Chapter 9

The name and number gave me pause, but I answered it.

“Jasper?”

“Nicholas, how are you?”

Jasper was one of the few people I had known who used my full name on a frequent basis. At the moment, it annoyed me, and I couldn’t say why.

“What do you want, Jasper?”

A bit of a pause, then, “To see how you are. How are you?’

“Fine. How are you?”

“Not as good as I could be.” Another pause. “I miss you, Nicky.”

Okay, and the intimate, playful name definitely had my hackles up.

“Too bad. I’m across the country and we’re divorced.”

“Nicky…”

“Cut the crap. What do you want?”

Jasper sighed heavily. “Did you make it to Vermont all right?”

“Yes.”

“You know, if you wanted to come home—”

“That’s not my home anymore. You moved Carlos in, remember?”

“He’s gone, baby.”

I actually laughed. “Don’t call me that. And he left you?”

“No.” I heard the scowl in his voice because I knew him better than he probably thought I did. “I got rid of him. I miss you.”