“Makes sense. Everyone wants to feel part of something.”
She falls quiet for a minute or so, then looks back over at me. “Enough about me, though. What about you? I assume you live around here—any big holiday getaway plans, or is your family local?”
“They used to be. My mom moved to Minnesota a few years ago. I’m actually about to head up that way tonight. I was on my way home to pack up the car when I saw you sitting here, stranded.”
She looks over at me and smiles. “Imagine that. I guess I caught you right in the nick of time.”
I meet her gaze and smile back. “You sure did.”Chapter FourAutumnWe’ve been on the road for a while before we finally pull into a dimly lit parking lot that must be attached to Jasper’s apartment building. The roads were worse until we got closer, but while Brady’s family lives in a suburb outside of Chicago, Jasper lives right in the city where the plows have actually put in effort to keep up with the snow.
He turns off the engine when we get into the parking lot—I imagine he needs his apartment key—but he tells me to stay put, that he’ll only be a minute or two. I don’t know if we’re in a safe part of town or not, but he also tells me to lock the doors and not to unlock them until he comes back, so I’m guessing probably not.
I try texting Brady again, but I still don’t have signal.
That doesn’t seem right. Out in the middle of nowhere, sure, but we’re in the city now. I should have service in the city.
Maybe the problem is with my phone, but I don’t know what it could be. I paid the bill a week ago, and I kept it in my purse while I went in and out of stores tonight so it wouldn’t get wet.
Movement catches my eye. I look up to see Jasper emerging from the apartment building and walking back toward the car. He’s carrying a duffel bag in one hand, a black garbage bag fisted in the other. I frown, watching as he walks to the back of the car and opens the trunk.
There’s some noise, like a crinkling sound almost. He rummages around back there for a minute, then he slams the trunk closed and comes back to the driver’s seat.
I wonder why he needed to stop for that bag before he took me to the shop. He did say he’d be leaving to go visit his family tonight, but seems to me he could’ve come back for his stuff afterward.
I shrug it off. Maybe the shop is on the way and he just didn’t want to backtrack. It is already getting late, after all. He probably won’t want to drive for long, especially in this weather, so I guess every minute counts. He already has to leave later than he planned to since he’s running me around town.
That’s so nice of him. I hope it won’t mean missing out on time with his loved ones.
“What’s your family like?” I ask, breaking the silence as he fires up the engine.
He glances over and cocks an eyebrow at me. “My family? They’re…” He pauses, as if he can’t decide how to describe them. “A bit of a mixed bag. My mom’s overly critical with several divorces under her belt. My dad was never around, they split up before I was born. Not sure what he got up to, I’ve never met the guy. I have a loud, bipolar aunt who usually comes for the holidays with my cousin and his girlfriend—unless this is his year with the kids, then he won’t be there.”
“Divorced?”
“Very messily. Then my mom’s brother is a widower, so he usually comes to visit. He’s an eccentric old man, but I always liked him. He talks about his wife like she’s still around so you’ll expect her to walk in at any given time, but… she’s gone, he’s just still crazy about her.”
“Aww, that’s sad, but so sweet.” My heart feels heavy for the old man, even if I’ll never meet him myself.
Jasper nods his agreement. “I have two sisters. Nora’s cool, she’s a flight attendant, so she travels a lot. She’s supposed to show up tomorrow with some new boyfriend she wants me to meet.”
My lips curve up. “Gotta get your stamp of approval, huh? That’s nice. I always wanted a big brother. Are you the oldest?”
“Yes. Nora is the baby. Then my middle sister, Vanessa… I don’t really know what she’s up to, we haven’t talked in a few years. She and my mom butt heads a lot so I’m not even sure she’ll come. Mom tries to guilt and harangue everyone about getting together for the holidays, but Vanessa doesn’t put up with it most of the time. Every now and again she’ll cave and fly in one year, but mostly she keeps her distance.”