Page 14 of Forever After Fall

But I made my bed. Now I have to lie in it.

“Thanks. I appreciate it.” Jasper gives me a forlorn look, and furrowed brows underscore his apology before he takes off for the road. At least one of us gets to run from the Bristol problem. Now I just have to figure out how I’m going to survive it.

SEVEN

Bristol

“Do you know when Jasper will be here?” I ask when I see Anson getting out of his truck. I wander downstairs to meet him from where I was just decorating the haunted house.

“He’s not coming. He’s taking a vacation.”

“What? I just talked to him a couple of days ago, and he didn’t mention that. In fact, he said he was looking forward to working on this together.”

“Well, plans change. Especially when there’s new information involved.” Anson’s eyes rake over me like hot coal, and I feel as if I’m being admonished for a sin I didn’t know I committed.

Unless he blames me for what happened at the wedding or told Jasper about it. A chill runs down my spine at the thought. I don’t want that information coming from Anson if I can help it. I can only imagine how it would have made Jasper feel. I can see how after learning that, he might decide he didn’t want to see me for a while. A pit opens up in my stomach.

“Did you tell Jasper what happened?”

“No, I didn’t tell Jasper.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m not keen to have the best guy on my crew wanting to knock me out. Not to mention he’s a friend, and I’d never break your trust like that. You made it very clear you didn’t want anyone to know what happened in the whiskey cellar. I hope you’d know me better than that by now.” There’s a flash of hurt in his eyes before he continues, “But while we’re on the subject, it’d be a little fairer to the men you otherwise call friends to let them in on the fact that you have a boyfriend before you try and talk them into climbing into bed with you.”

Mortification sweeps through me like wildfire. I think it’s the most words Anson’s ever stitched together in a row in my presence. I can’t believe the subject matter is a lecture on my wanton behavior. In my rush to explain things to Jasper, I hadn’t considered that my lie about a boyfriend would get back to Anson. I should have known it was a possibility. It’s not like Jasper would think that it’s a secret. He probably assumed Anson knew. Which means on top of everything else, I’m about to be caught in an embarrassing white lie.

“My personal life is none of your business,” I snipe in return. It’s the only thing I can think to say that might buy me some more time, but it doesn’t go over well, judging by the look on his face.

“It’s my business if you’re gonna be pinning me up against a wall in a dark room and letting your hands wander.”

Oh my god!

I have to swallow my shame down to respond.

“I didn’t know it was you! I thought you were Jasper.” Apparently he told a little white lie too, because this certainly doesn’t sound like the same “no problem, ma’am” attitude he had the other night.

“And Jasper deserves to be tricked?”

“I was not tricking Jasper.”

“So you got a boyfriend between Saturday night and now?”

“I’m not sure why that’s so shocking.”

“That’s one hell of a fast track. You sure you even know the guy well enough to be bringing him around and calling him a boyfriend?” Anson questions my judgment, and it’s another searing swipe over my already bruised feelings.

“I know him plenty well.”

“Don’t tell me it’s Chris again.”

“It’s none of your business who it is.”

“Who you spend time with and bring around your home matters when my son is involved. Christ, Bristol. I thought Chris being behind bars would finally make you see reason where he’s concerned. How many times are you gonna let that guy treat you like that and take him back as if nothing happened?”

I’m on the verge of tears. Big, fat mortifying ones that are gonna destroy my mascara and my sense of composure. I need Anson gone before they come.

“Get out.”