“Oh, okay. I might see if Spencer wants to hang out?” She frames it as a question, biting her lip.
“Doesn’t matter to me. I won’t tell.” I mime, zipping my lips, and she laughs.
“Do you think I’m crazy?” she asks. “For liking him?”
I think for a moment. “No, because if I look back, that first day Spencer spoke to me on the beach … when he mentioned your name his face lit up. I think he’s liked you for a long time.”
“But he’s older than me—he’s going to college.”
“Jasper is older than me,” I reason. “Besides, it’s not like you have to marry the guy. You’re young. See where it goes.”
“You’re right. I’m going to text him.”
She picks up her phone and I leave her to it.
I take a shower, making sure to shave and lather my body until I smell head to toe of coconut. Then, I spend way more time than usual making sure my hair looks decent and not like a wild chaotic mess. I even put on a little makeup, but I only bother with mascara, some blush, and a pink tinted gloss. As much as I want to wear my usual shorts and tank I decide to put on a dress. If I’m going to get a job I need to look decent.
By the time I’m done Harlow is gone and there’s a text on my phone from her explaining Spencer picked her up and they’re gone to the movies.
Perry follows me around the house as I tidy things up in an effort to calm my racing nerves. I hate feeling unhinged like this.
Around noon my phone rings and my heart jolts when I see it’s Jasper.
“Hey,” he says when I answer. “I’m on my lunch break and Mom said for you to come on in. Honestly, I think she wants to meet you. She berated me for not inviting you to dinner one night, but I told her I didn’t want you scared away.” He laughs warmly.
“Oh, I’m sure she wouldn’t scare me away,” I breathe with a hint of wary laughter. “I can head in now.”
“Cool, I’ll be here. The hot tall guy in a lime green baseball cap and black smock.”
“Hmm, seems to me like I’ve seen a lot of guys matching that description at the coffee shop,” I joke.
“Better not have,” he growls playfully, and I hang up.
“Well, Perry …” I look down at the dog and he looks up at me with his big brown eyes, tilting his head as he listens. “Wish me luck. I’m going to need it.”
When I park on the side lot of Cool Beans I take a moment to catch my breath and calm my racing nerves.
Even though I’ve never interviewed for a job before that’s not what has my stomach in knots.
I stretch my fingers in an effort to rid them of the slight tremor they’ve developed on the ride over here. I can’t have them thinking I’m a complete basket case.
There’s a knock on my driver’s window and I scream, jolting in my seat hard enough that the seatbelt locks.
Jasper busts out laughing as I roll down the window and undo my seatbelt.
“Stop laughing,” I groan. “It’s not funny. You scared me.”
“It’s not my fault you’re jumpy.” He bends down, the brim of his hat shielding his eyes from the sun. “You don’t have anything to be nervous about, you know?”nbsp;
I give him a look that says I hardly believe him. Motioning for him to back up, I roll the window up and shut off the car before stepping outside.
He looks me up and down. “Nice dress.”
“If you’re being sarcastic I might kick you,” I warn him.nbsp;
He chuckles. “No, you look nice.”
I let out a breath. “I wanted to make a good first impression.”