Is he going to lean over and kiss me?
Goosebumps ripple awake on every inch of my body.
“I can drive,” he says and straightens up his seat.
I shuffle uncomfortably in mine and put my seatbelt on.
***
I wake up to my seatbelt being removed. I blink away drowsiness and take in Jase’s scent as well as the sight of my house. He’s lifting me out of the seat.
“I fell asleep on you, too,” I mutter.
“That’s all right,” he tells me.
“I can walk,” I say.
He sets me on my feet and I feel disappointed that I opened my mouth. Was he going to carry me and put me to bed?
He grabs my hand and holds it until we get to the door. When he lets go, he grabs my jaw into both hands and moves in, stopping just inches away.
“I’ll give you a break tomorrow,” he whispers. “I’ll come by and see you at the library the day after. Make some plans, maybe?”
I watch his eyes rove my face, but I’m holding my breath.
He doesn’t wait for me to answer before he says, “Had a good night. Sorry I fell asleep on you.”
“It’s okay,” I tell him. “Sorry I fell asleep, too.”
“Bring these in for me?” he asks, handing me Dad’s keys.
I take them.
“Goodnight,” he says, caressing my cheek with the back of his fingers.
He stares at my mouth for a beat before he backs up and hauls his t-shirt over his head and tosses it while kicking off his shoes, leaving them in the driveway before he drops his jeans and sprints away as wolf.
“Ugh,” is the first sound I make once I’m inside, because I can hear one of the same sounds as last night. My parents’ bed rhythmically hitting the wall.
I’m happy for them. Not so happy for the traumatizing sound hitting my ears right now.
It’s after two o’clock in the morning.
I set Dad’s keys down and leave, my feet deciding where I’ll be sleeping tonight.
I don’t question it, I just go, taking the stuffed fairy with me, squatting to grab Jase’s t-shirt on my way.
***
Jase’s house is locked for a change, probably because he’s intentionally not here for now. He usually leaves it unlocked, like most folks in the village.
I go around to the backyard and it looks a whole lot tidier back here than usual. The house has a big, two-tier back deck with a space where, at some stage before the council moved into it, held a hot tub.
Things have definitely been spruced up. Now I’m looking at Mom’s old patio furniture from three or four summers ago that was in her potting shed. There’s nothing wrong with it, she justgot a new set so brings this one out when there’s a bigger crowd. I guess it lives here now.
There are also some big pots of flowers. Upon closer examination I recognize those pots, too. More stuff of Mom’s. She obviously came over to carve a nice outdoor space out of the mess that was back here with Jase’s fancy barbecue and smoker combination, which looked very out of place in that mess of old tools, tires, and weeds. This vibe matches the fancy barbecue.
I reach under the mat in front of the patio doors, find the spare key, and let myself in.