He worked diligently, expertly setting the poles and the straps until the tent was fully assembled. It felt almost pornographic. The precision. The attention he gave it. How carefully he worked.
That may have been what surprised me most about Jasper. He was competent. He did things efficiently and he completed tasks.
If he was changing a diaper or doing laundry for Vincent, he did it. All of it.
That was a quality I’d rarely encountered before, and certainly not with my dad or any of my stepdads.
It was… unnerving.
He unfolded a small chair, turned on a large lantern, and went inside the tent. I’d never camped before. I’d never done anything outdoorsy, really.
Maybe it was strange that I’d fallen so hard for Vermont, but the scenery had captivated me instantly.
As a city kid with parents who didn’t give a shit, I’d missed out on so many experiences. When I’d come up here with friends for a weekend and hiked for the first time, it was an almost religious experience. Fresh air, mountains, dense forests.
I fell head over heels in love.
I rubbed Vincent’s back, contentment settling in my chest. His childhood would be far different. He’d get to grow up here, spend time outdoors. Jasper would probably take him camping and teach him to fish.
That made me strangely happy.
In fact, as I changed my little guy, put him in his sleep sack, and sang him his favorite Italian lullaby, that peace and contentment only grew.
This kid was going to be okay. His parents were clueless, sure, but after watching Jasper pitch that tent, it was hard not to think that we might just have a chance.
Chapter 10
Evie
The No Book Club was extra rowdy tonight.
We typically met in the tasting room at Etienne’s wine shop or in a small private space at the Drip Line, Frankie’s mom’s bar. But tonight, my friends had come to me. I both appreciated the thoughtfulness and hated it. Hosting meant I’d spent most of the afternoon cleaning up, but also that I could put Vincent to bed and hang out with my friends for a bit.
Sure, he’d need one more feeding before I went to sleep, but that wasn’t an issue. I didn’t want to brag, but this kid was already a champion sleeper. He was doing five-to-six-hour stretches once he got his top off around midnight.
Naturally, every guest showed up with wine, food, or presents for Vincent.
“I had to buy this,” Ruby gushed, showing me the tiny green sweatsuit she’d picked up. “And look at these sneakers!”
They were positively adorable. Even if he’d probably outgrow them in a hot minute. The kid was getting bigger every day.
The doctor was amazed by his weight gain. He got that from me, that’s for sure.
While we usually had more members, tonight, it was just the core group.
“You will die when you eat this Brie!” Basil declared as he set a delicious-looking salad on the countertop.
Wow. A salad should not look that pretty. Were those pomegranate seeds? His cooking and access to great cheese made him an MVP friend.
Ruby set up her portable Bluetooth speaker and turned on music, and within minutes, I was starting to feel like an actual adult again. For better or worse, these were my people.
When I’d picked up and moved to small-town Vermont, my friends and family thought I’d lost my mind.
I’d spent so many years being overworked and depressed. And so much time questioning who I was and what I was doing. Feeling bad for myself as I scrolled through the wedding announcements and photos and gender reveal parties all my high school and college friends posted.
I wallowed. For a long-ass time.
Eventually, though, I realized I had a freedom none of them had. So I changed my mindset.
