A Christmas Break - Annabelle Jacobs Page 0,20
we were entering. I had so many questions on the tip of my tongue, but was it any of my business? If Jasper wanted to talk about this, I’d listen, but I didn’t want to push him when he was clearly hurting from his dad’s visit. “Do you want a hot chocolate?”
“I think this calls for something a bit stronger than that.” He laughed, but it was tinged with a bitterness I didn’t care for. It didn’t suit him.
“I’ll get you a beer.” I had a nice whisky in the cupboard and an expensive vodka in the freezer, but adult or not, I wasn’t giving him that when he looked like he’d down the whole bottle if I did.
I fetched us both a beer and sat next to him on the sofa.
“Thanks.” He took a long pull, then rested his head against the cushions, staring up at the ceiling.
“Is that all he came round for?”
“Nope.” Jasper turned to face me. “He also wanted to know when I was going to stop wasting my time at a dead-end job and go to uni.”
“Oh.” I took a drink of my own beer, not sure what to say to that. “Do you want to go to uni?”
He laughed again, and it wasn’t any better than before. “No. That’s why he kicked me out in the first place.”
“I thought you lived with your mum?” I was so confused.
“I did half and half until I left school.”
“And he kicked you out for not going to uni?” I couldn’t keep the incredulousness out of my voice. What sort of reason was that?
Jasper scrubbed a hand over his face. “I guess he didn’t exactly kick me out per se. He gave me an ultimatum. Either I go to university or get an apprenticeship, or my mum could bloody well pay for me.” He shrugged. “I wanted to travel, not commit to something that would take up the next three or four years of my life. I figured there was plenty of time for that afterwards.” He downed the rest of his beer and set the bottle on the table. “So, I packed up my stuff and moved in with my mum full time.”
“And he just let you go?” I went to fetch us another beer, figuring this conversation warranted it.
“Thanks.” Jasper fiddled with the label. “I don’t think he expected me to go. But he’d made my choices pretty fucking clear, and he’s way too stubborn to go back on his word.”
“So what did you do then?”
This time his smile reached his eyes, crinkling them at the edges. “I worked nights at Sainsbury’s and saved like mad until I had enough money to take a year out and see the world.”
“Wow.” I was impressed, and more than a little jealous. The most I’d seen was a few Spanish islands and the south of France.
We drank our beers in a silence that was more comfortable than awkward and I felt myself relaxing after the tension-filled last hour.
When my stomach rumbled loudly, breaking the quiet, Jasper’s soft laughter had me smiling in return.
That’s better.
I turned to face him. “Fancy helping me cook some of that food you bought?”
“Yeah, come on.” He stood and held out a hand to help me up, and I wasn’t prepared for the heat that zinged through me as I clasped his fingers in mine. His palm was warm and slightly rough, his grip strong in a way that sent my mind to dangerous places.
With his sleeves pushed up, my gaze landed on the dark hairs of his forearms.
So fucking sexy.
I swallowed that thought and gently eased my hand out of his, my heart beating wildly. This close it would be so easy to lean in and kiss him, but despite me knowing it was bollocks, his dad’s words echoed in my head.
Was I taking advantage?
He was upset.
And young.
With a soft sigh, I moved away, putting some space between us. Jasper’s eyebrows drew together in a slight frown, studying me as though trying to work something out. I left him to it and escaped into the kitchen.
When he didn’t immediately follow, I took a moment to catch my breath and get myself under control. It was harder than it should’ve been.
I liked Jasper.
Liked him a lot, and of course, the more I told myself I couldn’t pursue anything with him, the more I wanted to.
It would pass.
Hopefully.
When he still hadn’t appeared a couple of minutes later, I called out, “Am I doing all the cooking,