Jasper wasn't sure what he had gotten himself into.

He continued mulling it over as he went home the next morning to shower and change into his work uniform, still thinking as he buttoned his shirt (leaving the top one alone because he didn't like the choking feeling it emulated) and zipping up his khaki shorts. He must've still had his thinking face on because Constance clocked it as he walked into the kitchen for a water bottle since he was going back over to the Fisher house for breakfast.

"What's got you looking like The Thinker this early in the morning?" Constance asked behind her cup of coffee.

"I made a bet with the neighbor Jeremiah," Jasper answered, short and sweet. That seemed to have piqued Constance's interest as she raised her eyebrows and asked, "Oh yeah? What was the bet?"

"That depends on your opinion on summer flings."

"Well, as long as you both know that it's gonna end and you two don't wind up having feelings for each other, no harm, no foul? But if the bet involves sex then we need to have a talk."

Jasper frowned. "I thought I already got the talk last year. I vividly remember the PowerPoint presentation you made for the 'auspicious occasion'."

"There's nothing wrong with a refresher course."

"Thank you, Mom."

"At least hope he keeps a box of condoms in his nightstand."

"Okay, that's enough."

Working at the country club with Jeremiah in close proximity was turning Jasper into a bundle of nerves. As able as he was to focus on tending to the customers, he could see the curly-headed lifeguard from where he was standing behind the snack bar. And when he would sometimes be caught by Jeremiah after staring too long, all Jeremiah would do in response was make a kissy face before going back to his post in the chair, which would then make Jasper's stomach drop six feet, making him remember what he got himself into. It was only a few more days until the start of July, so Jasper had a few moments to mentally prepare himself.

During his break, Jasper went over to the pool, a green smoothie in one hand, and a plate with a sandwich on it in the other.

"Hey, manwhore," Jasper greeted Jeremiah as he sat on the diving block, handing over the smoothie. Jeremiah took it graciously, responding with, "Thanks, virgin."

"A virgin in theory, since virginity is a concept and a social construct. I am simply a celibate."

"So my being a manwhore is also a concept considering that having a body count is also a social construct."

Jasper snorted at that around a mouthful of his sandwich. After swallowing, he quipped, "Does your body count meter also reset back to zero like how the dad from Matilda fucked with the odometer before selling the cars? You're just rolling your manwhore mileage back?"

Jeremiah rolled his eyes, laughing however. "You keep talking like that, JJ, and you'll end up in the pool."

"You wouldn't." Jasper reconsidered moving from the diving block and into a chaise but also knowing that Jeremiah wouldn't actually push him into the pool (at least not while on the job), he decided to stay put and continue eating his sandwich.

"I'm afraid you don't know me well enough to figure that out by yourself but are you willing to test that theory?" Jeremiah leaned forward in his lifeguard chair, a mischievous smirk lining his lips.

Jasper checked his wrist (which funnily enough didn't have his watch on) and stage-gasped. "Uh, I think it's actually time for me to head back to work. I'll see you later, Jere." With that, Jeremiah winked at him and sent him on his way. The feeling of Jasper's stomach dropping six feet came back, almost making his knees give way as he got off the diving block to stand and go back to his spot behind the snack bar.

It was almost intimidating, being under Jeremiah's piercing gaze whenever he was mildly serious about something. Not that Jasper could tell if he was even serious about the bet, but he looked different that moment. It'd be farfetched to say that the look haunted him all throughout his shift, but it did pop up in between moments when Jasper had time to think to himself. He also wasn't sure if he could actually call what they were doing a bet. It felt as though it were a contingency, more or less; something hung up in the air without a precise end goal in sight. Neither one was getting anything out of it, besides a kiss or two and the occasional sleepover, so Jasper wasn't sure what it could lead to.

With some convincing from Jeremiah (who was still nice enough to drive them both to and from the country club even though Jasper could take his mom's car), they stopped at a fancy little grocery store that Jeremiah pointed out that Susannah likes to shop at.

Day by day, the food in Jasper's fridge would quickly dwindle as he only really cooked enough for both him and his mom and it was slowly driving him crazy eating the same thing every night so he made a quick pit stop to the store for something different.

"You know, you can always come and cook at our place. I'm sure your mom wouldn't mind eating over there, too," Jeremiah suggested as Jasper picked up a basket from the pile, knowing that he'd need it.

"Which is very sweet and all, but what about the times that we want to stay home that night? The fridge would still be empty. Think about that," Jasper retorted jokingly before he started perusing the aisles, Jeremiah trailing next to him. 

"You know Susannah makes more than enough food that constitutes leftovers that last a week." Jeremiah tossed a box of fruit snacks into the basket, Jasper raising an eyebrow at him. Jeremiah shrugged. "What? You're holding the basket."

Jasper rolled his eyes and kept on, but he couldn't help to note how. . .domestic this grocery trip was. Honestly, he wouldn't have thought twice about it if the two of them were grabbing snacks for another movie night, but he was here actually picking out vegetables for dinner. Given that the dinner was for him and his mom, but Jeremiah was here instead of her, not really adding on to the domesticity of the activity in and of itself, but making it feel like the two were heading in a different direction—and the inherent bet hadn't even started yet.

When Jasper found everything he needed, he checked everything out, reaching for the box of fruit snacks before Jeremiah stopped him. "Don't worry about those," he said to Jasper, "I got it."

"It's the least I can do," Jasper responded, "you chauffeur me around in your Jeep which I know is a gas guzzler."

"Yeah, because I want to. Let go of the fruit snacks."

Reluctantly, Jasper let go and continued checking out what was left in the basket and the two left when everything was bagged up and paid for, and headed back to Jasper's house. Inside, Jasper could hear the clacking sound of Constance's keyboard as she typed away at her novel, only stopping momentarily to take a sip of her tea.

"Hey, take your shoes off," Jasper warned Jeremiah when he saw Jeremiah walk into the kitchen still wearing his sneakers. "Your house may not have that rule but we do."

"You know, bossiness is a real turn off." Jeremiah turned to head back into the foyer and take off his sneakers, as per Jasper's request.

"I thought you liked the idea of being pushed around," Jasper smirked as Jeremiah came back into the kitchen.

"Yeah, by the person I'm actually in bed with. With you, it's just tension and it isn't even July yet."

"That's what you get for giving yourself blue balls, dude." Jasper opened the fridge, conveniently blocking Jeremiah from his sight as he put away the vegetables and chicken.

"What's this about blue balls?" Constance's voice carried into the kitchen as she walked in, no doubt getting a tea refill.

Jasper smiled, hearing his mom come out of her writing cave. "Mom, this is Jeremiah. The nieghbor we met when we first got here. I also see you finally got out of your cave."

"Only to get more tea, JJ. Nice seeing you again, Jeremiah." Constance lifted her empty mug.

"Mom, please tell me you also leave the house between writing sessions. I know you're here to work on the book, but I also don't want you glued to the desk chair losing your mind while you stare at your computer screen."

Constance nodded tiredly. "Yes, Dad, I'm going outside and getting my good fill of vitamin D."

"Is that a—" Jeremiah started but was cut off by Constance with a simple, "I'm a lesbian, bud."

Jeremiah nodded, simply shutting up after. Constance then noticed the leftover bags on the counter and groaned. "Please don't tell me you spent your summer job money on groceries."

All Jasper did was shrug. "Sorry, Mom. I felt like cooking."

"Fine, but we're going out tomorrow night. Oh, and clear your schedule on July twelfth since that's when Barnes and Noble is holding my book signing." Constance went to the counter to reach the electric kettle and pour more hot water into her mug and replace her tea bag with another one.

"And you both can clear your schedule on the fourth since my mom is having a big Fourth of July party," Jeremiah piped up, smiling, eyebrows up to his forehead in happiness. "And I put on a killer firework show, it's gonna be awesome!"

Constance nodded, taking a sip from her mug. "I will see you both then. Until then, I must away to my cave."

Jeremiah smiled. "Now I see where you get your dry-ass humor from."

"Shuddup and help me load everything else into the fridge."