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Chapter Thirty Two

"This was the most amazing lasagna I've ever had," I declared. I was stuffed. I didn't know how I was going to be able to walk let alone perform in just a few hours.

Jasper's momma gave me a warm smile.

"Well, I hope you'll come back for another meal someday soon."

I glanced at Jasper. He buttered up yet another roll and stuffed it in his mouth.

"I'd like that," I said sincerely.

"Hey, ma," Rocco said. He made a furious head nodding motion towards the kitchen.

"Oh!" Amelia said. She hopped up. Without saying another word, she went into the kitchen.

I looked around. I had learned a lot about Jasper's whole family just from sharing one tiny meal. Zita was the oldest child at twenty five and the only one that was married. Tommy was next in line. He was twenty three. Then came Jasper. Courtney was turning nineteen in two weeks. Rocco was seventeen.

The kids were perfectly spaced out every two years. Jasper's mom was fifty nine. Johnny, Jasper's dad, was fifty one. All the boys looked like Johnny; all the girls looked like Amelia.

It was really kinda cute.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you--"

I swiveled towards the doorway leading to the kitchen. Amelia was holding tightly to a huge birthday cake. She headed right towards Jasper.

I paled. I felt like an idiot. It was his birthday. How had I forgotten that? I tried to remember everyone's birthday.

I was such a dip. I joined in the loud, off-key singing towards the very end, feeling totally ashamed. Jas gave me a wink. Amelia put the cake down and he leaned forward and blew out every candle. Tommy gave a loud finger whistle.

"Twenty one my broth-ah!" he shouted. Jas laughed.

"I forgot," I whispered in his ear as he set back down. He slumped down.

"I know."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. The look on your face was priceless."

I rolled my eyes.

"Here you go dear," Jasper's grandma Maria said. She had me a slice of cake wider than my thigh.

"I--"

"Too skinny," she declared.

I swear it must be a grandma thing.

"So, what time is the concert over?" Tommy asked. Jasper took a big bite of chocolate cake. He savored it for a minute before responding. The icing was the thickiest creamiest buttercream I had ever had in my life.

"Around eleven."

Tommy snapped his fingers. "You. Me. Twenty-one shot salute."

"Tommy, don't you dare get your brother in trouble."

Jasper and Tommy both grinned.

"Trouble? Why would I get him into trouble?"

"Because you two are the Tweedle Dee and Twiddle Dum of Jersey," Jasper's grandpa Maurice said loudly. Judging from the loud squeal, I had a feeling he was having hearing aid issues.

"Okay, we might have gotten into a little trouble back in the day," Tommy said. "But seriously, I just want to buy my brother a birthday shot."

"I have a curfew anyhow," Jasper said with a smile. "We're staying at a hotel tonight, but the busses are getting an early start.

Tommy and Jasper both smiled at their mom. I could tell their dad wasn't buying any of it. Amelia threw up her hands.

"I give up. But if I have to bail you out of jail..."

"You mean like dad?" Jasper asked.

"No one messes with familia," Johnny said seriously. He glanced at Court. I could totally imagine him needing to protect her. She was an absolute doll but almost too beautiful for her own good.

"Good dads think alike, huh?" Jasper whispered. I laughed. I took the last bite of cake I could down without exploding.

"Well," Jasper said a few minutes later. He tossed his napkin down. "Brooke and I have to get back. She's got to get ready for the show."

Rocco smirked. "What about you?"

"I'm always ready," Jasper shot back. Rocco snorted.

"Have a great show," Court said.

"You should come," I said. She gave Johnny a look.

"Dad says no concerts on a school night."

"You're in school?"

"Community college."

"Well, next time, okay?"

Courtney nodded. "Totally."

It took about fifteen minutes for the taxi to arrive, which turned out to be a good thing because it took just as long to say goodbye to everyone. They were a huggy bunch. I was squeezed mirthlessly and kissed a dozen times. By the time I got to the taxi, I was laughing.

"See? It wasn't that bad," Jasper said.

"I'm still sorry; I didn't even realize it was your birthday."

"Eh, birthday's are overrated."

"You're twenty-one!"

Jasper grinned. "All that means is I'm legal to drink. That takes the fun out of it."

I shook my head.

"Thanks for coming with me."

I smiled. "It was fun." He gave me a look. "Really!" I said.

For some reason, he looked relieved.

------------------------------------------

I made up for forgetting Jasper's birthday during the concert by making the whole audience sing to him. The band gave him some good-natured birthday spankings to go along with the song.

After the show, Tommy picked Jasper up. The hotel I had been waiting for all day never materialized. Something else was going on in town and every decent place was booked. The venue had been nice enough to seclude us for the night. I climbed aboard my bus.

The realization that I was alone made me uneasy. It wasn't often that I had no one else around. I sat down on the couch and looked out the window.

Here I was, a sixteen year old girl with tons of money and fame, and yet I was just sitting on the bus feeling sorry for myself. I brought my legs up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them.

I actually fell asleep like that. When I woke up an hour later, I felt like the Tin Man. My joints hurt. I let out a whine as I flexed my leg forward.

I was restless. I was in a state of absolute boredom. With nothing else to do, I actually caught up on my homework. When I dotted my last 'i' and crossed my last 't,' I still didn't feel ready for bed. Even so, I changed into my pajama pants and a tank top and curled up on the couch with a fuzzy blanket.

It was a chilly November night in Jersey.

After another hour I was still awake and getting antsy. The heat was on in the bus but it was a heavy, thick heat that made my throat feel scratchy. I needed fresh air.

I threw my blanket around my shoulders and hopped off the bus. It was a starless night. It was like an endless opaque ocean above my head. My warm breath met the cold air and made little wisps and puffs of fog.

I was rubbing the tip of my nose when a cab pulled up. The door opened, but nobody got out.

"You--you---this is you."

The speech was so totally slurred. Combined with the Jersey accent, it was almost unidentifiable. I crept towards the taxi. Two dark haired guys were sprawled in the back seat drunk off their asses.

Tommy and Jasper.

"Jas?"

When he turned and looked at me, I practically saw the alcohol floating in his eyeballs.

"BROOKE CARTER!"

His voice was so loud. He leaned out of the taxi and peered at me.

"I took twenty-one shoooootttssss," he slurred.

"No kidding," I said.

"Meter's running," cabbie said impatiently.

At first I was going to ask Tommy to help me with Jasper, but that wasn't even in the realm of possibility. Tommy patted the seat beside him as if he had lost something. He belched.

"C'mon," I said. I held out my hand. Jasper shot his arm out towards it but missed not once, not twice, but three times. Finally, he grabbed onto my fingers.

Now, I might be tall, but I was still pretty light. Getting Jasper out of the cab was no easy feat. My blanket fell to the ground as he tilted dangerously to the side. I steadied him and picked the blanket up. I glanced towards the band's bus. The loud beats told me that was going to be no place for Jasper to 'sleep it off.'

I told the cabbie Tommy's home address and it pulled away. I turned Jasper towards my bus.

"That was fuckin' aweeeesome," he said. His feet tripped over one another. He kinda reminded me of an ice-skating giraffe.

"Step," I instructed. I climbed up first. He got his left foot up, but came crashing down on his right knee.

"OOmph," he grunted. "Who put thissss step here?"

I tugged at his arm. I didn't know how to handle drunk people. Mom was so much better at it.

"Take your time," I said.

It was a slow process, but finally Jasper got onto the bus. He staggered to his feet and I brought him over to the couch. He crashed into it.

"Oh, it's soft," he said.

I stared down at him. He looked up at me and grinned. He patted the seat next to him.

"Sitttt down, Brookie."

I shook my head. "No, you need sleep," I said. I took the blanket and tossed it over his lap. That gesture was like magic. He slowly sprawled out on the couch.

I felt awkward staring at him like he was some unknown creature. I decided it was finally time for bed. I turned to go, but he clung to my fingers. He tugged. I knelt down.

"I gotta tell you something," he whispered. He looked around as if checking to see if anyone else was around. His eyes were glazed over. He smelled like he had downed every liquor in the bar.

"What?" I whispered.

His lips curved into a smile. He dropped my fingers and stroked my hair.

"I lied about the redhead thing. I've totally fallen for you, blondie."

My pulse spiked. I stared at him in disbelief.

"What?" I repeated.

His eyes were slowly closing.

"You're beautiful. I'm totally attracted to you. I want to kiss you. Protect you. I want to date you."

"Jasper you're drunk," I reasoned. He shook his head. He was still playing with my hair. His eyes were closing rapidly. His hand fell to the side of the couch and his mouth fell open.

He had passed out.

I exhaled. Was he serious? I didn't know. Now I was internally freaking out for a whole different reason than loneliness. I made sure he was covered up and headed to bed.

I didn't think I was going to be getting much sleep.