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Exhaustion hit. If I didn’t move soon, I’d be asleep where I sat.
I hauled my weary body upright. Jasper had disappeared to look at something with Tane, so I escaped without the pressure of saying goodnight to him.
Holly gave me a hug as I left. “I’m glad you’re staying a bit longer,” she said. “And I’m sure Jas is, too.”
I had no idea. He asked me to stay, but I had no clue why. Jasper proved once again that I was spectacularly bad at reading men.
It was chilly outside. The skies were clearing, and I looked up at the stars, losing myself in the myriad of constellations above my head. The night was dominated by the Milky Way, always more beautiful in winter than summer, and tonight was a good night to see it. Not here, though. Not with the street lamps casting their yellow-white glow.
I yawned, climbed into my car, and opened the window all the way down to let the cool air in. I’d be back at my cottage in ten minutes, but I still wanted to drive safely. I was wide awake by the time I got there, so I sat on the deck, my hands warm around a cup of herbal tea and my gaze fixed on the stars.
I should be excited about my new premises, but I was melancholy instead. Why was that? I tried to unpick the conflicting emotions buzzing inside. The weekend had been a roller-coaster. It would take a few days for everything to come back to normal again, if it could. I was different since Jasper. Thinking about him hurt, but trying to avoid him hurt more.
Focus on the sky. I traced the Southern Cross with my finger, pausing when a bright light arced across the darkness. A shooting star. Should I make a wish? A silent request for Jasper to want to be with me?
If only...
*
A tapping noise intruded on my dream, and I opened my eyes. Someone was knocking on the door. As I grabbed my phone to see the time—seven-thirty—I knew it had to be Jasper. This was like a rerun of the other day.
What was it about this man, that he felt the need to deprive me of sleep?
I should ignore him, in hopes he’d go away, but there was a better chance of me walking on the moon. Even the slightest chance of a Jasper-encounter was enough to get me moving.
With my hair a tangled mess and my pajamas rumpled, I rushed to the kitchen and saw him on the other side of the glass door. He hunched over his stick but straightened when our gazes met. I let him in, and his lips curved in a slight smile.
“Hey,” he said. “You exercising this morning?”
I didn’t plan to, so why did I say yes? Besides, he had to be aching after all the walking and carrying he did when he helped move my stuff. I couldn’t think of a tactful way to ask, so I blurted it out. “You didn’t overdo it yesterday? There were a lot of boxes.”
The smile disappeared, and the scowl returned. “I’m fine.” He glanced at his watch. “Outside in five? I’ve got things to do today.”
Four minutes later, I hurried onto the sand, tying my hair back from my face. I should be grateful it wasn’t raining, but the southerly wind was so cold, it stole my breath. Conversation was impossible for the next twenty minutes, as Jasper put me through my paces. Striding gave way to jogging a short distance, and it took my entire concentration not to break my pace.
Throughout the session, Jasper stood still, his back rigid. He must have felt the cold, but he didn’t show it.
When it was over and I stretched and cooled down to his satisfaction, I sat on the damp sand and hugged my knees. I might be able to speak clearly. “Do you want to come back for tea? Or coffee?”
“I’ve got plans.” He rolled his shoulders and tapped his stick on the ground. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
I swallowed down my disappointment. “Okay.” He was about to leave, but I wasn’t ready to let him go. “Is Holly around today?”
“No. She’s at work.”
“What does she do?”
Jasper narrowed his eyes. “She does PR for the local council.”
It was the perfect segue into a safe topic. “I might ask her for help with my marketing plan. I want to build up my customer base. D’you think she might have time?”
“Probably.” His face was shuttered, but he didn’t walk away.
“I’ll make a start on setting up the kitchen today. Can I come and go as I please during your working hours?”
“Yep.”
I scrambled to my feet and shook out my arms and legs. “Thanks for coming over. It was a good workout. Same time tomorrow?”
He nodded. “Yep.”
What was with the one-word answers? “Doing anything fun today?”
Jasper scrubbed his free hand across his unshaven chin. “Not really.” He hesitated, but when I thought he might elaborate, he turned on his heel and limped away.