Jase by Fields, J. (ebook reader browser TXT) 📕

to the first floor. I walked out the door holding her.

Thomas smiled at me, “I have plans tonight, call me tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” A car pulled up and the driver opened the door, “This your car?”

“Yes,” Bella whispered again.

We sat in the car and when it stopped in front of Forever Steel Jase opened the door, I looked up at him and he was angry. He was wearing loose worn jeans and a long-sleeved thermal shirt, it hugged his body and I could not help but smile. His anger diminished.

I stepped out with Bella still wrapped around me, “Sorry about this Carly, the office called and…”

“It’s fine, right Bella, we’re fine,” I pulled my head back and she looked up.

“Yes, we’re fine,” she smiled the sweetest little smile and buried her head in my neck.

“Come here Little Bell, Carly probably has things to do,” he tried to avoid eye contact.

“Really I don’t, so I was thinking maybe I could take Bella out to dinner. I got my first real paycheck today. Would that be okay Jase?”

“Carly you need…”

“I need what? No don’t answer that, you’ll probably get all carried away,” I laughed and Bella smiled up at me.

“He does that you know.”

“Yeah I know. He can come too if he wants,” I looked at him and he looked up at the sky and let out a deep breath.

“Do you like my Dad?”

“I do,” I blushed.

“Do you love him?”

I whispered in her ear that it was a secret and she laughed.

Jase looked at me and I smiled, “So what do you say? Will you let me take you two out to dinner?”

He shook his head yes, “You give me an hour?”

“How about we order whatever Bella wants, and eat here?”

“Sounds good, perfect actually. Come in, it’s cold,” Jase opened the door and we walked in.

“You have to hurry though, Grandma is going to take you to dance and then I’ll meet you at home okay?”

“Can’t I skip?”

“No way, we stick to our commitments. Hey do I get a hug?”

“Do I get to skip?”

“No but…”

“Then can Carly go with me?”

“No sorry, girl,” Jase pried her off of me, “Easy Bell you’ll hurt her.

“I won’t hurt her I love her. Remember I told you that, Carly?”

“I think of that every day,” I smiled and it was the truth.

“Okay,” Bella looked at me sadly.

“I love you too,” I laughed and she smiled so big.

“Can you stay with us tonight?”

“Wow Bella, let her breathe,” Jase was beet red.

“How about you stay with me? Your Daddy probably has to work and I have no plans at all. So after dance, if your Dad says it’s alright you can come spend the night with me. If not we can definitely try another…”

“Dad says yes, order some food,” Jase said immediately and Bella hugged him and he looked up at me and mouthed I love you.

“I love you Jase,” Bella gasped and looked at me and Jase laughed.

“I love you both. Do me a favor, order dinner and get your butts in the back, I’m supposed to be a bad ass remember.” Jase laughed and Bella shook her head disapproving of his language.

~

We ate Italian of course, and it was great. Joe walked into the employee lounge and was utterly shocked. She laughed and then cried, and Bella looked at me confused, which made me laugh. It was comical but very touching and Jase sat back with a smug ass look on his face, yeah the see I told you Mom look.

“I am spending the night at Carly’s, Nana,” Bella beamed.

“You are?” Joe smiled at me.

“If it’s alright, I would love that.”

After lots of hugs, kisses, and a pinky promise that made me laugh, plans for the evening were confirmed, I was having a sleep over. I was just as excited as she was, seriously, I never did this when I was younger and Jane was the only female friend I had that ever crashed at my place.

When they left the shop Jase looked at me and smiled, “This has to be about us, Carly.” It kind of floored me, and I didn’t respond. I started to get embarrassed and then mad and he knew it, “Baby don’t get pissed at me already.” I looked at him and he rolled his eyes, “We can’t be this either.”

“Well Jase why don’t you tell me how it is you expect me to act,” I could not believe he was doing this right now.

“We move past all the shit, we enjoy each other, not just because…”

“Pam doesn’t get to be alone with her anymore,” he looked shocked. “She was mean and if she ever treats her like that again--I will cut her.”

Jase smirked, “This place brings out the bad ass in you.”

“Not funny, and you Jase, are an idiot. This is about us, it was …”

“That’s the thing, if you need time it can’t be balls to the wall. If you want this,” he pointed to me and him, “to go slow you probably should slow it down with Bella. I know the meeting wasn’t planned and I’m grateful you took care of the situation and I will be dealing with Pam, what the fuck was she trying to do!”

“I think you are getting nervous Jase, which is crazy. You’ve been pushing, sending texts like you did Sunday and then falling off the face of the earth…”

“That text had a double meaning Carly. I know how you feel about your mother. I felt the same shit when Dad died. Except I had the guilt to add to all that fucking pain. But check this, I feel the same way about you. You don’t complete me, like that movie line: You are my everything, the driving force behind all the shit you see around here now. I want to be the man who you look at and know will catch you when you fall, and not just literally. I want to be your shoulder, and your rock. The center of your world and the