"Uhhh," Tulip groaned as she sat up. She'd been propped on the couch since they'd come back from the carnival. Her stomach had turned against her on the ride home. Maybe it was the high dissolving from conquering fear as she sat at the top of the Ferris wheel with Sidney in the middle of her and Jasper with each of their hands in her or it could've been from the start and stop jerks of the car during the congested traffic along I-45 on the way back to her house. Or it might just be the one thing she didn't want to admit.
"Sip this," Jasper instructed, handing her a steaming mug.
Another moan lifted as she reached for the cup, eyeing the object with a dose of suspicion that was erased once her nose caught a whiff of the brew. "Peppermint. Where'd you get this?" She tried to glance over her shoulder but that caused her too much grief so she settled her back right back against the stack of pillows wedged between her and the couch's arm.
"The pantry." He nodded to the door next to the kitchen as he lowered his long, muscular frame in the armchair. "It was still in the wrapper and a couple of months from expiring so I guess you forgot you had it."
"No, tea guru. I didn't forget it." She took another deep breath of the brew before blowing it. "It's probably Neisha's. She loves leaf water."
He chuckled as he looked over at the movie on the flat screen. "'Hav Plenty' still your favorite movie?"
Tulip took her time swallowing the warm liquid and then said, "It's in my top time. I haven't seen it since—" She paused remembering all the times she partook in the film she plucked from his expansive DVD collection. He had hordes of movies that she'd never seen before and he made it his mission to wow her senses with films. They used to lose hours in marathons from comedies to action. She loved that his favorite movie was The Five Heartbeats which he knew all the words to but watched it like it was the first time, every time. "...college. Havilland Savage speaks to my soul. She was just misunderstood."
"I can see that." Jasper nodded, his sight still trained on the movie. "And she wasn't wrong for not putting up with Lee's situation."
She took another sip not willing to admit that it was helping her upset stomach but entirely able to show him some gratitude for what he did back at the carnival. "Thanks...for talking to Sidney."
"No problem." He shrugged faintly, sliding his eyes to her. "It's what I'm here for."
She slowly nodded before moving the mug she picked up at Target for a cool five dollars. She wondered what 'I'm here for' enlisted and how it all was going to work. The last couple of weeks he'd been a helpful party with the rearing of Sidney, watching her during the days she was at work, and those times she had an evening function that went well into the night. He even showed up tonight, confronted Sidney, and was a peacemaker. He even took the reins when they arrived back at the house and she was out of commission from a stomach that did cartwheels. Once he parked the car in her driveway, he oversaw Sidney's bedtime routine and tucked her into bed while she was emptying all the contents of her stomach. He helped her off the bathroom floor, carried her to the couch per her request, and disposed of the grimy contents in the trash can.
She didn't know what would've happened if he wasn't there but she wasn't ready to get remotely attached to him being there.
"You...how..." She paused, lightly resting the mug on her stomach as she tried to get her words together. "You have two homes. One here and your main in Fredericksburg where your vineyard is so how is this going to work? This partnership." She gestured between them. "My job is here. Sidney's school will be here so...how will you be a constant in her life or are you just here for the moment and then once you get enough or reach absolution will you just go back there and..."
She went silent, unable to utter those words. The fear clung to her heart and fueled the doubts in a corner of her mind.
"Honestly..." His eyebrows furrowed and he looked away from him, letting his gaze travel to the kitchen as she pondered. "I haven't thought that far. It's almost a four-hour drive from her to Fredericksburg so commuting isn't an option but so is not being here. I'll have to hire someone..." He nodded eagerly. "To look over the crops while I'm here."
"Hmm." She sounded taking a bigger gulp of the tea that had significantly cooled down. "I'll believe it when I see it." Those words were probably blunt but they were exactly how she felt. He had to prove he meant what he said by his actions. She wasn't just taking the things he uttered as a 'sure thing'.
He didn't protest her disbelief as he continued. "Young Wines is a well-oiled machine and I can't rush the growth of crops. I poured hours, days, months, and years into the vineyard; it's time I put all that energy into the other half of my heart."
Shit! She winced as she combed her hand through the cluster of braids draped over her chest. He was about to address what she told him last night, those words that she kept holding in but unfortunately let too many beers fall freely from her lips. It was the way his eyes settled softly on her and his chest rose and fell with haste. The air that swirled around them in the room shifted like the breeze that whirled on the day the humidity drained from the atmosphere and summer became autumn. She wasn't ready to dive into those emotions, into that conversation so she abruptly changed the topic.
"It's official, I'm getting old." Tulip rubbed her stomach.
"You're twenty-nine. Far from old." He chuckled, easily going along with her plan of avoidance. "Two funnel cakes, Frito-pie, chocolate-covered bacon, cotton candy, and that fried Oreo was the reason for your demise." He leaned back in the chair with arrogance forming on his features.
"I can't care how long you look at me." She smirked, sliding both her hands around the mug. "I'm not admitting it."
She remembered those two words he spoke to her as she stood in each of those lines. Slow down. She made the mistake of going to a carnival hungry and in her feelings.
"You don't have to." He chuckled. "I know the truth."
His sight lingered on her, birthing a shiver through her torso so she averted her gaze to the contents of the mug ensuring not to get lost in his deep brown iris. She had well-power and self-control but she also knew her heart was being a confusing little bitch right now.
"This wasn't too bad." She shook the empty mug feeling a little better.
"Never underestimate the power of a good cup of tea." He smiled confidently.
Tulip slid further down and pulled the fleece blanket up her body feeling relaxed, "I never underestimate anything...or anyone."
What do you think Tulip meant by saying her heart was being a 'confusing little bitch'?
What do you think caused Tulip's upset stomach? Gourging on carnival food or being high in the sky on the Ferris Wheel?
What do you think Tulip means when she says, she 'never underestimates anything or anyone'?
Jasper was about to say something before Tulip changed the topic, what do you think he was going to say?