Chapter 3
3
Jasper
Between what happened on our hike the day before and in the tent last night, I once again got very little sleep.
Never did I think I would get the chance to kiss Malachi Danvers because until yesterday, I thought he was as straight as they come.
Yet, he kissed me.
Or maybe I kissed him.
It didn’t really matter who leaned in first. All I knew was it had been amazing.
As the morning light drifted into our tent, I lay in my sleeping bag, replaying everything in my head. I remembered him saying how he wanted more. Unfortunately, my brother mumbled something in his sleep, putting an end to our conversation before I could ask Malachi what he’d meant.
While he and Jesse continued to sleep, I decided to get up and start making breakfast. Cooking always helped clear my head whenever I was stressed about school or something else like a crush on my brother’s best friend. It was also good practice for the job I was starting in a few weeks at a local diner.
Digging through the coolers, I grabbed the ingredients I needed to make French toast and scrambled eggs. I’d helped plan out the menu for the week and picked this specific meal because I knew it was Malachi’s favorite.
I was so wrapped up in getting the food ready, I didn’t realize anyone else was awake until the guy I couldn’t stop thinking about started to speak.
“Something looks good.” He stepped close behind me, and I could feel his body heat wash over me, which sent a shiver down my spine.
“I know you like French toast.”
“I wasn’t talking about?—”
“Is breakfast ready yet?” Jesse called out as he exited the tent. “I’m starving.”
Malachi took a step back as I grumbled, “Not yet.”
“We going fishing again today?” my brother asked his friend as he spooned some instant coffee into a mug.
“Sure,” Malachi replied, and then turned toward me. “Do you want to come with us?”
“You know Jasper hates fishing,” Jesse interjected before I could answer.
He wasn’t wrong, but it was nice for Malachi to want to include me, especially since my friend AJ had to back out of coming with us at the last minute. “Yeah. Sitting around, messing with worms all day isn’t really my idea of a good time, but I’ll be ready to cook whatever you guys catch.”
A little while later, everyone else joined us at the picnic table for breakfast. Gabby took a seat next to Malachi, which wasn’t surprising. When we’d played cards, she wouldn’t stop talking about how cute he was. While I wasn’t happy to hear about her crush, Norah had been annoyed and pleaded with her to not talk about her brother like that. It made me wonder if Jesse would have the same reaction if he knew what Malachi and I had been up to the night before. Who was I kidding? Jesse would be more than annoyed at his best friend. And maybe me.
“Jasper, I gotta say, your cooking gets better and better every time you make something,” Mr. Danvers said around a bit of French toast, taking my attention away from Gabby and Malachi.
I swallowed a forkful of eggs and smiled. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, this is way better than Mom’s.” Norah chuckled.
“Gee, thanks.” Mrs. Danvers glared playfully at her daughter. “But I don’t disagree. Have you thought about becoming a chef one day?”
I shrugged. “I just got a job as a prep cook, but I don’t know if I’m good enough to run my own kitchen.”
Everyone quickly disagreed with my statement, and I could feel my cheeks heat at their compliments. I wasn’t one who liked to be the center of attention, and their praise was a little overwhelming.
“So, what’s everyone’s plans today?” Malachi asked the others. “Jesse and I are going fishing.”
As everybody began chatting about what they wanted to do, I looked at Malachi. He gave me a sly grin, and I wondered if he’d changed the subject because he could tell I’d been uncomfortable.
I had always assumed he never noticed me, and if he did, he only saw me as Jesse’s little brother. But maybe he’d been looking at me the same way as I had him all these years.
Malachi and I didn’t get a second alone for the remainder of the week. We shared occasional glances, and there were times I swore he purposely brushed against me, but I never had the opportunity to ask him why he’d kissed me or any of the other questions I had.
That changed as we broke down camp, and my brother’s phone rang.
“You guys got this?” Jesse asked. “I’ve been waiting for Liv to call.”
Olivia was his girlfriend of three years, and she usually went camping with us but she was spending this summer in Europe with her family.
“Yeah. We’re good,” Malachi said, pulling out one of the tent stakes.
Jesse walked toward the trees, and I moved over to the side where Malachi was working out of sight of everyone else. The second I stepped beside him, he flashed me his megawatt smile. The same one that had girls swooning at their gigs.
“Did you have fun this week?” he asked.
“It’s definitely been interesting.”
He stopped what he was doing and faced me. “Interesting. How?”
“Are you really going to make me say it?”
He shrugged, the smile never leaving his face. “Yes.”
“Fine.” I chuckled. “I found it interesting that all this time, I thought you were into girls, yet you kissed me.”
“Well, I am into girls.”
My gaze dropped to my feet. “Oh.”
“But I also happen to be bi, so I’m not only into girls.”
“Oh,” I repeated. “I didn’t know that.”
“No one does,” he admitted.
“Why not tell my brother? He didn’t have a problem when I came out, and I know he wouldn’t have an issue with you either.”
“You’re probably right.” He let out a breath. “It’s just … I’ve got this image as a ladies’ man I created with the band, and I’m not sure if telling the guys would change things and cause problems.”
“I guess that makes sense.” No way was I going to judge someone else’s journey. When and how they chose to share intimate details about their life with others was their business.
“Regardless of whether or not people know, I meant it when I said I wanted more the other night.” He stuffed the stakes into the tent bag.
“You did?”
He nodded. “Yeah. But Jesse would kill me if he knew I was messing around with his little brother.”
My shoulders slumped. “I get it.”
“Hey.” He lifted my chin with his finger. “That doesn’t mean I?—”
Before he could say anything more, Jesse came back. “What’s taking you guys so long? Everyone else is ready to go.”
“Well, if someone had stayed to help us instead of bailing to talk to his girlfriend, then we’d be done already,” Malachi scolded playfully.
“Don’t be mad you can only get a chick for one night,” my brother teased.
Malachi’s eyes cut to me briefly before he responded, “Nah, man. I’m not looking to get tied down and practically married at nineteen like you.”
“Don’t hate. You know you love Liv too.”
“Yeah, she’s not bad.” Malachi grinned.
After we finished putting the tent away, I drove away with my parents. I stared out the window thinking about our kiss and wondering if it would happen again.
Several weeks had passed since we returned from the lake. Between school and my new job, I hadn’t seen Malachi, and I was beginning to wonder if he was avoiding me.
I’d just started making dinner when I heard the front door open and close. Soon Jesse rounded the corner, and when he saw me standing at the stove, he asked, “What are you making?”
I stirred the onions I was sautéing. “Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, and a salad.”
“Nice.” He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and chugged half of it. “Can you make enough for Malachi too? We’re going to hang out over here and watch some movies tonight.”
“Uh sure,” I replied, wondering if things were going to be awkward.
Whenever they had one of their movie nights, Malachi usually ended up staying over, and I was both excited and nervous to have him around.
“Cool. I’m going to take a shower and get the gym smell off of me.”
“Good, because you reek.”
“You’re just jealous because you don’t have arms like this.” My brother flexed his biceps and gave me a cheesy grin.
“Hopefully, you’ve been working out your neck so it can hold up that gigantic head of yours,” I teased as he started toward his room.
A few minutes later, the doorbell rang, and since my parents weren’t home from work quite yet, I had no choice but to answer it.
“Oh … hey,” Malachi greeted me as I pulled the door open.
“Hey,” I replied and stepped aside so he could come in. “Haven’t seen you for a while.” I closed the door behind him and headed back to the kitchen.
He followed me. “Yeah. I’ve been busy.”
“Really? Because if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’ve been avoiding me.”
He let out a breath. “Look, I probably gave you mixed signals with us kissing and then not talking to you. I promise that wasn’t my intention.”
“You don’t have to explain yourself,” I said, mostly because I wasn’t sure how I would handle it if he told me he regretted what he’d said while we were camping.
“But—”
I turned on the burner under the pot of potatoes so they could come to a boil. “It’s okay. I promise.”
“No, it’s not.” He spun me around. “I wasn’t lying when I said I wanted more, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about kissing you again.”
“Malachi …” I whispered.
He wasn’t the only one who couldn’t stop thinking about it, and I desperately wanted us to do it again. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long. He took a step forward and leaned down, fusing our mouths together. His hands wrapped around my neck, and he pulled me closer. Needing more, I parted my lips so he could deepen the kiss. Our tongues swirled together, and I could taste a hint of mint on his breath.
I could have kissed him for hours, but our moment was cut short by pounding footsteps as my brother came down the hallway. Immediately, I pushed away from Malachi and turned my focus back to cooking dinner.
From the corner of my eye, I watched as they pounded fists and started talking about the reality show their band had submitted an audition tape for.
A short time later, my parents arrived. While the five of us sat down for dinner together, it took everything in my power not to stare at Malachi from across the table. I hoped we’d get another minute alone tonight.
After my parents went to bed, Jesse started looking for a movie to watch. “What are you in the mood for?” he asked Malachi.
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Anything in particular you want to watch, Jasper?”
I looked up from the game I’d been playing on my phone, surprised he’d asked me.
“Who said he can hang out with us?” Jesse huffed, but I could tell he was teasing. “I guess if he makes us popcorn, he can watch the movie too.”
“Fine. I’ll make some, but you better pick something good.” I glared playfully at my brother.
“I’ll go grab some drinks,” Malachi offered and followed me to the kitchen.
The second my brother couldn’t see us anymore, Malachi pushed me against the wall and we became a tangle of arms, lips, and tongues. It was only our third kiss, but I was quickly becoming addicted to the taste of him.
When we pulled away to catch our breath, he pressed his forehead against mine. “The only thing I thought about during dinner was kissing you again. Even though it’s probably not a good idea, I just can’t get enough of you.”
“Me either. I’ve had a crush on you for a while,” I confessed, deciding to be upfront about my feelings if we were going to continue kissing every time we were alone.
“Really?”
“Uh huh.”
“I wish we didn’t have to hide, but Jesse can’t find out about us.”
“I know,” I sighed, wishing the same thing.
“But I can’t stay away from you anymore.”
My shift at Belle’s Diner was over in thirty minutes. With my eighteenth birthday still a few weeks away, I was limited on the hours I was allowed to work and got off at around the same time as the usual Friday night rush of teens trying to grab a bite to eat before curfew. As I was about to clock out, I could hear the crowds of people filling up the restaurant.
“Jasper, I’ve got an order here for hash browns with cheese and jalape?os on top. Can you take care of that before you leave?” Lyle, the head cook, called out.
I knew only one person who liked his hash browns like that, and I’d been told he might stop by tonight. I peeked out through the pass to confirm my suspicions, and as I expected, Jesse was sitting at a booth with his friends. But it was the person sitting across from him who had my heart racing.
“On it,” I shouted back and got to work on the potatoes.
As I finished up with Jesse’s food, Lyle set out the other plates for their table.
“All right, I’m outta here,” I told him and then turned to Bonnie, one of the servers. “I’ll take this order out to table six.”
“Thanks, hun,” she replied as she filled some drinks.
Weaving my way through the crowd, I made my way to my brother’s table. “Hey guys,” I greeted. “So, who ordered what?”
After they all told me which meals were whose, Malachi looked up and smiled. “I didn’t know you were working tonight.”
He was full of shit because we had texted about me having to work and how he was going to convince the others to stop by after their show at Flanagan’s where they were the opening gig. Playing along, I replied, “Yeah, I just finished, actually.”
“Pull up a chair and hang with us for a few,” he suggested.
“Are you sure?” I asked, glancing at my brother to make sure he was cool with me staying.
Jesse nodded. “Yeah, but I’m not sharing my hash browns.”
“Be nice.” Olivia shoved him playfully before pushing her plate closer to me. “You can have some of my fries.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed a fry and popped it into my mouth. “And don’t worry, Jesse, I already tried a bite while I made them,” I teased.
He rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
I chuckled. “So, how was the show tonight?”
“It totally rocked,” Silas said around a forkful of waffle.
Elliott nodded. “The chicks were fucking hot too.”
“Yeah, it was fun,” Malachi added mildly.
Jesse snorted. “Fun? You walked out of there with a handful of phone numbers and offers to hook up. I’d say it was more than fun for you.”
My body stiffened, and Malachi’s hand squeezed my leg under the table. “It’s not a big deal. Some of them were pretty drunk and would have talked to whoever they saw first.”
“Whatever, man. They were all over you,” Jesse argued.
“Anyway.” Malachi chuckled, but I could tell by the slight grimace on his face when he looked at me, he wasn’t happy about what Jesse said. “Are you heading straight home from here?”
“That’s the plan,” I replied.
“Think I can catch a ride with you? Jesse was going to drop me off before going to Olivia’s, but I’m tired of playing third wheel with them. And since we’re going in the same direction …”
“Yeah, I can take you home.”
We all continued to chat while they finished their meals. When it was time to go, we headed to the parking lot together. Silas hopped into Elliott’s pickup while Olivia and Jesse climbed inside my brother’s car. Once they drove away, Malachi followed me to my ten-year-old Honda Civic.
“I’m glad our little plan worked, and you were able to stop by tonight,” I said as I pulled out of the parking lot.
“Me too. Although your brother wanted to go straight to Olivia’s after our show. Thank goodness she was hungry too.”
“So, she unknowingly helped us sneak around behind her boyfriend’s back. Let’s hope she never figures that out.”
He snorted a laugh. “Yeah. I doubt she would be willing to keep something like that from Jesse.”
The drive to our neighborhood only took a few minutes, and as I pulled up to his house, Malachi turned to face me. “I don’t plan on calling any of the women who gave me their numbers, by the way.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve been to your shows before, so I know that happens a lot.”
He grabbed my hand. “It does, but I also don’t want you to think I’m out trying to hook up with a bunch of people. I know things are complicated for us?—”
“You don’t need to explain. I understand how things have to be. Although, it doesn’t mean I like hearing about women throwing themselves at you.”
“Well, I can promise the only person on my mind tonight was you.” He grinned before leaning forward to kiss me.
His hand cupped my cheek, his thumb stroking my jaw as his tongue traced my lips, and I opened for him. Our mouths moved together as he pulled me closer, and for a few moments, everything else seemed to disappear. There was no overprotective brother or need to hide. It was just Malachi and me giving in to the feelings we could no longer deny.