Chapter 82

JASPER

S pending the day with Harper under the apple tree was fucking spectacular. Just being there with her made this entire trip worth it. She was so happy and relaxed and for the afternoon nothing else mattered. It was just us. I hated to have to end it, but we were due for takeoff at six p.m., and I had a couple of errands to run.

I left Harper at the mansion to pack our things so that I could run the paperwork to Chester's office. I was going to have someone deliver it, but some last-minute tweaks came up and I figured I should deal with them myself. We had Paul on watch duty, ready to protect Harper with his life. I wasn't expecting issues, but you never know in my father's territory—old grudges have a way of popping up.

I pulled up to the front of the small run-down building that now housed Chester and his businesses. It was much more run down than I expected but I hadn't been here since I was a young boy. The windows were dirty and one of the doors had cardboard blocking a huge hole. There's no telling how he keeps his business going in a spot like that.

I parked on the side of the building in the first spot I saw. It was marked handicap. Right when I was about to open the door, I had second thoughts and decided to back the car up instead of parking in one spot over freeing up the handicapped spot. If Harper were with me, I would have gotten an earful for even thinking of parking there.

She is so fucking perfect.

Chester was at his desk in an office that looked nothing like the outside of the building. It had bright white walls with nature scenes painted on them. There was one big window that faced the back of the back side of the building – not much to see, just a brick wall, but it let daylight in. The room smelled like lavender and vanilla because he had a candle lit on a table tucked in the corner.

"Hello there son, have you enjoyed your visit home?" He asked rising from his seat to greet me. I rolled my eyes.

"Enough of the pleasantries. I'm here on business only." I threw the paperwork on the desk refusing to sit when his hand was raised, gesturing to the chair in front of me.

"Cancel the sale, I decided to keep the mansion. Arrange for Tomas to take over managing the property until I make other arrangements and find out how much he is being paid then double it."

I got distracted by the grin Chester had smeared across his face, and immediately felt enraged, boiling inside. My choices are none of his damn business.

"Something funny fuck wade?" I snapped through gritted teeth. He threw his hands up in surrender when I stepped toward him.

"No, absolutely not. I was just pleased with your decision. Does that mean you'll be taking on your father's responsibilities too?

I threw him a pointed look.

"How about you stop asking questions and do the job I'm paying you for?"

He nodded and started taking notes on a notepad.

"Make sure the buyers get compensated for the inconvenience as well. " I added before I walked towards the exit. When I got to the door I turned to face him.

"And stay out of my house Chester." He smiled and nodded his understanding.

When I returned to the mansion, I found Harper had packed everything and left it waiting by the front door. I felt guilty for leaving that chore for her to do alone but she refused when I offered to have the housekeepers do it.

She was sitting in the study reading on her Kindle. She didn't even notice me at first. I watched for a few minutes before the door creaked, interrupting her from the story she was reading.

She jumped up to meet me halfway and wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Something wrong Doll?" She seemed sad.

"No, it's just that I like it here. I don't want to go home yet." She smiled but it didn't meet her eyes.

Maybe convincing her to leave Miami and move here wouldn't be as hard as I imagined. I used my index finger to tilt her head up toward me.

"What if I told you we could come back here." I tested.

"What do you mean? like to visit the house? I'm not sure that's how this works Jasper," she giggled at the idea.

"No, what if I don't sell it? What if I kept it, and we lived in it, eventually?" She raised her eyebrows at me.

"Jasper, did you cancel the sale?"

ah, now she gets it.

"Yes doll, I did."

"Are you sure about this?" she asked, concerned.

"Yes. I want to fill this house with our memories. That's if it will make you happy." Her eyes started to water as she hugged me tightly.

"I want that too Jasper, but we could make memories anywhere. I'm happy where you are." My heart swelled at her words and there was no doubt that she meant each one.

"This is ours now." I waved my hand around the room.

"let's go back to Miami make our arrangements and come back here maybe after the wedding," I suggested.

She was so happy that she jumped up wrapping her legs around me in excitement. Her facial expression suddenly changed, hopping out of my hold she darted for the door. I stood there but only momentarily before I followed closely behind her. When she reached the hallway at the top of the stairs she grabbed the photo of my mother from the wall. Turning to face me she held the photo close to her chest.

"I know we are coming back, but I want to bring this with us, is that okay?" she asked like a child asking for dessert. I chuckled and pulled her to me.

"Of course, Doll. Anything you want."

She raised her brow and teased, "You say that now but wait until we move here, and I want to redecorate" She glared at me, daring me to argue. I shook my head and chuckled.

"Happy wife happy life, right?"