Page 94 of A Dream for Daphne

Aster snorted. “Yep. They will never change.”

“I hear your mother is in town,” Raine said. “My mother knew her.”

“She’s here for another week,” he said. “And staying at my house. Now I know why she wanted to kick me out when I stayed with her for almost two months. She said I was driving her insane and moving things around. She’s doing the same to me.”

Daphne laughed. “You didn’t tell me that,” she said.

“It’s not like I’m going to tell her no. It was her house first. It might be mine now, but I’ll always think of it as hers.”

At least his mother liked the changes that had been done outside.

The new walkway, the fire pit in the back, the plants and flowers he and Easton had done in the spring. Or more that Easton had done.

“Which I find sweet,” Daphne said. “Aster, I made you a chocolate peanut butter pie. It’s all Raine would let me do.”

“She’s not letting me do anything either,” Aster said. “I can’t wait to go back to work.”

Abe smiled over the grouchy tone. “We were just talking about this. I said I couldn’t sit still. I’d be going nuts. When it’s slower in the winter, it’s hard for me to find things to do. I mean, I’ve got lots of things in the office, but who the hell wants to sit at a desk?”

“I don’t think any of us are the desk-sitting type,” Daphne said.

“I heard you got your dress for the wedding,” Raine said.

“I did order it last week. I had three styles and colors picked in case what I wanted Emma or Ivy picked, but they hadn’t so I got my first choice. Do you want to see it?”

“Sure,” Raine said.

“I didn’t text you or send it because I wasn’t sure.”

“It’s your choice, but I want you to have what you want.”

“Do you want a beer?” Aster asked him. “Not to be a jerk, but I’m not into dress talking and you and I can take a walk down by the water.”

Raine laughed. “You’re not fooling anyone by being grouchy like that, Aster. I’ll get you both a beer.”

“Raine,” Aster said. “I can get a beer.”

“But your arm is in a sling so how are you going to carry two?”

“My hand works just fine,” Aster argued and rolled his eyes. “I feel like I’m ten.”

“You didn’t get spoiled like this when you were ten,” Daphne said. “When we were hurt or sick we were still fending for ourselves half the time.”

“Tell me about it,” Aster said.

“I’ll get the beer,” Abe said. “Just show me where it is.”

“There are a bunch in the fridge,” Raine said. “Help yourself. Aster will drink anything. Glasses are on the counter. I put them there so Aster didn’t reach up to get them.”

He held his smirk in place.

It was funny in a way how well Raine was taking care of her fiancé and just reminded him that Daphne was the same way.

She was always doing things more out of love and caring than anything else.

Cooking for him. Offering to do his laundry but not taking care of him.

He realized that she wasn’t going to be someone that did that, but rather someone that helped.

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