Page 36 of The Last Lavender Sister

Tyler went for a handful of popcorn, a hint of confusion and misery on her face. “I’ve known Sage my whole life, and he’s a good person. I think he just didn’t know how to reject me properly, so he dropped me instead.”

“And now?”

She seemed lost. “He wants to give things a try. For us to actually date.”

“You deserve the world, Tyler.” Brynn squinted, wanting to wrap Tyler in a protective bubble. “Are you sure he’s the one to give it to you?”

“I honestly don’t know. He’s too afraid of his own damn shadow.” Tyler wiped away a tear that had made its way to her cheeks. “I’d refused to give it any more of my energy. Planned to let him live his life, date several hundred women if he wanted to, and I’d live mine. I’d made peace.”

“And now the door is open,” Brynn said.

“That damn door. I hate the way it swings.”

Seeing them now at the festival, it looked like the door had yet to settle one way or the other. She took out her phone and sent Tyler a text.Let me know if you need backup.She sent another one.Or encouragement.

A few minutes later, a reply came.I’m okay. Just hearing him out. Lots of promises.

She imagined it was a difficult leap for someone like Tyler to make. She’d been hurt, yet she still wanted what she wanted. Tricky. Brynn decided that instead of stalking Aster, or watching out for Tyler, she should focus on the here and now, enjoy her night with Micah.

She made a point to brighten, giving their hands a swing. “Do you want to grab some spiced wine? Maybe sit and people watch?”

“Nah. I think I need to move around, take it all in awhile. Can we people watch later?”

“We can.” Brynn showed Micah her favorite parts of the festival over the next hour, and when they headed back to her place, she did something awful. When Micah’s lips found their way to her neck, she feigned a headache she didn’t actually have. “I probably didn’t drink enough water. I’ll grab a glass now, but go on ahead to bed. I’ll be there in just a minute.”

“All right, babe. I hope you feel better.”

She smiled and waited as Micah retreated to the bedroom. So different from Aster. And she only made the comparison because Aster was fresh in her mind from their run-in. Where Micah was straight and long, Aster was soft with perfect curves. Micah had pursed lips much of the time, thin but very expressive. Aster’s mouth was full and a little pouty. She had that thick dark hair you just wanted to shove your fingers into, while Micah’s was short, red, and generally coiffed to an inch of its life.

In her darkened kitchen, she brought the glass to her lips, the cool water refreshing as it went down. She closed her eyes, touched the sweating glass to her neck, the cold helping bring her down from the heat just that simple train of thought had inspired. She hadn’t had a chance to talk any more with Aster that night, but she was home for a week, and Brynn would make the time. It was that same feeling that came when she couldn’t put down a really good book even though other areas of life called. She placed the glass on the counter and allowed her hand to skim her breast on the outside of her T-shirt.Oh wow. Then she slipped her hand underneath the fabric and caressed the skin from her neck to her breast. She murmured quietly at the powerful sensation and realized it was because ofwhoshe imagined touching her that way. A woman she knew really well, but didn’t at the same time. She wanted to know more of Aster. Intimate details. What was her deepest fear? What did she sound like when she came? That realization struck her hard. She straightened, stepped back, and dropped her hand.

This was not at all the way things were supposed to go.

There was a wonderful woman in her bed right now, and her mind was inexplicably pulled in another direction. Why? She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was tired. It had been a long week, andthat was likely why her thoughts were all over the place, overlapping into areas they had no business.

She stalked back to her bedroom and slid beneath the sheets next to Micah. Aster Lavender, sexy and sweet and intriguing as hell, could not just waltz into town and disrupt all that with an easy smile. She was best left on the shelf, and that was where she would stay.

Decided. She slammed her eyes closed and banished all thoughts. That didn’t mean she was successful…

Chapter Eight

Aster hadn’t anticipated Brynn would have a girlfriend. She should have.

She sat there numb. It had been so naive of her, she realized in retrospect, because Brynn was universally loved, beautiful, and ambitious. Of course she’d be out there dating, not pining away for someone with whom she once spent time. And what did that say about Aster, still hung up on a phantom relationship, holding Brynn to who she was when Aster left town, when she had every right to grow and change along with the rest of the world.

Her green eyes were the same, though. Aster had lost herself in them all over again in just their short exchange. For a few short moments, the world had felt wonderful again as she stood face-to-face with the one person who’d populated her thoughts on an ongoing basis. When the girlfriend had shown up, Aster had plummeted to reality with a thud. Fantasy over. Her stomach had curled up in the most uncomfortable knot, and her chest had seized as if trapped in a painful vise. Anguish had pulsed through her blood as she watched the woman with the short red hair kiss the side of Brynn’s neck with such ownership. Ah, so that’s how things were now. It had been good that Brynn and Micah were talking to each other because Aster’s words were a jumble of black and white nonsense, inaccessible, as she worked overtime to comprehend the scene playing out in front of her.

“When did Brynn get a girlfriend?” she’d asked her sisters a short time later as they watched Ray Summers attempt to shoot ten baskets in sixty seconds in exchange for a giant stuffed whale.

“Oh, right. Micah,” Violet said. Ray missed the first four attempts before finally sinking one. “I meant to tell you. It’s been a few months that they’ve been an item.”

Aster nodded because that would have been helpful information. Not that her sisters knew anything about her feelings or their romantic connection. She’d kept that information to herself. “Good for Brynn.” She didn’t mean it. In fact, her very being loathed the words she’d just spoken, but she minimized her reaction to save a little face. She preferred to nurse her heart quietly.

Marigold nodded in between cheers for Ray, who seemed especially vested in winning that damned whale. Hell, he could buy it for much cheaper at this point. This had to be his fourth turn. “Micah is from Wichita and comes to town to see Brynn several times a week.” Leave it to Marigold to have all the gossip. “They’re quite the couple. Oh, she’s gay. Brynn. Did you know that? Faster, Ray!”

“I did know. Cool.” Bolstering any sort of positive emotion was an uphill battle, so she committed to nonchalance.

They walked on, Aster with her hands shoved into the pockets of her black jacket. She made a point to focus on her sisters and spending time with then, soaking up every second. Together, they shared a few laughs and even grabbed an apple beer to celebrate the season.

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