John couldn't get out of his empty apartment fast enough. He found Jasper in the backyard of the Manor House early the next morning.
"Hey, how's it going? Did everyone settle in okay last night?" John asked as he approached. The Autumn leaves crunched under his feet as he walked.
Jasper turned to face him. "Oh, hi! You know, I thought the kids would be upset or have a hard time, but as far as Olivia and I can tell, they did fine. It probably helped that Lacey spent the night."
"That's great," John said. He tried to sound enthusiastic but he knew his voice had come off a bit flat.
"What's going on?" Jasper asked.
"I wanted to ask you about something... someone, I mean. Constance Shelley. She said she works with you."
"Hey, how's it going? Did everyone settle in okay last night?" John asked as he approached. The Autumn leaves crunched under his feet as he walked.
Jasper turned to face him. "Oh, hi! You know, I thought the kids would be upset or have a hard time, but as far as Olivia and I can tell, they did fine. It probably helped that Lacey spent the night."
"That's great," John said. He tried to sound enthusiastic but he knew his voice had come off a bit flat.
"What's going on?" Jasper asked.
"I wanted to ask you about something... someone, I mean. Constance Shelley. She said she works with you."
Jasper couldn't hide the grin on his face. "You and Constance? Are you seeing her?"
John's lips drew into a tight line. "Is there something bad about that?"
"No!" Jasper said quickly as he realized how he had sounded. "If you're asking me if she's 'okay,' the answer is yes, as far as I know. Actually, she's really nice. And unattached."
John let out a small sigh of relief. "She told me she was a freelance journalist from Sunlit Tides before being hired at the paper."
Jasper nodded. "That's right. I met her right after she came on. She lives in a small apartment downtown and doesn't really know anyone except for her colleagues. And you, I guess."
"She said she's never been married or had kids."
"I know you've had a rough time, but honestly, I wouldn't be suspicious of her. She's pretty straight and narrow as far as I can tell, so I'm sure she's told you the truth."
John's lips drew into a tight line. "Is there something bad about that?"
"No!" Jasper said quickly as he realized how he had sounded. "If you're asking me if she's 'okay,' the answer is yes, as far as I know. Actually, she's really nice. And unattached."
John let out a small sigh of relief. "She told me she was a freelance journalist from Sunlit Tides before being hired at the paper."
Jasper nodded. "That's right. I met her right after she came on. She lives in a small apartment downtown and doesn't really know anyone except for her colleagues. And you, I guess."
"She said she's never been married or had kids."
"I know you've had a rough time, but honestly, I wouldn't be suspicious of her. She's pretty straight and narrow as far as I can tell, so I'm sure she's told you the truth."