Cupping her face in his warm hands Jasper uttered the words Kait dreaded to hear:
“I mean, this has been great, so much fun. But my fighting comes first, Kait and it always will.”
Chapter 15
The following day Kait struggled to focus at work. No matter how many urgent emails flashed on her computer screen, she couldn’t stop thinking about Jasper. After telling her that his fighting would always come first, he had left. With a pained expression, he told her that he would call. Kait doubted that he would, but she needed to cling to the promise that he would even if it had been made in vain.
She understood his drive and determination when it came to his fighting. She admired the tenacity he applied to following his dream. But did that truly mean that he also wouldn’t have time for her?
Discreetly, Kait reached for her phone and checked Jasper’s Twitter account. As she’d expected, he’d already posted several updates regarding his training even though it wasn’t yet ten in the morning.
Been killing it in the gym all morning! @J_Duboix
Play hard – work harder! @J_Duboix
He’d even posted a picture of himself lifting some impressively huge weights. His biceps were flexed and beaded with sweat. Jasper was yet again pushing himself less than forty eight hours after a fight he’d only narrowly won.
Kait scowled at her phone’s display before shoving it back in to her handbag. She was once again angry at Jasper, angry at his decision to push himself when he needed to rest. The time they had spent together had hardly been restful. When did he ever actually take the time to just stop and relax? If he carried on as he was, surely he’d just burn out.
The sound of her desk phone ringing made Kait jump. She took second to clear her throat and prepare her most formal answering voice.
“Good morning, Kaitlyn Stewart speaking.”
“So! She lives!” Anna’s bright voice bubbled down the phone line. Kait cringed as she realised she’d neglected to contact her friend over the weekend which wasn’t like her.
“Anna, I’m so sorry I’ve not been in touch this weekend. Things have just been crazy.”
“If you say you’ve been busy with work, I’m officially disowning you!” Anna threatened.
Kait took a deep breath and made sure that no one was lingering around her desk, eaves dropping on her conversation.
“I was busy, yes, but not with work.”
She could sense Anna’s mounting excitement on the other end of the line.
“So what were you busy with?” Her friend asked breathlessly.
“A guy.”
Anna squealed down the phone, and Kait had to hold the receiver away from her ear for a few minutes.
“Details! I need details!” Anna insisted once she’d finished screaming.
Kait chewed her lip thoughtfully. She wasn’t really sure what there was to say about her and Jasper. They weren’t a couple. She didn’t know quite what they were.
“It’s nothing really yet. We’re just…hanging out.”
“Oh my God,” Anna gushed, “the last time you were just hanging out with a guy we were in college. This is huge.”
“It really isn’t,” Kait could feel her cheeks burning. She wanted to share with her friend, but she also didn’t want to make her and Jasper out to be something more than what they were. He’d quite clearly told her that he didn’t have the time for her. But what did that even mean?
“Are you okay?” Anna’s brightness became subdued with concern.
“Yeah,” Kait sighed. “I’m fine.”
“Dinner, after work. We clearly need to talk.” Anna instructed, and Kait didn’t have the energy to fight her on it.
Chapter 16
Despite her long day at work, Kait had no appetite. She pushed some potatoes around her plate with her fork and gazed absently across the restaurant.
“I thought you’d be all glowing and excited over your new man,” Anna noted. She’d already polished off the salad she had ordered.
“I was,” Kait admitted with a roll of her eyes. “But I feel like I never know where I stand with him.”
“How so?” Anna propped her elbows up on the edge of the table and leaned forward expectantly.
“When we’re together it’s…amazing,” Kait smiled slightly to herself, remembering the day spent in bed with Jasper. It had been perfect, and she’d never experienced anything like it before. But just a day later, and it seemed like a distant memory, something that had happened to someone else.