Page 61 of The Last Lavender Sister

“Glad to hear it.” A pause as she gave the dog a once-over, checking his teeth, his ears. “And your sisters?”

He eyed her knowingly. Dammit. “Marigold is looking forward to the baby finally getting here. She can’t wait to be an aunt again. Violet has her hands full with Ethan but is talking about dating again. AndAster”—he met her gaze pointedly—“has been in town for a couple of days now. Getting everything ready for the big restaurant opening. But you likely knew that part. I think word is starting to leak out.”

“I didn’t. No.” She blinked, realizing she’d stopped her exam. “Sorry,” she said, giving her head a shake. The room felt weird, and her face was hot.

Sage nodded. “I’ve been where you’re at. No need to apologize.” It looked like he made a decision. “Tyler told me to stay out of it because I always say the wrong damn thing, but trust me when I tell you that it’s so much better when you’re honest with yourself.” He offered a supportive wink, which she ignored.

She went through the rest of her day feeling like an automaton, numb to the world and splitting her focus between strict work concentration and stealing moments for her brain to absorb the information about Aster. Her world felt rocked. The idea of Aster Lavender back in her sphere made her dizzy.

She went home to her sweet dog, who promptly curled up in the crook of her knee on the couch. Brynn considered picking up the thriller she’d been reading. Maybe it would help take her mind off things. But that only catapulted her back in time to the nights she’d spent at Aster’s place, reading side by side, touching every chance they got, behaving themselves while aching to take things further. Sexual tension oozed from those walls. That, of course, had her remembering the weekend they had in Boston. Flashes from that night overwhelmed. Skin, lips, touches, the sensation of their bodies coming together in a tremble after waiting so long. She tossed the book back onto the coffee table and took a lap around the kitchen, and then another, because what was she supposed to do now?

She was the one who’d pulled away. That part was on her. She had no right to feel anything right now. She had allowed the letters to trail off, always imagining the safe distance between them would act as a buffer. But she had no claim to Homer’s Bluff, and certainly not over Aster who had grown up here. The day she’d held Aster as she cried for the loss of her mother had been a startling wake-up call. She’d spent every day since missing Aster brutally, wondering how she was, and having no right to ask.

“You’re about to find out,” she said quietly and tapped her lips.

If only she wasn’t completely terrified.

* * *

Marilyn’s. Aster stood in the parking lot, watching as the sign in black script was placed by a crane and a team of workers above the building still under renovation.

“Yeah. Perfect,” she said to herself, placing a hand over her heart. She could feel her mother’s presence wash over her in the moment. The restaurant still had a way to go until opening, but slow and steady was the pace Aster preferred. No rushing to meet a lofty deadline. She wanted to do this thing right, and that meant taking her time.

She took a deep breath and let the emotion settle. This was where she was meant to be, and this was what she was meant to be doing. She could feel it in her every inch.

At her lunch with Tyler later that day, she finally found a way to articulate it. “Do you know when you’re really sleeping hard, and the smoke detector starts going off?”

Tyler pointed at her with her fork. She’d ordered a very plain looking salad because her morning sickness wouldn’t allow much flavor in her meals. “That’s my nightmare. When the beeping starts it’s always middle of the night. Satan takes his revenge in small ways.”

“It started going off for me when we lost Mom. It didn’t stop until I was back here. The strangest thing.”

Tyler’s brown eyes softened. “That’s not strange. It’s meant to be. I think we all have moments like that where the fates grab us by the collar and drag us over to our ordained orbit.”

Aster shrugged. “I guess that’s it.” She set down her club sandwich and regarded her friend. “You look great, by the way. Pregnancy is your friend.”

That made Tyler glow all the more. “Thank you. I think I’m one of those rare women who really loves to be pregnant. Also, I have news.”

“Twins?” Aster asked, half serious. She imagined Sage and Tyler miniatures, toddling through Homer’s Bluff.

“Bite your tongue. No. We’re getting married. Did your brother tell you?”

Aster went soft like a puddle of vanilla ice cream. This was a big deal and a long time coming. “You are?” she managed to squeak out.

“Yes.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe we’re actually here,but he stopped being a knuckleheaded man-child, and I dropped my stubbornness-just-for-the-sake-of-punishment, and we’d like both you and Brynn to be in the wedding. You on Sage’s side and Brynn on mine. Is that okay?” She let out a long breath because that was a lot.

Aster tensed and released, imagining that scenario. Her. Brynn. Vows. No. “We’ll be fine.” She’d known coming back to town meant that she’d be tossed into the mix with Brynn, and they’d find a way to muddle through.

“Good. I was really only asking as a gesture because we’re having you both up there no matter what. Are you still in love with her?”

Aster didn’t hesitate. She was past the point of lying to herself. “I’ve probably always been in love with Brynn Garrett, and I likely always will be.”

Tyler’s lips parted. “I was expecting a bigger protest.”

“Why? Because she gives you one when you ask about me?” Tyler closed her mouth and Aster had her answer. “Don’t worry. I don’t have a single delusion about us working it out. The ship has sailed. I think she and I agree on that. Done deal.”

“It’s like Sage and me all over again.” She shook her head as if to say,What a shame.

“Maybe with less of a glorious finale.” She indicated Tyler’s present state with her chin. “But I don’t want you to worry about that wedding.”

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