, his eyes filling with something I couldn’t place. “I’m assuming I have to share with my brother?”
I lifted a shoulder. Trace wasn’t out here at the moment.
“I know Gram’s yard hasn’t been mowed in years, which is partly my fault. My parents don’t care about helping her other than wanting her money.” He took a seat on the bottom step, leaving plenty of room between the two of us, but I still scooted back a foot on the top stair. “Not that she has much money, and none of it will go to my parents.”
Why was he even telling me this? I squinted my eyes off to the side, spotting Trace making his way over.
“My parents are not hurting for money,” he went on. “But most of it will go towards my brother getting to college if he gets his grades in order.” The last part was spoken loud enough that Trace could hear them.
“And college sucks. Look at you. You came home tatted up and made Mom fuss over you doing drugs.”
“I’ve never touched a single drug in my life.” Jasper sat up straighter, as though he was proud of that fact. “My girlfriend likes them.”
“She likesyou. Hates my guts for whatever reason,” Trace nodded my way, before taking a seat a step below.
Already having a cup ready for him, I handed it to him. “Sweet. Thanks.”
“She doesn’t hate you,” Jasper huffed with his mouth around the lip of the cup. But he didn’t explain why.
It wasn’t my business, but yet Trace seemed to think I had some sort of important information that could be shared.
“I swear blond girls are the dumbest. They always think they are better than everyone else.”
Considering I didn’t get out all that often, nor have any friends other than Dawn, I had no opinion on the matter. I was sure that movies gave all blondes a bad image anyways. Same as red heads.
“It’s people like you that make them that way,” Jasper muttered, then gave me a look like I should understand that. Which, I didn’t. I only blinked. “Anyways,” he took a deep breath. “We should get back to work. Thanks for the cold drink.”
