Hostile for the Holidays

4. Jasper

FOUR

JASPER

With Daniel gone, Stella turns around to face me.

On the plane, I had pulled her blonde waves into a messy ponytail. It had been a necessity when she was throwing up and now that I have a better view of her, it appears I didn’t do that bad of a job. A few loose hairs frame her heart-shaped face. She’s got more color now in her cheeks and lips than she did earlier, they appear to be returning to their natural rosy appearance, and her blue eyes are two bright gems piercing my soul.

She’s stunning and from the way those blue eyes are slowly narrowing at me with contempt, she must be feeling better.

I’m not one hundred percent clear on what the situation was with this Daniel guy, but I know I didn’t like it.

“What the hell was that?” I ask, an edge to my voice that I’ve never used.

That’s because I’ve never seen Stella St. James vulnerable like she was a moment ago and it awoke something inside me.

Protectiveness.

And when Daniel said he’d been romantically involved with Stella, I’d wanted to put him in a headlock and wrestle him to the ground. At the very least, tear up his sign with her name on it because I didn’t mastermind being next to her on our flight home just to be ambushed by some guy with a bedazzled sign. I’m the one that held her on that airplane when she was sick and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let some guy swoop in and make a move on my girl.

The problem is, she’s not my girl. She’s the furthest thing from it.

Stella and I have been at each other’s throats since we could form proper sentences. I don’t even remember how our rivalry started, but somewhere around our teen years it spiraled out of control, taking on a life of its own. Now, it’s me, Stella, and our rivalry. And three’s a crowd.

I’m not upset with her, but Daniel, who was making her feel uncomfortable. But as usual, where I’m concerned, she interprets my question as a personal attack and goes on the defensive.

“Nothing. Just forget it.” She grabs the handle of her suitcase and starts marching off.

“Where are you going?” I call. “Wasn’t he your ride?”

She halts at the mention of how she’s going to get home. That’s right. We’re an hour and one mountain pass from Cedar Hollow, our hometown. But then again, I wouldn’t put it past Stella to make the journey fueled only by sheer determination.

Jesus, she’s so fucking stubborn and I love it.

She swallows. Even on the heels of being sick, she’s got that fiery passion in her.

“I thought my dad was going to pick me up, but Daniel volunteered. He’s Tom’s cousin and apparently staying with my family for the holidays. I couldn’t handle an hour in the car with him making small talk.”

“I’ve got a rental car. I’ll drive you home.”

“It’s fine. I’ll get a rideshare or see if the shuttle has an available seat.”

“Stella, you’ve been sick. You’re tired and dehydrated. I’m driving you home.”

“Jasper—” She begins another argument but I’m losing my patience. While I like to see Stella passionate and fight for what she wants, I’m tired of fighting with her. I want this Christmas to be different.

“Enough with this back and forth. You can walk to the car, or I’ll throw you over my shoulder and carry you out.”

She blinks, like she can’t believe I said that to her. But once the shock wears off, she recovers with a smirk.

“Ha! I’d like to see you try.”

I lunge toward her but she squeals, then scurries away from me and toward the exit.

“That’s what I thought.”

I grab the handle of her suitcase, then follow her out the doors pulling both of our suitcases. Outside the airport terminal, the chilly mountain air hits us, and I watch as Stella wraps her arms around her waist and shivers.

“Where’s your coat?” I ask.

“In my suitcase.”

“That’s a silly place for it.”

“It’s bulky and I didn’t want it on the plane. And if I wanted your opinion, I’d ask for it.”

“Good evening, Mr. Jensen.” The concierge from the rental car company approaches from the curb where the Range Rover I rented is waiting. He helps us load our luggage into the back, then hands me the key.

“I should have known you weren’t renting a car like normal people.”

“What do you mean? This is normal.”

“The rental car showing up to you instead of having to be shuttled out to the middle of nowhere to pick up your car is a bit bougie.”

“No, having a driver would have been bougie.” I smile. “I like to indulge in a few nice things.”

Stella rolls her eyes at me. “A few nice things? You’re a walking advertisement for GQ man of the year.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Please don’t.”

“Do you have a thing against successful people in general or is it my success that annoys you?”

“Do I really need to answer that?”

“You’re one to talk. Creative Director at East & Ivy. Now, that’s impressive.”

“Stalker,” she murmurs.

“It seems like you’re feeling better. How’s your stomach?”

“I’m fine. I don’t need your concern. I’m in tiptop shape. Back to my fighting weight. A worthy opponent once again.”

I flash her a soft grin.

“Glad to hear it.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

She buckles her seatbelt and I pull away from the airport.

“What—” I begin but Stella quickly shushes me.

“Let’s play the quiet game. See who can keep unnecessary chatter to themselves the longest.”

“Come on, Stell. We’ve got so much to catch up on. Like Daniel, for instance. What’s the deal with that guy and why did you tell him I’m your boyfriend?”

Her face pinches with annoyance. “You’re so fucking nosy, Jasper.” But she’s got no escape route now, so I push her on it.

“Nosy? I’m trying to understand why you’d tell this guy we’re dating.” And how I can use this development to my advantage.

She throws her arms up.

“Fine. Daniel and I hooked up. It was a mistake. One that I’m clearly still paying for because even though I’ve told him I’m not interested, he thought he would show up here and we’d fall madly in love over the holidays. Or at least hook up again. So, yeah, when I saw you, I pretended you were my boyfriend so he’d back off.”

Logically I know Stella has a personal life that I’m not involved in, but hearing about it and seeing a guy firsthand that she has been involved with only makes these feelings I have for her stronger. This situation with Daniel, while I hate that it makes Stella uncomfortable, is the perfect opportunity to show Stella how much I care about her.

“Do you need help, Stella?” I ask, giving her a quick glance before turning my eyes back to the road. “All you have to do is say the word.”

She’s quiet for a moment, arms crossed over her chest in defiance.

“And what will it cost me, Jasper?”

Nothing. I’d do anything for you.

My answer forms easily. After all, it’s been circulating in my brain for years. But Stella doesn’t know that, so I take a moment to think about her question.

“You need a boyfriend for the holidays.” I brainstorm out loud.

“Not a boyfriend. A human shield,” she asserts. “It would be fake. We wouldn’t actually be dating.”

“What about your sister’s wedding?” I ask.

“It’s on New Year’s Eve. I’m sure my parents invited your family,” she says begrudgingly.

“Daniel’s going to be there?”

“Yeah, I told you, he’s Tom’s cousin. And he’s staying with my family. For the next two weeks, he’ll be everywhere.”

“So, you’ll need me to be your date to the wedding as well.”

“Are you adding this all up so you can send me a bill?” she asks.

“No, my fake boyfriend services are free.”

“That’s shocking.” Her eyes narrow. “What’s in it for you?”

It occurs to me that Stella will never agree to an arrangement that is one-sided. She’ll think I have an advantage over her or I’m doing her a favor which will ultimately become a future issue between us. I need a reason to have a fake girlfriend or this doesn’t work.

“I’ll need you to reciprocate. Be my girlfriend at my family’s Christmas Eve party.”

“Fake girlfriend,” she emphasizes. “And why?”

“My mom is notorious for trying to set me up with women at that party. It’s a tradition I’d like to avoid this year.” It’s a stretch of the truth. My mom tried to set me up one year and I asked her to never do it again.

We sit in silence for a few minutes while she thinks it over. It’s mostly silence, there are a few mumblings and murmurings coming from Stella as she battles with her decision.

“Fine. I’ll do it.” She drops her head back against the head rest with a sigh. “But this changes nothing between us.”

“You want to pretend to be dating, but still be at each other’s throats?”

“You’re right. This is going to be too hard. I’ll have to tell Daniel we broke up and then find someone else to fake date.” She pulls out her phone and starts scrolling. “Oh, maybe Jonah Collins. He was always nice to me.”

“Jonah Collins got married last year,” I say through gritted teeth, remembering him as Stella’s boyfriend for six months our junior year in high school.

She scrolls again. “Max Rhodes?”

“Moved to Florida. He won’t be home this year.”

“Darn it.” She sighs, dropping her phone into her lap. “How do you keep up with everyone?”

“I don’t really. Juniper knows everything.”

My twenty-two-year-old sister is attuned to what happens in our hometown. While she is finishing up her business degree at the University of Colorado in Boulder, she comes home to visit often.

Stella’s face softens, a sweet smile pulling at her lips. “How is Juniper?”

“She’s good. Going to graduate in the spring and wants to open a romance bookstore in town.”

“Wow.” Her eyes light with fascination. “That’s really cool.”

From the sincere look on her face, it’s evident that Stella’s hostility doesn’t apply to my entire family, just me.

“Listen, finding another boyfriend on this short notice is ridiculous. Daniel will see right through it.” I tap my fingers against the steering wheel. I need another angle. A way for Stella to see this as a competition. “You’re saying you can’t pretend to be in love with me for two weeks?”

“In love with you? Ha! In this made-up scenario, we’re dating, we aren’t in love.”

“Okay. So, Stella St. James, the phenomenal theater performer who won best actress at the 2013 Cedar Hollow High School Drama Awards, can’t pull off a simple fake dating arrangement?” I follow up my challenge with a low whistle to really drive home my point.

She straightens in her seat and I know I’ve got her hooked. “Of course, I can.”

“Then prove it.”

“Hold on. What am I getting in return? I’ve got the acting skills, but I don’t think your time as the Technical Supervisor in drama club will lend itself to this project.”

She’s referring to me being the lighting and sound designer for all the theater productions. It’s there that I got my start learning about the technical aspects of sound and audio design, and my love for the visual arts. It became my major in college and my interest grew into the start-up that is now my billion-dollar company, Jensen Innovations.

I do have Stella to thank for that discovery. She’s the only reason I joined the drama club. To be near her.

“Trust me. I’ve got plenty of skills that will come in handy.”

She bursts out laughing. “You want me to trust you? After all the shit you’ve pulled?”

“Me? What about you? You’re not innocent in this.”

“I never claimed to be.” She huffs, her voice raising with her growing frustration. “This will never work. I despise you too much.”

“Come on, Stell. Is your hate for me more than your desire to avoid Daniel?”

She’s quiet for a minute, her lower lip trapped between her teeth as she contemplates my question.

“Okay, Jasper. For the next two weeks, we can pretend to be dating.”

A satisfied smile pulls at my lips, and for the rest of the drive, I honor Stella’s request for silence while she dozes quietly in my passenger seat.

The hour drive flies by and it’s not long before I’m pulling into Stella’s driveway.

“Your family didn’t decorate their house yet?” I ask, taking in the lack of holiday lights. It’s unusual for the St. James house not to be lit up in a full holiday display. Stella used to hold a holiday light decorating contest for the block. Anyone could enter, but I know in her mind her only competition was me. My dad and I would spend hours on the weekend after Thanksgiving putting up our display. Over the years, the trees in our yard have gotten taller, and our display has gotten more elaborate, so as a gift to my parents, I hire a company to install them.

Stella clears her throat. “Um, no. My dad is probably waiting for me to help him. It’s our thing.”

I put the vehicle in park and get out to grab Stella’s luggage. “Come on, sugar lips.”

On the pavement, Stella’s gaze narrows. “That’s not a nickname I would ever answer to.”

“How about honey pie? Sweetie? Pookie?”

She ignores the teasing nicknames and punches in the garage code.

“Goodbye, Dickface.”

I make a mock discerning face. “I think you’re going to need to work on that one. It’s not giving loving, supportive girlfriend.”

“Okay, Jass.” She laughs.

A warm rush of contentment fills my chest. I like it when she calls me that.

“Why’s that funny? You just shortened my name.”

“It has an extra S on the end, so it’s like Jasper and ass combined. J-A-S-S.”

I don’t bother to tell her that I like when she calls me Jas, whether it’s with one S or two. And unless she’s going to spell it out, no one will know the difference.

“Sure, that one will work.”

I grab her suitcase and move to pull it inside the garage.

“What are you doing?” Stella wrenches the suitcase handle from me.

“I’m taking your suitcase inside.”

“No way.”

“How will it look if we’re dating and I drop you off at the curb?” I ask.

“It’s not like you just slowed down and pushed me out of the car,” she insists. “Besides, I need a minute to wrap my head around all of this.” She motions between us.

Our fake relationship is fledgling and if we’re going to make it through the next two weeks, we’ll need to take it slow.

“Okay,” I relent, heading toward the car again. “Goodnight, Sparky.”

Her mouth gapes open in protest. “What’s that for?”

“All the chemistry between us.”

She glances down at my sweater. “Goodnight, Snowflake.”

“You know you’re wearing the same sweater,” I say, walking backwards toward my car.

She smirks. “Not voluntarily.”

As the garage closes, she holds a hand to her lips like she’s going to blow me a kiss but just as the door goes down, she flips me off. It only makes me smile.

For the first time in the years since I’ve known her, competed with her, and been powerless to keep my heart from getting crushed by her, I’m hopeful.