Chapter 26
ANITA
“So how do you feel after calling that prick Reed?” Jasper’s question breaks the comfortable silence as we drive through the darkening streets of Mistberry Cove.
His hands are relaxed on the steering wheel of his Ferrari SUV, and I’m still getting used to the casual luxury of being driven around in such a fancy car.
“Pretty good now,” I admit, fiddling with the strap of my purse. “But I was nervous as hell when I actually called him. My hands were shaking so bad I almost dropped my phone twice.”
“I could tell,” Jasper says with a slight smile, glancing over at me. “But you did damn amazing once you got going. Kept your voice steady, showed just enough eagerness without overdoing it, asked intelligent questions. He bought it completely. Well done.”
“Yeah, he wants me there first thing tomorrow morning at eight just for an initial chat and to tell me what he wants me to work on.” I take a deep breath, watching the town lights pass by.
“I should be terrified, but I’m not. Tomorrow morning will probably be a completely different story when I’m actually standing in front of him at the hotel. ”
“You’ve got this,” Jasper says firmly, his gaze catching mine for a moment before returning to the road. “It’s no different than being on the charter boat that day. You just talk to him, show interest in his work, convince him you can handle his social media like you did with us. Easy.”
He pauses, then adds, “And we’ll be nearby the entire time. If anything goes sideways, if he makes you uncomfortable at all, if he says or does anything that sets off alarm bells, we’re there in seconds. But really, you’re just doing what you’re very good at—social media management.”
I’m quiet for a moment, just staring at his profile in the dim light. The strong, sharp line of his jaw covered in light stubble. The way his ash-blond hair is slightly tousled. He’s ridiculously handsome. “I still feel like absolute shit for lying to you all,” I say, my voice small.
He pinches his lips together in that way he does when he’s thinking.
“I’m not going to hide that it hurt,” he says after a long pause.
“It damn near destroyed me, actually. Because I don’t think you realize how much you meant to me even after just that first kiss outside your apartment.
I thought this was it. I’d finally found what I’d been searching for my entire adult life. My person. My Omega.”
His hands tighten on the steering wheel. “And then to hear the truth on the boat… It felt like that whole kiss was a lie too.”
I reach over immediately and squeeze his hand where it rests on the gearshift, my throat tight with emotion.
“It wasn’t. God, Jasper, that kiss was so real, the most real thing I’d felt in years.
Like I mentioned before, everything when I was myself, when I was just Anita with you, that was completely honest.”
I sigh heavily, slumping back in my seat and staring at the ceiling. “I really hate hindsight. It shows such a clear, obvious path of how I could have done everything better, made different choices from the beginning. Why can’t I see that before I make all the stupid mistakes?”
We stop at a red light, and Jasper reaches over to gently lift my chin with his fingers, forcing me to meet his intense gaze.
“Look, I understand why you did it,” he says carefully, his thumb stroking my jaw.
“I don’t agree with how you went about it, and I’m not going to pretend the lies didn’t cut deep.
But you were doing what you thought was right with the limited information you had.
You were being brave in your own way.” His eyes soften slightly.
“Thank you,” I say.
He releases my chin as the light turns green.
“Tonight is time away from all that stress. We’re putting the guilt and pain behind us.
You need to meet with Reed tomorrow with a completely clear head, confident and focused, and you can’t do that if you’re drowning in guilt and anxiety.
So tonight we’re just enjoying each other’s company. Deal?”
I nod, swallowing hard past the lump in my throat. “Deal. And thank you for understanding and giving me another chance when you didn’t have to.”
“You’re my scent match,” he says simply, like it explains everything. “That’s not something I’m willing to give up without one hell of a fight.”
We drive in comfortable silence for a few more minutes, his thumb absently stroking the back of my hand, before pulling into a large outdoor cinema lot.
There’s not much snow covering the ground, and it’s not actively snowing right now, though the parking lot already has at least two dozen other cars scattered around, all facing a massive screen that towers above everything.
Jasper navigates through the lot carefully, searching for the perfect spot, and finally pulls into a space with a clear, unobstructed view.
Almost immediately, a woman bundled up in what looks like three heavy coats, a thick scarf, and a knit hat approaches the driver’s side window. Jasper rolls it down, letting in some of that wintry air.
“Good evening! First time here?” she asks cheerfully, her breath fogging dramatically in the cold air.
“For her, yes. I’ve been a few times,” Jasper replies with an easy smile.
“Wonderful! Welcome!” She hands through two small portable heaters. “You can attach these to your interior door handles, and they’ll keep the car nice and toasty. And here’s our menu if you’d like any snacks or drinks. I’ll come back in just a few minutes to take your order.”
“Thanks,” I say, taking the menu from her.
Once she walks away to the next car, Jasper quickly sets up both heaters, and the car immediately starts warming up. He rolls the window back up, sealing us in warmth, and turns to me with a satisfied grin.
“Best spot in the house. Perfect view, not too close to anyone else.”
“I’ve never done anything like this before,” I say, glancing around at the other cars, the screen glowing in the darkness, the whole romantic setup. “This feels amazing. Can you imagine how great this would be at Christmas, watching something like Elf or Home Alone?”
“Or The Grinch,” he adds, his grin widening. “The Jim Carrey version, obviously. I’ve actually done that here. They do special holiday showings throughout December. It’s incredible when it’s snowing.”
“Oh, so you’re a Christmas lover, then?”
“Who isn’t?” he asks, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Christmas is the best holiday. No competition.”
“Well, only the worst kind of people would disagree,” I say seriously, then smile. “It’s my favorite time of year. The lights, the decorations, the music, the whole cozy atmosphere of it. I love everything about it.”
His eyes light up like I’ve just told him the best news ever.
“Well then, you and I are going to have an absolute blast when the end of the year comes around. You should see how many decorations I have stored up in the attic. And I have several trees. Like, six different trees for different rooms because one is never enough.”
“Oh, I love going all out for the holidays,” I say enthusiastically, bouncing slightly in my seat. “My apartment was always too small to do much beyond a tiny tree and some lights, but I’ve always wanted to just explode with decorations everywhere.”
He grins at me, that delicious smile that makes my heart race. “Consider it done. We’ll decorate the entire house. Every single room. The outside with lights. The yard. Everything. Go overboard.”
I’m struck again by how easy this is. How comfortably we fall into conversation about future plans. How natural it feels to be sitting here with him, making Christmas plans like it’s a given that we’ll be together months from now.
And I’m so attracted to him that it’s almost painful. The way he keeps reaching over to touch me. A hand on my knee. Fingers brushing my arm. The casual intimacy of it all making my heart swell.
I’m in absolute heaven.
“I never asked,” I say suddenly, realizing I’ve been so focused on everything else. “What are we even watching tonight?”
“The Princess Bride,” he says, studying my reaction. “Figured you might enjoy it. Classic romance, adventure, humor, quotable lines. Seemed like your kind of thing, based on what I know about you.”
“Oh, I love that movie!” I practically bounce in my seat with excitement. “This is going to be so good. ‘Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya…’ ”
“ ‘You killed my father. Prepare to die,’ ” he finishes with me, both of us grinning.
He reaches into the back seat and pulls out thick, soft blankets and pillows, arranging them carefully between us so I can lean closer to him comfortably.
“This is super romantic, you know that?” I say, watching him fuss with the pillows to get them just right.
“Nah, I’m the least romantic guy you’ll ever meet,” he answers without looking up, but I can see the smile tugging at his lips.
I burst out laughing. “Yeah, right. Sure. The guy who just set up a literal pillow fort in his Ferrari for a drive-in movie date is totally not romantic at all.”
He grins sheepishly, finally meeting my eyes. “Okay, maybe a little romantic. Sometimes. When the mood strikes.”
“So how did training go today?” he asks casually, adjusting the final pillow.
“It went well,” I say, then feel my face heat up dramatically. “Until it went completely nowhere productive and turned into something else entirely.” I giggle nervously and blush hard, unable to meet his eyes, and he glances over sharply, his expression shifting.
“Oh,” he says slowly, his eyes darkening with heat and something possessive. “I see. Both of them?”
I nod, still blushing.
“Lucky bastards,” he mutters, but he’s smiling.
Just then, the bundled-up woman returns to take our order, and we get hot chocolate with whipped cream, buttered popcorn, and several different kinds of candy.