Is this destiny?

"You guys are having a late breakfast.", Ellie commented when she came to the dining room with Jasper and found Tom and Brian seated at the table.

"Good morning, Queen.", Brian responded and nodded in greeting to Jasper while doing his best not to think about his three beloved Calvins which are lost. Forever. "This is our second breakfast."

Brian\'s last sentence made Ellie and Jasper exchange looks which screamed that two of them were naughty. Neither of them tried suppressing smiles, that was impossible to do. 

Tom had difficulty lifting the gaze from his coffee.

Ellie didn\'t want to call him out, but Jasper had no problems saying cheerfully: "Good morning, Tom."

"Morning…", Tom mumbled in response and that earned him an elbow nudge from Brian.

"Ignore him.", Brian awkwardly said. "He has some issues of his own."

"Sorry to hear that." Jasper said lazily while putting Ellie\'s favorite pastries in her plate at the buffet-style table. He gave a side-glance to Tom. "Let me know if you need help getting over it… the issues."

Ellie was about to nudge Jasper with her elbow, but he pulled her in his embrace.

"There, there. Watch your balance.", Jasper pretended that he didn\'t notice her intention. Instead of him getting reprimanded by Ellie, he transformed it into him supporting her.

"Are your legs still weak?", he whispered into her ear.

Ellie looked at him almost angrily but a second later gave up and buried her face in his chest to hide her embarrassment.

Jasper chuckled and kissed top of her head before pulling a chair for her to sit.

Tom didn\'t stay long. Their public display of affection is too much for him to handle. After less than a minute he excused himself. He was unable to look at Ellie, especially not with Jasper always sticking to her. The image of Ellie and Jasper making out in the bed from that morning was replying in his mind. Unsettling. And the fact that Jasper is wearing one of latest Ellie\'s creations made Tom\'s blood boil.

Brian rolled his eyes internally, but he could not say anything to Tom, not in front of Ellie. In any case, with Tom away, the whole atmosphere was less uncomfortable for Brian.

Ellie and Jasper didn\'t seem to be affected by Tom\'s mood. Well, Ellie was concerned about Tom, but she feared that if she shows it, he will interepret it in a wrong way and get his hopes up.

"Do you have plans for today?" Brian tried to strike a conversation with Jasper.

Jasper shrugged. "Whatever Ellie wants. My calendar is free."

Both Jasper and Brian looked at Ellie who traced the edge of a coffee cup with her index finger.

Ellie clearly remembers when Norman said how next Saturday (today) there is a party at their home. And he told Jasper something like: \'If you are not hiding her, then bring her to our party.\'

Old man was definitely hinting that Ellie is not worthy and that Jasper is ashamed of her. Ellie knows that Norman looked down on her and wish to confront him surged forth. Her resolve is strengthened with knowledge that he is suppressing Jasper and that she secured majority votes for Jasper (and Norman still does not know that)… this will be a good chance to rock the boat.

After an endless minute she looked at Jasper. "You owe me a party. With rich people present."

Jasper understood that she is referring to the event from last night which she missed because of him.

"When I find one, you are invited.", Jasper responded with a charming smile. He thought that if it\'s a party she wants to go to, he can find several within minutes. He got his phone with intention to check his emails… there are always few party invites waiting for him. "It\'s weekend, I\'m sure there is something happening. Let\'s see if there is any that interests you..."

Ellie tilted her head and placed her hand over his phone. "But there IS one that interests me. Today."

Jasper\'s smile disappeared when he realized that she is hinting at the party in his family home. "What? You don\'t mean…?"

Ellie smiled. "If I remember correctly, I am invited."

Jasper frowned. "No, Ellie. Going there is asking for trouble."

Ellie\'s smile widened. If Jasper knew that she wants to create trouble, he would probably try to prevent her from going even more. "What trouble? It\'s Burr Ridge neighborhood. Good for business."

Ellie saw that Jasper\'s frown is not easing up and decided to keep on pushing. "Do you think that your father will make a scene in his own home in front of people? Or do you doubt that I can handle Lily?"

Jasper thought about it and had to agree that Norman will not do anything to disrupt the event at their home. He always worried about his image. But Lily might be a problem. She is crazy and unpredictable.

At the same time, Jasper does not want Ellie to think that he is hiding their relationship from anyone.

"Are you sure about Lily?", Jasper asked reluctantly.

"Who is Lily?", Brian could not contain his curiosity.

"She is interested in Jasper.", Ellie explained without any details.

Brian pursed his lips. "Socialite?" Based on how much Brian knows about Jasper, he knew that his guess can\'t be too far off from the truth.

Ellie responded with a playful smirk.

"I wish I can be there and see how you wipe the floor with her, my Queen.", Brian mused. "But I should stay here and help Tom lick his wounds."

Ellie looked at Brian and laughed. "Such an inappropriate analogy."

Brian threw a half-eaten croissant at Ellie which she almost caught, but it bounced off from her palm.

"I didn\'t mean that I will lick him literally! Hmph!", Brian protested.

"Don\'t throw the food away!" Ellie looked at the floor in the direction where croissant-projectile bounced off.

Brian made a face. "I told you to get a dog. If you have one, the dog would eat it and there would be no wasted food."

Ellie laughed. "You are the one throwing food. You get a dog!"

"Really? If I get a dog I can bring it here?", Brian\'s eyes sparkled.

"No.", Ellie flatly responded. "Dogs are not meant to exist for the sole purpose of eating your leftovers. And you are not disciplined enough to own one. Don\'t bring an animal in this house with an intention that my staff takes care of it."

Jasper observed interaction between Ellie and Brian while thinking about the party that Ellie wants to go to. Sure, Norman will probably not make a scene, but he will not make Ellie feel welcome either. Even if Norman has nothing against Ellie, he will make it hard on her just to spite Jasper because he refused to be friendly with Lily. And Lily might do something crazy, like push Ellie into the pool, or spill a drink on her, or who knows what… Also, his mother, Melissa will be there, and he still does not know what she thinks about all this: Jasper having a woman in his life, or however Norman and Lily framed it. Ugh… Norman and Lily. Neither of them probably said anything good.

He needs to stick close to Ellie and not leave her side. Because it seems that Ellie is really set on going there.

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