Can’t Win Me Back

Xavier was confused.

He caught the tie bar in his hands and asked, " What's this, Mr. Beckett?" Jasper closed his eyes to rest.

He tugged at his tie knot but still felt suffocated.

"It was from Sheryl,"' he answered.

Xavier let out a cry.

"This filthy thing is from that wild woman? I don't want it!" With a disgusted look on his face, Xavier hurled the tie bar aside.

" I'm already seeing someone.

I don't want my girlfriend to misunderstand me." "Girlfriend?" "Yeah, Mr. Beckett.

Maggie is my girlfriend." With his eyes closed, Jasper frowned.

"She's become of age?" Xavier didn't know how he should react.

"She's already in university, Mr. Beckett.

Am I that much of an animal in your eyes?" Suddenly, the memory of himself and Alyssa rescuing Maggie flashed through Jasper's mind.

Just then, Xavier exclaimed in surprise, "Mr. Beckett, look!" Jasper opened his eyes slowly, and his heart jolted.

Standing alone before his car was Alyssa, framed against the piercing headlights, snow swirling around her.

tossed her dark hair, and she looked almost fragile as if the wind

Jasper stepped out of the

Mr. Beckett." Alyssa smiled slightly

at her face, which had turned red from the cold, he could tell that she had

opened his mouth to speak but

was a slight bitterness at the back of

remembered that she was someone who

use his hands as her source of heat; his hands kept her warm regardless of

any words of

she

softly asked, "Mr. Beckett, do you have time

in

was very

speech sounded

sensible

made space for this pair of ex-lovers to spend time together by getting out of the

tomorrow," Alyssa spoke up first to break the awkward

looked

He gulped silently.

didn't need any gifts when Alyssa surprised him with her next

remember what you promised

in a low, deep voice,

for you to keep your promise." "Then, it's time for you to fulfill that promise."

want you to go on a hike with me tomorrow at 3:00 p.m."

his eyes and asked, "A hike? Where?" "At