“Vanessa—”
“Please, Jasper. Please take me back to the hotel.”
I hate how fragile her voice sounds, as though the strongest woman I’ve ever met is seconds from breaking. I hate even more that she wants to run away from me in this moment of rare vulnerability. Is it the necklace or is it my unplanned confession about being in love with her that has her so skittish?
“If that’s what you want.”
“It is.”
“Vanessa—”
She reaches up and touches my cheek, forcing a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “We still have one more day, Jasper.”
One more day.
Fuck that.
“Why don’t you date military men?” The question comes out harsher than I intend, causing her to flinch. But now that it’s out, I’m desperate to know the reason.
“My mom.”
“What about your mom?”
“She made me promise—on her deathbed. To never get involved with a military man. She didn’t want me to?—”
“That’s fucking stupid.”
Any warmth in her gaze turns to ice in a single heartbeat. “Take. Me. Back.Now.”
“Fine,” I say, feeling the frustration rise.Thisis the reason she’s avoided military men? Some fucking ridiculous deathbed wish that didn’t take into account who she might meet and fall inlove with? I want to argue. I want to fight—then fuck—then fight some more.
But deep down I know this isn’t the way to convince her to stay.
It’s best if we both sleep on this.
Tomorrow, we can sort this out once and for all. I have one more day to convince her to follow her own heart. Because I’d bet my military career that the path leads right to loving me too.
15
VANESSA
“I thoughtyou were spending the day with Jasper,” Erin says, eyebrows drawn in confusion as I walk toward the hotel shuttle.
“I’m not,” I say, still fuming about the way we left things last night. How dare he have the audacity to tell me Mom’s deathbed wish wasfucking stupid. It was theonlything she ever asked of me. The only thing she ever wanted for me—to not know the pain and misery she experienced being married to a military man.
“Where are you going then?”
“To the festival,” I say, as though that were the most obvious answer. “I helped plan the damn thing. I should at least make an appearance.”
I hate that Jasper ruined my perfect memory of Cape Cod. Why did he have to tell me helovedme? I feel the edge of tears desperate to rush to the surface, forcing me to double down on my anger.
“What about your dad?”
“What about him?” I fire back, my harsh words causing my friend to take a step back. “Sorry. I’m a little on edge.”
“Is this about Jasper?” she asks. Though she was still awake scrolling on her phone when I returned to the room last night,she did me the kindness of not asking any questions. I owe her an explanation.
“It’s not going to work out,” I say. “It was never going to work out.”
