Prologue
It was a truth universally acknowledged that when a boy turned bad, his schmex appeal suddenly shot up by about eight hundred percent. It was another truth universally acknowledged, that I had a sort of ESP thing going on. And so, when I met Vasper Hale, of course I saw him coming. And I knew, even if he didn't.
The night was dark, and the sky clear, littered with stars. It was quiet, and it was peaceful, and I didn't even turn when I heard his car pull up behind me. the door opened and slammed shut, the sound muffled by the cool breeze.
I still didn't turn around, only closed my eyes and imagined him, hair an unruly mess, dressed in the same tuxedo I had caught fleeting glimpses of tonight.
He cleared his throat, but I still didn't turn around. "You've kept me waiting a long time."
"I'm sorry, ma'am." I wasn't even startled by the baritone, half an octave lower than the one I had been expecting to hear.
"He sent you." I thought it ironic, my boyfriend sending his best friend over.
"Hence the sorry." It was typical of James, to avoid me and right after we'd had a heated conversation about this sort of thing.
I blinked my tears away, looking up to the insanely tall Jasper, my hand held out. "Take me home."
And like the gentleman he was, he took my hand in his warm one, ignoring my sobs as he drove.
It was a truth universally acknowledged that a girl, even one with ESP was blind when she was in love. I was no exception.