I am looking forward to your wedding, Willow. Stay sweet with Jasper.” “What about Cole? No more news about him?” Willow asked.
Shirley looked out the window, dejected. Then, she nodded. “I miss him, but we don’t have that much freedom. You know how it is with the rules chaining us down and such.”
“Don’t look so down, Shirley. You’re young. You’re not in any hurry” consoled Willow.
Shirley thought Winona had made a good point. She didn’t even have a job. She couldn’t afford to stumble into any relationship at the moment. Even though her father was a successful man, his achievements were not hers. Besides, she couldn’t live under her father’s wing forever. So, she needed to strive for a path of glory that was just hers and hers alone.
The ladies finished their meal and went shopping. Shirley took Willow back to Willow’s place in the evening. “Come inside, Shirley.”
Shirley smiled. “No. You should spend more quality time with your darling Jasper. See you.” She drove off without a backward glance.
Willow sent her off with a smile. The door behind her swung open, making her jump. Before she could exclaim in surprise, Jasper stepped out. She blinked at him, surprised.
“How’d you know that I was home?”
Jasper said quietly, “I took a guess.”
Willow didn’t believe him at all. She then remembered she was wearing the necklace he had given her. He could track her location at all times through this nifty little thing. She couldn’t deny that it made her feel safe.
It’d been a few hours since their brief separation, yet Willow missed him terribly. So, she held his arm. “Let’s go. I bought you some clothes.”
Jasper noticed a dozen bags of clothes strewn across the ground. He quietly picked them up without any prompting as he wrapped an arm around Willow. Then, they went inside hand-in- hand.
When they made it to the lounge, Willow started displaying everything she bought for him. Coupled with her fashion sense and his perfect body, all the clothes she purchased were just right. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find it in himself to like all of them as some of the colors were a bit too much.
He gingerly picked up a set of pajamas with cartoons printed on it and shot a deadpan stare at her. She merely smiled and hugged him. “Oh, don’t give me that look. No one else but me is going to lay eyes on you wearing that.”
Jasper nodded and kissed her. “Sure. Just for your eyes.”
“You’d look better if you’re not wearing anything, though,” Willow teased. Jasper asked seriously, “Are you sure?” She laughed. “Nope, of course not.”
“I’ll stay naked at home starting tomorrow, then,’ he said. He was happy to oblige such a simple request. She quickly covered his mouth before he could suggest any other wild notions. “No, that was a joke.” She hastily changed the subject, saying. I’m thirsty, Jasper. I need some milk.”
He answered dutifully. “I’ll get it for you.” He walked away, but then he turned around. “Which kind of milk, though?”
Although she knew he was only joking, she still put on a stern face as she put her hands on her hips. “Not yours, that’s for sure.”
He chuckled and took a carton of milk for her. She happily took it and gulped some down. While she was enjoying her drink, he started to sort out the clothes like a good househusband.
They had an appointment that night. Jared and Ellen asked them out for dinner. Therefore, they started discussing the plans for the wedding. They were near in age, so they understood what the new couple needed.
Willow and Ellen were talking about which gown to choose. Ellen told her about a designer brand, and Willow was interested. However, she shook her head in disappointment. “I’m afraid that’s not going to happen. I made some inquiries, and the designer’s schedule is packed for five years. I can’t get any slots.”
Jasper made a mental note of the brand. It seemed that she desperately wanted a wedding gown from this particular brand. He would do anything to satisfy her wishes.
After dinner, everyone went back to their homes. Back at their home, Willow held Jasper’s arm. “Let’s go around town. On your bike, that is.”
He nodded as he had been feeling rather bored staying home all this time. Hence, they went onto his bike and rode across the streets of the town. She was seated behind him, and her arms were around his waist. She leaned on his back as she stared at the brightly-lit city. Although it wasn’t a view that was unfamiliar to her, the scenery seemed exceptionally beautiful at this very moment.
