Page 33 of The Last Lavender Sister

She dreamed about Brynn. Reminisced a lot, especially on the harder days. She missed her smile and easygoing company. The care she took with the animals she treated. The way she smelled. The way she kissed. All of it.

They hadn’t talked except for a few early text exchanges after the move. Perhaps some unspoken agreement that it was easier that way. A clean parting. While Aster wasn’t on social media, she’d heard from her family that Brynn hadn’t left Homer’s Bluff when it had been time for Tyler to return. Instead, the two had gone into practice together. Formed a partnership. And though Aster wasn’t a huge fan of the slower pace of Homer’s Bluff, the idea of two of her favorite people working side-by-side there made her really happy.

“Look at you,” Nora said, joining Aster as she leaned against the car. She poked Aster in the ribs. “You’ve got that faraway look in your eye again.”

“Just thinking about next week when I head home.”

“It’s been a while for you, hasn’t it?”

Aster nodded. “Over a year. I miss my family. My mom. It’ll be good to see them in person and not on a screen.” She exhaled. “It will also be strange.” She pulled her shoulders to her ears. “I don’t feel like the same person who left that town. So much has happened for me.”

“Well, you’re a rock star now. Everyone who encounters you thinks so.”

That made her feel good. “I feel like I’ve changed a lot.”

Nora nodded. “I’ve seen it. You’re more confident now. More talkative, too.”

Aster shrugged. “I think that’s it. This place makes me feel like I’m, I don’t know, somebody.”

Nora’s eyes met hers. “Trust me when I say that you are. Your family is going to love all the new parts of you if that’s what you’re worried about. And after fall break, you’ll be back here with me, refreshed and good as new.” Nora took Aster’s hand and laced their fingers together. Aster smiled down at the gesture, a little surprised, a little not.

“That’s new.”

Nora grinned proudly. “I’m taking a few liberties these days. You don’t seem like the type who makes moves.” Aster inclined her head from side to side, only halfway agreeing with the declaration.Nora straightened and faced her. “Another liberty coming at ya. I was thinking that maybe when we get back from the break, we could steal a weekend off and head to Provincetown. Spend some time together alone.”

“Friend time?” Aster raised an eyebrow, trying to understand the nature of the trip. “Or…”

“Any kind of time. We can play it by ear. We’ll eat some really great lobster in butter, stare out at the water, and do a little window-shopping. No requirements, only options.”

Aster had never been to Provincetown, but she’d been dying to check it out. “Yeah. Okay. That could be a worthwhile getaway.”

“Only you would categorize it with those words.” Nora shook her head with affection.

“But I have to be honest, I don’t know where my head is at in terms of romance. I have some things to sort out in that department.”

Nora nodded, pensive. “Some things or someone?”

Aster covered her eyes with both hands and held them in silence for a beat. Finally, she let them drop. “Both.”

Nora wasn’t deterred. “Tell you what. I’ll book it. A two-bedroom. Totally platonic.” She squeezed Aster’s hand and hopped in the car. Aster hesitated a moment, feeling light and heavy at the same time. Nora had made it clear that there were no expectations, and that should have relieved some of the pressure. And it did. But was she being a complete idiot about a woman she hadn’t spoken to in a year? She could fall into bed with a beautiful woman in a quaint little town and just enjoy. That wasn’t a bad thing at all.

If only her heart wasn’t anchored to another back home. She had to wonderWhat if?And she had to find out. If for no other reason than what happenedthenwas affecting her lifenow. And it was time to be brave and go after what she wanted.

As they drove back to their shared apartment building, Aster watched the lights of downtown Boston race past in a blur of color and concrete. Quietly, she remembered a pair of green eyes. She’d likely see them soon and had to figure out what she was going to say to Brynn because she couldn’t just sit on what she’d been holding on to for all of these months—her very real feelings and a small kernel of hope that something just might come of them. Brynn hadn’t been in a place to reciprocate, last they’d met. But what about now? Time had passed.She was heading back to Homer’s Bluff the next day for a week, and in that time, she had an important goal. Tell Brynn Garrett that she missed her, thought about her more than she should, and longed more than anything to kiss her again and for a long time after that. She also had to find out if there was any kind of chance that possibly, maybe just a little, Brynn felt the same.

Aster braced against the nervous motion of her stomach at what was ahead. The stakes felt incredibly high. For now, she could take out thoughts of Brynn and turn them over in her mind, relive the little moments between them that had resonated so intensely, and quietly wonder about more. But if Brynn hadn’t thought about Aster since she’d left, if she didn’t feel the same, not only would Aster lose the chance of a future with Brynn, but she’d lose the purity of those memories, too. And she treasured them more than anything. Then what?

“Aster?”

“Yeah?”

Nora stood in front of their building, door open in her hand. “Um, we’re here. You coming? I hear there’s a dog up there waiting for a walk.”

“Yeah. I am.” She shelved her fears, hanging them back up until tomorrow when she’d make the big trek back home, feeling like a different person than the one who’d left. It would be an important day. It would be a good day. She just had a feeling.

* * *

In the quiet of Tuesday morning, Brynn woke slowly to thetuk-tukof a robin in the tree just beyond her bedroom window. She stretched, enjoying the feeling of her muscles pulling pleasantly. A hand on her bare back reminded her that she wasn’t alone this morning. Micah had stayed over, that’s right, and was making herself known.

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