“That’s…” was all she managed.
“Do you understand how badly I want to smash his face in?”Jasper’s voice was rough.“I know him. Too damn well. He’s never had a serious relationship. Women were always temporary, sometimesmore than one at a time. And I,” he laced his fingers so tightly the knuckles went white, “I can’t stand the thought that he could hurt her. He’s so much older than she is!”
Nina stayed quiet. He lifted his eyes to her, almost pleading.
“You’re a woman. You’re a mother. You have a daughter,” he said, voice cracking.“Tell me what the right thing is. What am I supposed to do?”
She let out a heavy breath.
“Jasper… I’m hardly an example to follow,” she said with a sad smile.“Look at my life.”
He shook his head.
“No. You’re strong. You raised a daughter. She’s only a few years younger than Lynn, isn’t she?”
Nina’s hands tightened, and she nodded.
“Daphne… she… I spoiled her too much. And she doesn’t confide in me,” she admitted softly.“We’ve been struggling to understand each other lately. And from photos I found out she went on vacation with Frank and Vivian… I thought she’d understood everything.”
Jasper leaned back, closing his eyes for a second.
“I want to keep Lynn locked at home, protect her from everything. Make sure nothing bad ever touches her.”
“That’s impossible,” Nina said quietly.“She’s an adult.”
He opened his eyes.
“So what do I do?”
She smiled despite the ache inside her.
“Be there for her. Don’t forbid. Don’t pressure. Be the one she can come to if she gets hurt.”
He looked at her for a long moment. Then he said softly:
“I love her so much. She’s everything to me. That’s why it’s so damn hard to accept that she’s grown.”
A tight knot formed in Nina’s throat. She turned away so she wouldn’t start crying. And to break the tension, she asked:
“Have you eaten?”
He frowned.
“No. No appetite.”
“Me neither,” she admitted.“But I ordered dinner anyway. They delivered it half an hour ago. It’s cold now. If you want… we can try eating without appetite.”
He gave her a small smile—tired, but warm.
“Let’s try.”
Nina walked into the kitchen and began setting the table. Simple food, takeout containers, plates, everything was ordinary, yet her fingers trembled.
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
Jasper. The same Jasper she had feared for decades, resented, blamed for everything that had gone wrong in her life. And now he was here… in her home. Quiet. Exhausted. And strangely—she wasn’t afraid of him. Not right now.
He silently helped her place the dishes. They sat across from each other. She picked at her food like it was a difficult task. Jasper ate slowly, checking his phone now and then. Silence stretched between them heavy, but unexpectedly calm. Almost comfortable.
