"Yeah, sure. If his book is as good as you say, he'll probably do fantastic."
Jasmine's eyes lit up. "Thanks for telling me about that."
"No problem. I'll call her tomorrow and let you know what she says."
"Perfect." Excitement rose from Jasmine's core. That was the answer—she just knew it. That was exactly how to get people reading—and talking about—his book. Word would spread like wildfire. Then he either wouldn't need a big publisher or they would come crawling to him. Begging. She grinned, just thinking about the look on his face when everyone loved his book as much as she did. He would be absolutely thrilled.
Lana smiled. "Goodnight." She left the room.
A new text came in. It was from Zachary.
We still on for tomorrow?
I wouldn't miss it. I have exciting news, too.
Really? What?
She wanted to tell him, but not over a text. I'll tell you tomorrow.
Sounds good. What time works for you?
They discussed the details and when she thought the conversation was over, she got a new text.
I really missed you today.
Her heart swelled in her chest and heat rose into her face.
I couldn't stop thinking about you, either.
Tomorrow's going to be the best. Leave the whole day open.
Jasmine's heart raced. I will. Goodnight.
Goodnight. Hugging smilies followed the message.
She smiled wide. He was the sweetest thing. How had she gotten so lucky?
Jasmine got up and got ready for bed. When she sat down, she noticed a missed text.
Is it tomorrow yet? I miss you already. I just want to see your beautiful face.
She held the phone close to her heart. He was perfect… and now she'd probably be up all night thinking about him.
I wish it was tomorrow already. Miss you, too. A whole bunch. Can't wait to see your smiling face.
He sent her a bunch of dancing hearts.
Jasmine's heart fluttered. She found a bunch of cutesy animations and sent them to him.
She leaned back against the pillow, happier than she'd ever been. She had never experienced anything like this. Pure, unadulterated happiness. Meeting Zachary had changed everything—everything!
All day, she'd been walking with a bounce in her step despite dealing with the fallout from the fire and knowing that her mom was in the hospital only a half an hour away. Nothing else mattered except that the most wonderful guy alive liked her. Her!
She picked up her phone and read through the texts again, her heart warming her wholly. This was the life she wanted. She didn't care if she had to work at the gym in Kittle Falls her whole life. She adored the girls who came and went, and spending time with Zachary was far better than working at one of those prestigious dance studios in Portland. If they wouldn't take her for an internship, who was to say they'd even consider her for an actual position?
Jasmine's eyes grew heavy as her heart continued to feel lighter. She could live like this forever.
Her phone rang, and she sat up, eager to hear Zachary's voice. As wonderful as his texts were, they didn't compare to hearing his voice.
She accepted the call without looking. "Hello?" she asked with a song to her voice.
"Is this Jasmine Blackwell?"
Her heart sank. "Yes. Who is this?"
"My name is Kathy McNight. I'm the head nurse on your mother's floor."
There was nothing like the reminder of her mom to sour her perfect mood. "Okay."
"You're her daughter, correct?"
Unfortunately. "Yes. Can I help you?"
"She's having a bit of a breakdown and we want to calm her down without sedating her if possible. Can you tell us anything that would help her relax?"
"Have you tried nicotine or alcohol?" Jasmine asked, not bothering to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.
"What? No. Is she addicted to either?"
Didn't the nurses communicate? She'd told the other one she wanted her mom to get into a rehab center. Jasmine took a deep breath before responding. "Try both, and probably more. I wouldn't know for sure. Have you called my dad?"
"We don't have that information. She doesn't want him involved."
Jasmine sighed. "Just sedate her. That's your best option. I can't imagine what she's like without any of her vices."
"Would you be able to come to the hospital and see her? That might help."
She glanced at the time. "No, I really can't. It wouldn't help, anyway. We've been estranged for years until she showed up at my door and burned down an entire building."
"Oh. I see." Click-clacking of a computer keyboard sounded through the phone. "I see a note here in her file that the police have questioned her and have grounds for arrest."
Jasmine's eyes widened. Maybe that was the wakeup call her mom needed to straighten out. "That's not surprising."
"But I see here they're willing to drop the charges if she successfully completes a rehabilitation program."
"What does she think about that?" Jasmine asked.
"Hold on a sec, dear."
Elevator music played in Jasmine's ear. She took several deep breaths to try and calm herself. The music finally stopped.
"Jasmine?" asked Kathy.
"Yes."
"I spoke with your mother's nurse for the night, and apparently the officers' visit is what started her fit in the first place. She doesn't want to go to jail or rehab. But she has no choice."
"Can't you guys explain that she can have freedom once she finishes rehab?" Jasmine asked, fatigue coursing through her body.
"Several members of our staff have tried, and she just gets more upset."
"Trust me, she won't listen to me, either."
"You sure you can't come down here?" asked the nurse. "It would really help her out to see a familiar face."
Jasmine had seen her mom throw fits before, and it always resulted in someone hurt or something broken. Always. And that was when she had access to her precious cigarettes and beer. Without them? That wasn't a sight Jasmine wanted to witness.
"Sorry. I need to get sleep for work tomorrow. I can't miss another day on her account." She groaned. The call had her so flustered she'd accidentally lied. She didn't have any classes the next day.
The nursed sighed into the phone. "All right. I understand. But you do understand that will result in your mother being sedated?"
"Yes. It's sad to say, but I'm sure that would be in everyone's best interest, including her own. She might even feel better after a good sleep."
"Sedation isn't exactly like falling asleep naturally, Miss Blackwell."
The nurse could be as mean as she wanted, but she simply didn't understand. "It's your call. Without her vices, her fit isn't going to improve. Maybe she'll even manage to change her mind about rehab after that."
"Well, thank you for at least considering coming down. Goodnight."
"You too," Jasmine said and ended the call. So much for her good mood—leave it to her parents to find a way to ruin any good she managed to find in her life. Even moving away and paying to keep her information private hadn't helped.
She gritted her teeth. This time, they wouldn't win. She would have a good night and not let her mom's dramatics get the best of her. She wasn't sure if Zachary was her boyfriend or not, but what they had was better than anything she'd ever had in her whole life. Maybe tomorrow she would find out if they were officially a couple.
Twenty
Zachary squeezed gel onto his hand and rubbed it between his palms before running it through his hair. He looked pretty good if he did say so himself. He couldn't wait to pick up Jasmine, and he broke into a smile just thinking about seeing her. It had been torturous staying away the day before, even though time had passed fairly quickly in the shop with his brothers.
But now he at least had some money to spend on her, giving her the best date she'd ever seen. His parents had not only paid him for the day's work, but also an advance for the
next week. Zachary had gotten himself a haircut, a new shirt, and new shoes. He felt like a new man, and he still had plenty of money left over to shower Jasmine with gifts all day long.
He stared at himself in the mirror again, and his smile remained. He tried to look at himself from an outsider's perspective. He could see what Jake said about his smile. He figured it had been one of those things family said to make him feel better when he was down. But maybe there was something to it after all.
He smiled wider, but it looked goofy—fake. He thought about Jasmine again, and his smile really did brighten his face. He felt like a dork smiling in the mirror, but it was good practice. Not that he needed to pretend to be happy to see her.
He would probably leap into the air with joy. It didn't matter what anyone else thought. He adored Jasmine and she seemed to return the feelings. That alone was worth celebrating.
Zachary found some mouthwash under the sink and swished as long as he could stand the burn. He remembered when he and his brothers were teenagers, they would put as much in their mouths as they could just to see who could swish it around the longest. It had been a test of manhood.
He started to laugh, remembering, realizing only then how funny of a test it was. Blue liquid dripped out of his mouth and he spit it out into the sink before it ended up all over the mirror. It wouldn't have been the first time.
The boys often tried to get each other to laugh and spit out the mouthwash first, and with Cruz always making people laugh, mouthwash had ended up decorating not only the mirror, but the walls at times, too. Many times. He remembered one time Cruz, at about nine years old, was dancing around like a monkey, determined to make Brayden laugh. All of the boys had about died laughing. Mouthwash ended up all over the bathroom. Not one of them had made it into the sink.
Even though it had been years earlier, and Zachary had matured, he burst out laughing as if back in the moment. He sat on the closed toilet, trying to keep from laughing too loudly.
Zachary managed to calm himself, grateful for the good memories. Ever since Sophia's passing, it seemed like the happy times with his family had been too easily forgotten.
He looked back in the mirror to make sure he looked okay. He wiped some tears away from his eyes, shaking his head at himself. Laughing about a fifteen year old mess—had he grown up at all?
Running his hands through his hair one more time, he tried to forget about the old incident, but the more he tried to forget, the more alive the memory became. He laughed again, his stomach aching.
It was a good thing he was going to spend the day with Jasmine. She would get his mind off the Hunter boys' old test of manhood.
Zachary walked out of the bathroom, his mind fully focused on Jasmine's beautiful face. When he reached the kitchen and saw Cruz, he lost it again, and burst into laughter uncontrollably remembering Cruz dancing like a monkey.
His mom turned him, stirring something on the stove. "What's so funny?"
Zachary glanced back over at Cruz, making eye contact. He doubled over in laughter, clutching his stomach. Gaining control, he stood up and looked around. He cleared his throat.
Cruz arched a pierced brow. "Am I missing something?"
"Don't ask." Zachary grabbed a plate from the cupboard and sat across from his brother.
"Whatever, dude." Cruz drank his orange juice.
Rafael came into the kitchen. "What's so funny? It sounded like a pack of hyenas in here."
"Ask him," Cruz said, nodding toward Zachary.
Zachary took some toast from a plate in the middle of the table and buttered it. "I was in the bathroom and remembered that time we were doing one of those mouthwash contests and Cruz was dancing like a monkey. We all laughed so hard we spread it all over the walls."
Rafael laughed. "I'd forgotten all about those contests. Mom was so mad that day. Remember?"
"Was that time you boys spit mouthwash all over the bathroom?" she asked, not looking amused.
Cruz joined in the laughter. "I smelled like mint for a week. And someone got it in my ear."
"I had it up my nose," Rafael said. "You think that stuff burns in your mouth? Let me tell you, you haven't experienced anything until it's in your nasal cavity."
Zachary's eyes watered from laughter. "Water's bad enough."
"You were the one laughing at me over it." Rafael shook his head.
"Never a dull moment with you boys," their mom said. "Should I make more eggs?"
Cruz filled his plate with what was left on the table. "Yeah, if these guys want to eat. I gotta get to the shop."
"Thanks," Zachary said, shaking his head at Cruz. "We can always count on you."
"You know it." Cruz scarfed down the eggs and got up. "See you guys. You going to the shop today, Zachary?"
He shook his head. "Not today. I have a date."
"Jasmine?" Rafael asked.
"Who else?" Zachary asked. He took some more toast and ate quickly, eager to pick her up. When he was done, he rose.
"Where do you think you're going?" asked his mom.
"To pick up Jasmine. Why?"
"You said you wanted eggs."
"Right." Zachary sat, feeling like he was five again. Funny how family could do that.
He waited for the eggs and ate enough to keep his mom happy, even though he wasn't hungry anymore. His mom turned around over the stove. Rafael nodded toward the door, indicating for Zachary to make his escape.
Zachary whispered a quick thanks and ran out the door. He stopped cold when he got outside. Jasmine sat across the yard in the swinging bench they had sat on the other day. What was she doing there? Zachary was supposed to pick her up.
She didn't see him, as she appeared to be reading something on her phone. He walked over, careful to be quiet and not step on twigs. When he reached her, he stood, watching her. She was so beautiful, and she appeared to be enjoying what she read—and she was into it enough that she hadn't noticed him.
He cleared his throat.
Jasmine jumped and then looked up. "I didn't hear you."
Zachary smiled. "I didn't know you were coming over."
"I wanted to surprise you, but it looks like you got me."
"Oh, I'd say you definitely surprised me." He smiled again.
She put her phone on the bench, bounced up, and wrapped her arms around him. She smelled sweet, kind of like citrus. He wrapped his arms around her, putting his face against her hair, and breathed in deeply, holding her tight.
"I missed you," he whispered.
She looked at him. "Your texts were so sweet. I couldn't wait to see you. I hope it's okay that I came over. I just didn't want to wait another minute."
"I can't complain about that."
Jasmine kissed his cheek. "So, what's the plan for today? You didn't really tell me anything."
His heart raced. "I've got quite a bit planned. I hope you've left your calendar wide open."
"That I did, and I'm excited to see what you have in store. Although, I'd be happy just sitting here on this seat with you all day."
"Really?" he asked.
"Yeah, you could tell me stories."
"Have you been reading my novel again?" he asked.
Her eyes lit up. "Reading? I finished it already, and it was amazing. I can't believe you wrote it—seriously, it's better than most books I've read. Better than a lot of movies, too."
Zachary stared at her, trying to comprehend what he'd heard. "You don't have to say that."
"I'm not just saying it. If I thought it needed improvement, I'd tell you where. I promise."
"That means so much to me." He ran his fingers along her jaw, staring into her eyes.
She stared into his eyes. "You should publish it."
He laughed. "Why didn't I think of that?"
"No. I mean you should publish it. Sell it as an ebook and get attention on it. Then—"
He froze, dropping his fingers from her face. "No. I want a publishing deal with a company, Jasmine. I've had my si
ghts set on it since I was little, and I know that it can take some time to get something accepted. I'm fine with it. That's just the way it goes. I may have to write a couple first, but the good thing about that is that I'll have a backlist to draw from. I won't have to go crazy writing things later."
"But you can—"
Zachary put his lips on hers and then pulled back. "I love that you're this excited about my book, but I'm really okay with the process. The fact that I met you after I had to come back here only proves that I'm on the right path. It's all going to work out, even if it takes time. I'll keep working at it as long as I need to."
"I just want to see you succeed. You'll make a killing. I know you will." Her eyes lit up.
He kissed her again, his heart fluttering. "Your support means more than you could ever know. Even just spending time with you helps. I'm making a lot of progress on this second novel. I've never written so fast in my life—you're a true inspiration."
"Really?" she whispered.
"Of course, but I didn't ask you on a date to stand in my parents' yard talking about my writing. Are you ready to start the day?"
"Like I said, as long as I'm with you, I'm happy."
Zachary slid his fingers down to her chin, lifted it, kissing her again. "I could do this all day."
Her cheeks turned pink. "So could I."
He kissed her again, and then he heard whistling from behind. Zachary turned around to see Rafael waving.
"Having fun, you two?" Rafael teased.
"Yes, we are," Jasmine called, smiling. She gave Zachary a quick kiss. "Thanks for asking, Rafael."
Zachary snickered. She fit in perfectly with his family.
Twenty One
Butterflies flurried around in Jasmine's stomach as Zachary ordered his dinner from across the table. It had been the perfect day, starting out at the beach with some fancy ice cream cones coated in chocolate, caramel, and marshmallow.
When they were done, Zachary had taken her hand and ran with her along the edge of the water, splashing ocean water on their legs. Then he surprised her by picking her up. She shrieked and held on for dear life, fearful—but also kind of hoping—he would fall and they would tumble down together.
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