Chapter 13
Alysa
Although I’m enjoying the visit from Reesa today, it felt awkward spending friendly time with her while being attracted to her boyfriend. I had meant what I had told Jasper last night. Reesa seems nice. Of course, if she continues to bring me such delicious food each time she comes, I’m going to be a big as a house. She feed me breakfast and now a huge lunch that made me want to take a nap. Since I had such a restless night sleep last night, I might just need to do that.
I couldn’t blame my lack of sleep on any discomfort caused by my surgery. Each time I closed my eyes, I was haunted by the sweetest dreams of tender kisses that turned into wild passionate ones leaving me all hot and bother. I ended up sitting on my bed staring at the walls, trying not to think of him. Finally, I had given up and took a cool shower and got dressed.
But sitting here now, I felt my eyelids becoming heavy. Would it be rude to tell her I wanted to go lie down for a while? She knows I’m recovering. Sitting at the kitchen table and neither of us speaking was not helping me stay awake. Then Reesa changed all that with one question, and I was wide awake.
“Is there anything you want to know about Jasper?” Reesa asked.
Personally or professionally?I knew this was my chance to gain some insight on both. I had to choose my question wisely.
“You must be very proud of his campaign,” I asked. I hoped the conversation would open wider, but I wanted to start slow.
“I am proud, but I worry about him. He carries so much on his shoulders and I see it eats at him.”
“Like what?” I prodded.
“It’s like Jasper blames himself for everything in Tabiq. What he has done, or what he has failed to do. I tell him often that he has to let go of the past, think of the future, of what Tabiq can be again,” Reesa said. “But he doesn’t trust easily and keeps everyone at a distance.”
“You two seem close,” I said, and regretted it immediately. It took the spotlight off Jasper and instead focused on their relationship. That wasn’t going to give Burke any insight.
“Not like I have much of a choice,” she said. “But even for me, sometimes it is hard. If you haven’t noticed, when you try to talk to him about it, you may as well be talking to a wall.”
I needed to bring it back to Jasper and Tabiq. “We haven’t spoken much about his plans for Tabiq. We are still trying to…get to know each other.” It was cruel, but I left it vague.
“Seems like you two are closer than you think.”
That wasn’t the impression I wanted her to have. Quickly, I tried to explain our relationship. “No. It’s not like that. I work for him, or at least I am supposed to. But I got sick and he’s been kind enough to let me recover here. That’s all. Nothing more,” I said firmly.
Reesa shook her head. “Like you said before, I know Jasper, probably better than anyone. He has never had a houseguest, man or woman, besides me. Even then, it was only for special occasions and for a single night, no more.”
I could see how horrible that made her feel. “Maybe you should tell him that you…you want more. I mean, he shouldn’t be the one who decides all the time. And if he doesn’t like it –”
“Oh, he wouldn’t. Trust me, I can’t even believe he allowed me to come back today. Sometimes we go months without seeing each other. But when we are together, it’s like we were never apart. Do you know what I mean?” Reesa asked.
I nodded. “That’s how it is when you love someone.”
Reesa snorted. “Jasper never uses that word.”
I raised a brow and asked, “He’s never told you that he loves you?” She shook her head. “I’m sorry.”
She shrugged her shoulders and said, “Sometimes you just have to accept things the way they are. Forcing them to be different might be what separates us for good. I’m not willing to take that chance. Besides, I save my arguments for more important things, like his decisions regarding his safety.”
I don’t think that I’d be so kind and thoughtful if the guy I loved so easily dismissed me. He’d have to worry about what I’d do to him while he was sleeping if he treated me like he does Reesa.
I wasn’t so jealous about what they had anymore. I felt sorry for her. Once again, crap that didn’t belong in my report. Being a horrible boyfriend didn’t mean you couldn’t run a county. Hell, from what I’ve seen usually the bigger of an asshole you were, the more powerful of a position you held. The only question is which asshole would be best for Tabiq.
“If you’d like, I can talk to him for you. Who knows, maybe he’d listen if it came from someone else?” I couldn’t believe it, but I meant what I said. Everyone needs a little helpful advice sometimes. And Reesa really deserved to be happy. That might mean she needs to find a different man.
Reesa reached her hand out and grabbed a hold of mine firmly. “Please don’t. He won’t ever forgive me for sharing something so private.”
“Are…are you afraid of him? Does he…hit you?” I asked due to her intense reaction.
She pulled her hand away, her dark eyes wide and her mouth agape. “Hit me? Ha. I’d knock him right on his ass if he ever laid a hand on a woman. It’s not how we were raised.”
“Raised? You mean Tabiqian men are raised to respect women?” I asked.