Devour Me

Love Me, Please Ch. 1 Cont.

Jasper

I sat in my car, staring at both my own childhood home and that of my neighbors…the Hawthorns. It had been four years since I last saw her. Kenna Hawthorn. She was known as the princess of Garden District with her bubbly and over the top energy. I shuddered.

Kenna always had a sparkle in her eye and they always lit up when people were in the room. She was loud and always talking. Actually I don’t think she ever stopped talking if my memory was correct. I didn’t want to deal with her at tonight’s dinner. I really, really didn’t….Fuck. Let’s just get this dinner over with.

Turning my car off, I opened the door and stepped into the chill evening air. Stalking across the street I headed straight for the front door. The moment I opened it laughter and conversation could be heard from the living area. It floated on the air and brought back so many childhood memories. I wondered if Zachary was able to make it. He was the only one who seemed to understand me.

Walking down the hallway, I made a right at the first archway leading to the living room and froze. Zachary was here but sitting right next to him was Kenna. Her turqoise-hazel eyes lit up with joy when I walked into the room and I had to stop the innate reaction to bare my teeth and retreat. Her curly blond hair was tied up into a high, loose bun with a few glossy tendrils falling to frame her delicate face. She appeared to have lost a little weight while she was gone and now her lithe body seemed even more graceful if that were possible.

She wore black leggings with knee high boots and a cream colored sweater that fell past her thighs. Wait, she was standing? f**k that meant she was going to f*****g hug me again. Sure enough her body met mine and I felt her arms fling around me.

“Jasper! I’ve missed you so much!” Her voice was that same bubbly energy that I remembered but there was an underlying tone of warmth that reminded me of a crackling fire, apple cider, and the scent of vanilla. She pulled back before I could return the hug and scuttled back to her seat next to my friend.

“Hi Jasper honey, so glad you could make it,” my mother said, pulling a chair forward for me to sit in. I nodded my thanks and welcome and took the chair and tried as hard as hell not to feel so out of place.

“So as I was saying,” Kenna continued with whatever story she was regaling them with and for once I was thankful that she talked so much because it averted the awkwardness that I was around my family. My eyes subtly moved to my older brother Jet who was hanging on every one of Kenna’s words. He was nearly identical to me except I was taller, more filled out, had shorter hair, and had green eyes instead of gray. Jet was the golden child, the oldest too. Whereas me…well I was always the off one. The black sheep of the Calidan’s and my dad never ceased to let me forget it.

“Will you be working here?” Jet asked Kenna his eyes never once leaving her. I narrowed my eyes and then caught Zachary’s. He only gave me that lopsided smirk that told me he knew how uncomfortable I was at the moment. Bastard. He smiled widened as if he could hear my thoughts.

“Oh yes! I’ll be working up in Carrollton at the Mon Petit Veterinaire.” How the hell did she pronounce that with such…elegance, like she came out of the womb speaking French.

“That’s wonderful! You’ve always had a way with animals Kenna,” my mother crooned. They continued to go back and forth talking about her future and I zoned out, just staring at her. She was still her bubbly self but she seemed…more mature in a way. I didn’t know what think about that.

When it was time for dinner, we all got up and gathered around the large wooden dining table. Zachary sat to my left and….Kenna sat to my right. I ignored her as I turned to Zachary.

“How’s work going?” Zachary c****d an eyebrow.

“It’s work. Same old, same old. We did hire some new recruits so that’ll be a bit of a pain training them but oh well.” Zachary worked as a facilities manager for a large company. He liked being in charge of people, it matched his personality well. Me on the other hand, I was the type to sit back and watch the world burn so I found a job that allowed me to be to myself most of the time. I ran a free lance business building and doing construction work. My father loathed that was the direction I took and never missed an opportunity to tell me. Jet on the other hand always got praise for his 9-5 job working as an assistant CEO of a large traveling agency.

“How’s work for you?” Kenna asked butting into our conversation. Typical Kenna.

“None of your business,” I retorted and Zachary gave me that smirk again.

“Oh..okay then,” Kenna said and dropped it. Were my eyes and ears deceiving me?! She actually didn’t try to pester me for more information.

“Jasper’s currently helping out with a new build up near the Art District.” I glared at Zachary. Kenna’s eyes lit up and it near stunned me. Why did her eyes have to be so breathtakingly beautiful?

“That’s amazing! Amelia had mentioned you started your own business. Good for you!” I coughed at the praise, not wanting to admit that it made me feel seen. That I wasn’t a f**k up and did something right for once.

“Owning a business for hard work labor doesn’t seem to be anything new,” my father said. Of course he had to say that, implying that I was no better than those businesses that came door to door trying to offer their landscaping services.

“On the contrary Mr. Calidan, I think it’s rather inspiring. Owning a business takes perserverance and dedication. I’ve always wanted to do something like that.” Kenna’s soft voice in response to my father’s comment caught me off guard. How she had deflected his insult was….new. Normally she would have attempted to change the topic in that annoying loud way she always has.

“Jet, why don’t you tell Kenna what you’ve been up to,” my father said gruffly. His way of attempting to avoid the topic and conflict if he continued the path he was going. Jet happily started filling Kenna in and I turned back to Zachary.

“You wanna go get some beers this weekend? We can go down to Don’s bar.”

“Sure, that sounds nice. I don’t know that last time I had a chance to relax.” He glanced at Amelia and so did I. She was smiling with a weird glint in her eye.

“That’s perfect. Kenna and I could tag along and go to a club then.” Amelia was the down to earth, chill eldest child of the Hawthorns but she was known from time to time to poke her nose in others business. I narrowed my eyes at her and she retained the cool smile on her lips.

“I don’t remember inviting you,” I said. She snorted.

“You don’t need to invite me. We’re not going to the same bar as you. We’re just catching a ride.” Zachary chuckled.

“I forgot how much Amelia could get under your skin. s**t-”

“Language!” my mother admonished and Zachary quickly apologized.

“As I was saying. It’s been a long time since we’ve got together so it will be nice.” I noticed he didn’t mention inviting Jet. But that made sense. Jet never really did anything with us. It had always been Amelia, Zachary and I and of course Kenna inserting herself in whatever activity we had decided to do. I chanced another glance at her and noticed she was still listening to Jet prattle on about all his accolades. Interesting.

“Alright, fine,” I sighed, looking back to Amelia and Zachary. “Be ready by 8:00 tomorrow night and if you’re even one minute late, we’re leaving without you.” She held up her hands in mock surrender and then we all went back to making small talk and eating dinner. The whole time I was very aware of Kenna and I didn’t like that.