first three chapters of book

                                       Chapter one



         "Yes I lost my job. Are you even listening to me?" i whipped back to look at my twin sister.



Of course her sister was too busy checking out her new neighbor mow his lawn across the street.



"Do you SEE that chest?" briana sighed as she turned to look at me. "Okay im sorry, im paying full



attention now. So why did they let you go?" asked briana. " I don't know, they said they had to cut



back on employees or something. I kinda started tuning out after I found out that I no longer had a



job" i replied. "It took me six months to get this job, I don't know what im going to do". Briana moved



toward me and ushered me into the kitchen. "Well im starving so lets go eat. It will make you feel



better", my sister said. i replied "I think i'll just have a cup of tea if you don't mind".

         After briana got everything for tea and scrambled eggs out and everything was made we



both sat at the table. "Your always hungry nowadays. If your not careful your not going to be able to



lose all that weight after the baby comes" I said. Briana was five months pregnant and she had no



idea what her sister was gonna do after the baby was born. The baby's father wasn't around



anymore and her gramma, which briana lived with, couldn't support both of them by herself. "I will



too be able to lose the weight. I have to if I wanna catch our new neighbors attention" she said while



smilling mischeviously. "So who are you going out with these days?" briana asked her. "Oh, I still



hang out with dave here and there" i answered. "Why do you bother with that loser. I mean he wont



even look for a job. Its not like he can take you out on an actual date either" briana said. I glared at



her. She knew she was poking into my business. She also knew how I felt about her poking into my



business. Briana continued as if she didn't see my glare. "I mean what do you see in him? I thought



you didn't wanna get serious with anyone again" my sister said.

         "I don't wanna get into it right now. I don't wanna get serious about anyone, dave and I



aren't serious. And its non of your business what I see in him or anyone else" I stood up abrubtly



and headed for the door. "I'll see you later" I called as I shut the door behind me.

         As I started my car and headed back to my apartment i realized i shouldn't have gotten



so upset. It was hard tho. Why did she need to always bring up my lack of intelligence when it



comes to guys. And my failed marriage was really nothing to talk about. I knew i always picked the



wrong sort of guys. I also knew that even if i met a good guy i wouldn't be good enough for him. I



sighed. Guess tomorrow i'll be job hunting. again.









                                       chapter two



         I woke up to the sound of someone banging on my door. "gah" i said as i rolled out of



bed. I glanced at my alarm clock as I walked toward the front door to my apartment. Seriously? It



was eight am. No one ever came to my apartment I thought as I opened up my door. After seeing



who it was I started closing the door with the intention of going back to bed. Briana stuck her foot



out catching it before it closed and followed me to my room. "you better not be going to bed" she



said as I started to get under the covers. "we have a job fair to go to. it starts in an hour so get



ready" she said while looking pleased with herself.

         After showering and getting ready i grumbled to myself about how rude it was to just



wake someone up at their place without even calling first while making coffee. Briana paced the



floor in the kitchen impatiently. "why are you taking so long?" she asked. "well someone couldn't call



last night and let me know about anything so I didn't know to wake up early and get ready" i



answered sarcastically. "well just hurry up" briana said.

         After two cups of coffee briana dragged me out of my apartment and to the job fair. She



bounced in her seat the whole way there. I could tell she was about to burst with some news she



really wanted to tell me so i deliberatly stayed quiet the whole way there. I was still irritated at being



woken up so early.  "so how did you hear about this job fair?" i asked my sister as we pulled into the



parking lot. A huge smile spread across her face. This was all the opening she needed. "WELL,



after you left yesterday i made some lemonade and took it over to jasper". "whos jasper" i asked



knowing she wanted me to ask questions. "Jasper is my new neighbor. The one was mowing the



lawn yesterday I was gawking at" she replied. "anyways so i went over and introduced myself and



gave him the lemonade. He said he just moved in a week ago, as if I didn't see the movers there,



and that it was just him living there. So im assuming he isn't married and doesn't have kids". I



suppressed a chuckle. She's always excited to meet a new guy. He was rather good looking as i



recalled. not that i got a good look at him. I said as seriously as i could "so i reckon he told you



about this job fair". "oh well kinda" briana answered. "He wasn't very chatty. I figured he was just



shy or tired after all that yard work. So I hinted that i was single and available to hang out whenever.



I asked if he wanted to come over a little later and watch a movie and relax after working so hard.



He said he had plans early this morning so he had to get to bed early". I looked the other way to



hide my grin. Of course she would have asked what he was doing today that he had to get up so



early about. When briana wanted to meet someone she did. and when she wanted to get to know



them better she was relentless. Briana continued with a frown, apparently i didn't hide my grin fast



enough. "he said that he had a job fair to go to. I jumped on that saying you just got fired and was



looking for a job. He didn't seem forthcoming about the details but I weasled it out of him".

         I suddenly gave my sister a good look. Her long red hair was curled, and she was



wearing a          black and white baby doll dress with white leggings. She never dressed up anymore



unless she had the intention of meeting someone. "So this isn't about you helping me find another



job, you want to run into jasper" i said. Now feeling really irritated that i got drugged out of bed this



morning i got out of the car and stomped toward the back of the building where this job fair was



supposed to be. Briana ran to catch up and didn't say anything as we walked. She knew i needed to



cool down.

         "Did you think that maybe he isn't even gonna be here. Maybe he just didn't wanna



hangout with you after all" i said as we joined the crowds behing the building and started walked



past all the stands set up. "why wouldn't he wanna hang out?" she asked. I blatently looked at her,



then at her belly. "Maybe because you look like your gonna burst". "no i didn't think that. So maybe



he just wanted to let me down easy and didn't wanna tell me flat out he didn't wanna go out and hurt



my feelings?" she asked. "you never know" i said. "At least if thats the case he was polite about it.



Most guys see a pregnant girl and all they think about is 'that girls got baggage'" i said. She looked



kinda sad so I hooked my arm through hers and said "lets go find me a job, and maybe we'll run into



this jasper fellow". She smiled and we started through the maze of stands.

         Four and a half hours later we were loaded up with applications and still hadn't seen



jasper. briana said "lets go now, my ankles are killing me". I sighed. I was ready to leave too. "How



about we stop by village inn on the way back, my treat" i offered. "I was just thinkin the same thing,



im starving". "Your always starving" i said as i put my purse and papers into the back seat. "well of



course i am. Im eating for two now" she answered. I shut the backseat door and turned around to



get into the front passanger seat when i bumped someone. Papers went flying while i fell onto the



ground. Well i didn't so much bump someone as i walked right into them. "Sorry" i said while trying



to get up while keeping my legs closed. Man i hated wearing skirts. "Its okay" the man said as he



bent over and offered his hand. With his help I got up and then looked at him. " I should have looked



where i wa-". I was stunned speechless. This man was gorgeous. He had dark shaggy hair and



peircing blue eyes. He was tall. about 6 ft. but built. I could see his muscled chest, shoulders, and



arms through his long sleeved white button up.

         "Hi jasper" briana said while stopping to stand next to me. "I didn't see you in there. How



was the job hunt?" He looked away from me toward briana and I realized i had been staring.



Gawking was probably a better description. I took a step back and went to pick up his papers that



had flew out of his hands when i walked into him to find that a young woman had already retreived



them and now stood next to jasper. "Well my sister is pleased at the job opportunities we found so i



guess it was a success" jasper answered. At this information briana stopped glaring at the girl and



smiled. Jaspers sister put her hand out to briana first then me and said "Hi, im krissy. You must be



briana". Briana looked pleased that krissy had heard of her. Then when i shook her had i said " my



name is lizzie, its nice to meet you". Jasper then put his hand out and shook mine saying "and i am



jasper". His hand engulfed my hand and i shook it quickly then said "well im sorry about running into



you like that. It was terribly clumsy of me". He waved his hand and said "don't worry about it, i wasn't



looking where i was walking either". Briana threw me a glare for hogging his attention and said "can



i invite you both to lunch with us, to make up for my sisters clumsiness? We were just about to



head over to village inn". Jasper looked at me and started to say no thank you but just got to the



thank part when his sister said quickly "we'd love to go. Were both very hungry and it would be a



pleasure to share company with someone other than my serious brother for once". "Great!"



exclaimed briana. "Were going to the one on 59th ave and thunderbird. We'll meet you there!". She



hurried me into the car then got in herself. As she drove away I saw jasper glance at me while



getting into the car then again as he started the car and we pulled out of our spot.

         Briana was instantly gushing on and on about how cute he was and how excited she was



that they were going out. She still counted it as a date even though his sister was the one who had



agreed and that krissy and me were both going as well. I just listened to her ramble on the way to



village inn. It wasn't like i couldn't agree with her. He WAS cute. Very cute. The kind of cute that i



would go for, if my sister hadn't seen and claimed him first. I didn't wanna argue the fact that she



was pregnant and should worry about other things then guys, and that tho i was seeing someone, it



wasn't exclusive and i was interested in him. No. Better just let it be and let her go after him. It was



just as well. I didn't like being the pursuer, but liked being persued.

         "Lizzie, were here. Anyone there?" briana asked. I looked around. I must have tuned her



out while thinking to myself. We were at village inn and she was getting out of the car. She walked



around to my side as i got out and said "sometimes i don't know where you go in that head of



yours". "I just get to thinkin about things. Im sorry" i said. We walked in and told the waitress we



were waiting for two more people. "I wanna sit by him" briana said. "so when they get here and we



take our seats can you walk next to krissy and sit with her on the other side of the booth?" my



sister asked. "Thats fine" i replied. She was already glancing out the doors impatiently as jasper



and krissy walked through.

         We sat at our table and ordered our food. Briana scooted her chair closer to jaspers



and asked what they did for a living. Krissy answered "well my brother here is a well known



architech. He designs museums and art gallories, things of that nature. I am on the other hand



looking for work. Thus the job fair today. I quit my job last month because i was tiring of the fashion



industry. I was a runway model. So now im looking for anything that will peak my interest. What do



you both do"? 

         Briana spoke before i could, which is probably good because i had glanced over at



jasper and he was already looking at me. I put my head down real fast and felt a blush color my



face. "Im not doing anything right now. As you can see", she patted her belly affectionatly, "im



waiting for this little guy to come out and play. And lizzie here just got fired so she's looking for



work".

         Then i felt recovered enough from blushing that i spoke up. "I cant beleive you just quit



being a model to find something else. Most girls would die to have the chance to model and make



that kind of money". Krissy smiled and said "I just wasn't interested in it anymore. And i don't worry



about money. Our family has alot of money. But if your interested I could give your number to a few



people and get you started in the feild". I blushed again. "Thank you for the offer, but i could never



pass as model material. I wish though" I said. Then briana said "yea when we were both younger



we wanted to do that, but you have to be super pretty and skinny to do that. Also you need money



to start out in that career. Not that Lizzie isn't pretty enough, models just need that look that makes



everyone else around them feel inferier and takes their breath away".

         "I think she's beautiful. She takes my breath away" jasper said calmly. Then glanced from



briana to me then to krissy. "Don't you think she could make it sis?" he asked. She instantly replied



"certainly. We'll exchange info before we leave". I could feel briana glaring at me. Thank god the



food got there just then. I was not looking forward to the car ride home. But he thought i was pretty.



No, he said Beautiful. He thought i was beautiful. I mean i did kinda look like his sister. We were



about the same height and weight. Both had blonde hair and clear skin. Her face was definately



prettier than mine though. They must be crazy if they thought i was model material. Maybe bad



eyesight runs in the family. haha. That would make more sense i thought to myself as i started



eating.

         Briana quickly picked up the conversation and she chattered without seeming to stop to



eat all through lunch. How she did it i didn't know, but her food definately disappeared as she talked.



Everytime i glanced up i saw jasper looking at me with speculation. He looked deep in thought. I



knew this was annoying briana to no end because her subtle attempts at flirting became not so



subtle. By the end of the meal she was outright throwing herself at him. When the check came



jasper grabbed it out of my hand. I didn't say anything and briana jumped up and linked arms with



him and walked with him to the cash register. Krissy looked at me sympathetically and said " shes a



feisty one isn't she. Goes after what she wants. I bet its hard to stop her when she gets started on



something". "You have no idea" i replied. We smiled at each other then followed jasper and briana



out to the cars and exchanged numbers.

         When we caught up to them briana was saying "had fun. We should go out again". I



looked at krissy and we shared a smile. I could tell she wanted to burst out laughing just as bad as i



did. It felt like torture trying to stand there seriously while she blatenly went after jasper. Jasper



replied "it was nice seeing you again, and thankyou for inviting us". At this me and krissy stepped



up and she said "yes, thank you for having us. I thoughrouly enjoyed myself. and i'll be calling you



shortly", she said to me. I said " okay i'll look forward to it". I looked at jasper, something i'd begun to



avoid since he always seemed to be looking at me and it made me blush, and said "and it was very



nice to meet you". I quickly got into the car after waving at krissy and sat there thinking about how



much me and krissy had in common. I really did enjoy her company and she seemed to have to



same humor as me. I sat there patienly while briana said good bye again and made a few more



attempts, i assumed, to make plans with jasper.

         Those attempts must have failed, i realized, as she got into the car and didn't say



anything as she headed home. Once we got to my apartment she didn't make a move to get out



and i asked if anything was wrong. "I just don't get it. I was flirting the whole time with him and he



didn't so much as smile at me. But he was eyeing you all thoughout lunch. And as to that part about



him saying your beautiful, don't get me wrong, that was nice. but he had to have been able to tell i



was coming on to him. Thats just plain rude. uh men are jerks" she finally said exasperated. "I



agree with you on that. And beleive me I was just as shocked as you were when he said that" i said



trying to calm her down. "but krissy was very sweet and now you had your chance to talk to him to



find out wether or not you wanted to pursue stalking this guy" i said cheerfully. We both bust out



laughing for a few min then she said "no, i think im done stalking this guy. Such a shame too, he's



sooooooo good looking. Oh well, more fish in the sea I always say. And if they aren't interested in



me then im not interested in them. I'll pick you up at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning and we'll go drop off



applications so make sure to fill them all out tonight". I got out of the car, called bye, and walked to



my apartment with my things.









                                       chapter three



         I woke up with a start. What was that awful buzzing sound? Oh, my alarm clock. It had



been a week since i'd had to use it. I shut it off and staggered half asleep to my shower. I actually



have a photo shoot today. krissy called the day after meeting her, which was a monday, and said



that one of her old photograghers wanted to meet me. I went out that day and the guy actually



signed me that day. I don't know how krissy did it but i was forever thankful to her. I now had a job



seven days a week, just had to show up, get pampered, and pose for pictures, then go home.



Today was my first day. After the shower i had coffee then went in.

         After the shoot i headed over to brianas. I wanted to tell her how it went. I pulled out front



of the house and went inside. She was laying on the couch watchin tv. She looked pale so i asked if



she was feeling okay. "the babies been kicking alot today and i haven't been able to hold anything



down" she said. "im sorry" i answered. "Well i'll just head home and leave you to rest then" i told



her. As i started to reopen the front door she asked "did your first day go good?" "Yes" i replied. "I



absolutely loved it. Its probably the perfect job out there" "Well thats good, I'll call later for more



details okay. Im gonna try to nap now". "okay, feel better" i said then headed back to my car.

         "Hey Lizzie!" someone called. I looked around and spotted krissy. She was standing out



front of jaspers house talking to him. I walked across the street. "Hey guys" I said stopping in front



of them. Jasper, i noticed, was looking good today. He was wearing a tight black shirt that showed



off his muscular chest and tight blue jeans and socks. He made casual look so good. Krissy



noticed me looking him over and when i looked up at her i blushed deep red. "how did your first day



go?" she asked me. Briana would have pointed out the fact that i was checkin jasper out in a



second. I was even more grateful to her. I was embarrased at being caught checkin her brother out



and pointedly made an effort to not look at him again. "It went so well, he said he got all the shots he



needed after only and hour. Thankyou so much for hooking me up with this" i said. She just smiled



and said "dont worry about it. Im glad you enjoy it. Why don't you come in and have a cup of tea. Im



sure jasper wont mind putting up with us for a little while. And you can tell me all about it". We both



looked at jasper and he scowel at his sister. "actually", he said, "i was just about to head over to



marcus's place. But of course i don't mind you guys having a cup of tea here. I'll just go in and get



everthing out". "Oh don't strain yourself, I know my way around your house better than you do. And



i'll lock up when we leave too. Have fun!" at that she gave him a push towards his black sports car



and turned and walked into the house. I followed her chuckling at jaspers startled expression.



Guess he didn't like being told what to do. I sat in the kitchen while krissy bustled around the kitchen



making tea. "You don't mind chai do you? Thats all jasper buys" krissy informed me. "Not at all,



actually its my favorate" i admitted. "Really now, hmm" krissy stated. "well im more of and earl grey



girl myself". Smiling she put down my cup of tea and went to sit across from me.

         I told her everything that happened today at work and then we moved onto other topics.



She asked about my family and i told her i had another little sister and a little brother. She said



besides jasper she had two other brothers. One was the marcus guy where jasper was at now.



After a while we ended up laughing about briana and her tactics with guys. Krissy revealed that



while jasper got the hint he wasn't interested in her. "Thats okay" i assured her, "she's a strong girl.



She noticed his lack of attention and has already called it quits". "So" krissy started, "hows your



love life?" she asked. 

         "pretty pathetic" i answered. "I got married at eighteen and we separated at nineteen.



The divorce was finalized at twenty". I went on to tell her all the details of his drug problem and my



latter relationships. "These last two months i've been seeing dave. I don't know why i bother tho, he



doesn't work or have any goals. Actually I haven't seen him in two weeks and have only talked to



him twice. He goes out alot". "Are you guys serious? Are you guys exclusive?" she asked. "No and



no" I answered. "Thats probably a good thing then, if he goes out alot and doesn't even call to talk



let alone wanna see you more" she pointed out. "Yes, I suppose your right. I just wish there was a



guy out there who had his head on straight, was responsible, and was interested in me" i confided.



"oh, there is. You just don't know it yet" she said with a mischevious grin spreading across her



face.

         Just then we heard the front door open. We both turned to see Jasper and someone



else walk around the corner into the kitchen. "Hi marcus" krissy said. "Hi yourself" he answered



then turned and looked at me. "Hi, im marcus, krissy and jaspers brother". "Hi, im lizzie" i replied



and shook the hand he offered. "I didn't expect you to still be here" jasper said to krissy. "oh yes



you did" replied krissy. I looked at my cell phone. What! It was already 8 p.m. I litterally spent all day



here chatting with krissy. "wow, i didn't realize it was so late. I gotta work tomorrow. Thank you for



the tea and talk. I had a good time" i told krissy. "No, thank you. It was nice to relax and have some



girl talk" she told me. I looked at jasper and said "it was nice seeing you again," then turned to



marcus "and it was nice meeting you". "Oh no," marcus replied, "the pleasure is all mine".

         I wasn't sure but it looked like jasper gritted his teeth at marcus's comment. I walked past



throwing over my shoulder a "see you guys later" and headed to the front door. As i opened the



front door i heard footsteps behind me and heard krissy tell someone to stay there with her. I really



hoped it was jasper following me out. Though with her luck he was probably going to ask her about



briana. "so" the velvet voice said, "did you have fun with krissy today?" he asked. I turned around



and looked at him. Man he really was gorgeous. I wonder if he has ever done modeling. He



probably has. Im gonna have to tell briana to let me know when he does yard work again so i can



accidently run into him on purpose and see his body half uncovered doing yard work again.

         He was standing on his front steps staring at me and i realized he had asked me a



question. "sorry" i said "what was that?" "I asked if you and krissy had fun today?" oh i thought. He



was just asking if we had fun chilling at his house all day while he wasn't there. "Yes I did. Krissy's



very easy to get along with" i answered. "and sorry for being in your house all day. I didn't realize it



had gotten so late" i appologized. "Oh it no problem. She would have invited you in whether i was



here or not. She even made herself a key for that exact reason" he smiled.

         "Oh" i laughed. "Well thanks again. I'll see you around im sure" i said and started to turn



away. "Actually" he said while walking down the steps, "I was going to see you to your car". I looked



at him surprised. "Th-Thankyou," i stuttered. First i ramble around the guy, now im stuttering? Im



really not used to talking to such good looking guys. Or to be more accurate, them talking to me. He



placed his hand behind my elbow and walked me to my car.

         "I would like to ask your permission to call you sometime and go out" he asked. I just



looked at him. If this was some bad joke set up by briana or something i was going to be royally



pissed. He couldn't seriously be asking me out. Could he? I just looked at him. He waited patiently



while i thought this through. Not seeing how it could be a joke since they don't even talk and his



sister is so nice i finally answered him. "umm, sure". "Good" he said. "Drive safe and have a good



night" he said and walked away. I fumbled with my keys and finally made it into the car. I couldn't



catch my breath the whole way home. By the time I stepped into my apartment I was sure he had



made a mistake. The best looking guy I had ever seen, including on tv, just asked me out on a date.



I went to bed contemplating all the reasons he could have for wanted to take me out.