Jasper’s room was on the top floor, at the end of a narrow hallway that snaked its way around, vintage wall sconces and dark colors making me feel like we were in some old and musty castle. The lock, however, was the newer kind and Jasper used his key card to let us in to a little room. It wasn’t that much bigger than mine, but size was the only similarity. Color was everywhere—bedding advertising a popular movie franchise, a mountain of pillows, an overflowing bookcase, and tons of posters for Odyssey and other games and movies.

“No comments on my superhero bedding.” His laugh lacked some of his usual certainty.

“Nah. I dig it. I was going to say that your room is way neater than I expected.” I toed my shoes off, leaving them next to his by the door. I liked how they looked lined up together.

“Tell that to my mom.” A pink stain spread up his neck. “And…uh…I might have cleaned up some this morning.”

“You were planning?” Maybe there was hope for more kissing after all.

“Not planning. But I figured I’d show you the place at some point.” Jasper shrugged, his deliberately casual tone as hard to read as his flushed face. Giving up on trying to figure him out, I returned to studying the space, gaze landing on one of the many pieces of paper on the giant corkboard over his desk.

“You kept my Neptune drawing?”

“Well, duh. It’s good. It might be a collector’s item someday.”

“Thanks.” The amount of faith he had in my talent was almost enough to make me think something could actually come of my doodling. I pulled my mini sketchbook out of my coat pocket. “You…uh…want to see what I was working on while I waited for you?”

“Of course. And give me your coat.” Jasper threw both our coats on his desk chair while I found the right page. Returning to my side, he peered over my shoulder. “It’s the Frog Wizard! In a tux with tails?”

“I was thinking about the costume ball,” I admitted. I’d drawn the wizard with the mask on and amphibian features. No way was I ready for Jasper to see how I drew him. “I figured he’d wear one of those old-fashioned tuxedos, like on the Titanic or something. Definitely the tails and a bow tie.”

“Hmm. Maybe Kellan can rig me a tie for the occasion. Can I show him the drawing? Please?”