Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Sheridan
Jasper pulled up to a two-story farmhouse with a long gravel driveway lined with cars.
He was wearing basketball shorts and a loose shirt.
It only reminded me of what happened when he’d been in trunks.
I was wearing the same clothing I’d worn over my swimsuit.
Sporty and ready to play kickball, but nice enough to be around his family.
Meanwhile, my mind was whirling at a thousand miles a minute and my stomach was so twisted I worried it was something I ate. How could I do what I had done to Jasper in the shop, then field Landon’s question about smoke alarm batteries, but almost melt down meeting his family I already met?
Because when I was introduced to them, I was Sheridan Bishop, owner and manager of Bishop’s Landing, and I was in said establishment.
Now I was Sheridan Bishop, the boss who couldn’t quit getting Jasper alone and swapping body fluids.
At least I hadn’t seen him naked yet. I could pretend to have some decorum.
Except I was going to hang with his family all day. How would I spin this as a work visit?
I wouldn’t. That was the crux of it. I was here for personal reasons.
I couldn’t pretend he was doing me a favor for bringing him meals and drinks.
Or that he was showing off a local establishment.
This was his family, and I was here for no other reason than because he invited me.
Something between us had shifted, and I couldn’t exactly identify what.
He parked by another big pickup covered in dust. The sprawling shop across from the house had its doors wide open. A couple of grills were on the concrete pad. Kids ran around the yard. Idyllic. A longing pulled behind my chest wall.
“Where do you play kickball?” I asked to keep from wishing this was my family. That all this was a regular occurrence in my life.
“Down from the shop. Outfield is the pasture when there are no cattle.”
“Do you play shirts against leathers with the cows?”
“Ha! We should.”
He got out, and I did the same, holding the meat-and-cheese tray Jasper assembled and the buns I’d ordered from the restaurant.
My knuckles were white, this container my life raft.
He grabbed our bag of drinks. Lemonade and a six-pack of what we’d had the other night.
I wouldn’t be drinking as much as the first night together. Couldn’t risk another sleepover.
Why not again?
As I walked next to Jasper, I couldn’t summon an answer.
I’d shoved professionalism out the window when I’d accosted Jasper in the shop.
Same as my fear of being caught together.
I didn’t want to flaunt what Jasper and I were doing, but at the same time, if anyone found out and thought differently of me?
I couldn’t help that. I was doing my best, and having an orgasm shouldn’t affect how I managed the place.
One of his sisters trotted toward us. Dark, curly hair and bright-blue eyes. Violet.
“I’m so glad you made it.” She took the tray from me. “You get comfortable. I’ll put these on the table.”
Poppy greeted us next. Or was it Clover? They weren’t twins, but the resemblance was close. “You’re on my team. Jasper won’t kick it so far if you’re in the outfield.”
“Poppy, you know I’ve gotta show off.”
She smiled at me. “How are ya, Sheridan?”
The nerves hadn’t died down, and now my lack of athleticism was playing on a highlight reel. “Honestly, I’m wondering what I’ve gotten into.”
She waved her hand. “Our smack talk is better than our playing. We’re not that competitive.”
“It’s all fun,” Jasper agreed. “Did your family play lawn games?”
“If I could’ve been picked last on my family team, I was.” My nervous laugh should’ve told the whole story. I just sat out after a while. And not long after that, we quit trying altogether.
Jasper’s mouth turned down, and anger that wasn’t directed at me flashed in his eyes. It meant a lot, knowing I wasn’t being dramatic. My years growing up could’ve been better.
“I’ve picked you first,” Poppy announced, “and you’re with me.”
A weight both lifted and pressed down. Did she realize how much insecurity she cured with that statement? My stomach finally untied a few knots. “I’ll try not to let you down.”
She shook her head. “The only way we’re let down is if you suck the fun out of it.”
“I’m still going to kick it over all your heads.” He fell into step next to me. His hand brushed over my back but didn’t stay there. My skin buzzed from that brief encounter.
“Oh,” Poppy called over her shoulder. “Mom and Dad are here.”
My gut cinched up so hard that my inhale was noisy. I wasn’t ready to meet the parents. Wasn’t that somehow more serious? I was messing around with their son, and he worked for me.
This time, Jasper’s hand landed firmly on the small of my back as if he was afraid I’d turn and walk back to town. “They’re chill people,” he murmured. “Don’t worry.”
My heart thudded against my sternum. Too late.
I wanted to hold his hand, but that would give the wrong message.
We were friends. That was the shift in this relationship.
We weren’t buddies. He wasn’t taking pity on me, mostly.
His family knew that, but if I hung off the man, then they’d think I was pathetic.
I might be, but I could keep up the illusion of success.
Shouldn’t be too hard. The resort hadn’t shut down yet.
This crowd wasn’t full of my brothers. It was full of Jasper’s.
“You okay?” he asked before we reached the group.
A few men surrounded the grill, others were playing with the kids, and many of his sisters were chatting or arranging food.
It didn’t matter where they were, there was laughter and smiles.
There wasn’t bickering or insults, and both parents were here, instead of one hiding at the resort, using work as an excuse to avoid us.
“Yes, I think I will be,” I answered. Because I had one thing now that I didn’t have then. Jasper.
A couple who must be his parents broke from the crowd by the grill.
The woman beamed, and the maternal energy rolling off her opened the well of grief inside me while also soothing it.
Her eyes were kind, and the way she had her gray-streaked dark hair pulled back in a bun was at odds with the red Converse on her feet.
I smiled. My mom had flat feet and had been picky about what she put on them. She would’ve loved to be able to wear fun shoes. The wave of grief hit me, but I squared my shoulders. I’d channel it into having a good day. I could honor my mother in more ways than toiling away at the resort.
Jasper’s dad was tall with dark hair and a squarer face than Jasper’s. I could see Jasper in both of them.
His mom’s smile was as warm as the day was. “You must be Sheridan.”
When she got close enough, she drew me into a hug. I could’ve collapsed in it. How could a small action be so instantly accepting and welcoming? “Nice to meet you.”
“This is my mom, Magnolia,” Jasper said, and the affection in his voice tugged at my heart. The Dukes were a tight-knit family. “And this is my dad, Weston.”
When Magnolia let me go, Weston clasped my hand. “I hear you took Jasper on.”
“It was an easy decision,” I said. “And my best one yet.”
Jasper was standing shoulder to shoulder with me, but he wasn’t touching me. This would be how it was with us. All the touching in private, but he was still with me otherwise. “I try not to make her regret it.”
I smiled, but the reality of the moment sank in. No hand on my back. We were talking about work. I wasn’t introduced as a girlfriend. I was having my first fling ever, but on the outside, we were just friends.
The little twinge in my heart was a warning. One I was going to ignore.
Jasper
I waited behind Jensen for my turn to kick. He sent his shot straight to second, and Poppy gleefully got him out at first. Sheridan was playing right field, looking cute and athletic and so damn nervous. She’d asked for the position with the least amount of action.
She was clapping and cheering for her team when I caught her attention. I pointed at her and gave her a warning look. Her eyes flared, but she smiled and backed up.
I strode up to the mound. Alder was pitching. Laila had wanted to, but he didn’t want to risk it with the adults kicking, so she was behind him. I’d gotten pretty good at kickball, and I wore my athletic shoes today just so I didn’t mess this kick up.
Sheridan was going to learn she could field a ball. The woman was a mix of “diving in headfirst” ambition and insecurity. She’d probably dropped a lot of her attempts at careers and goals because everyone around had worse confidence in her than she had in herself.
I was going to fix that one kickball game and make-out session at a time.
“Don’t you dare,” Alder warned, tossing the ball in the air and catching it.
I shot him a shameless grin in return. He shook his head and pitched the ball. It bounced along the ground toward me. I timed my approach.
With a boing, it soared in Sheridan’s direction. She was locked in, but I had already taken off running. Her name rang out across the field as everyone cheered her on. The ball landed in front of her and bounced high.
She jumped to catch it. I rounded first base, but I didn’t miss the shock on her face that she fielded my kick.
Alder ran toward her, arms up. “Toss it in.”
I laughed when she shook herself and threw it. My back was to her and Alder, but I kept going. It was foolish to try to make it home, and from the way Auggie was waving his arms at third, I might not even make it to third. But I didn’t stop.
My foot hit the base just as he caught it.
“Safe!” I yelled and propped my hands on my hips.
“Way to go, Sheridan,” Poppy called. “We stopped him from getting a homer.”