Page 103 of Holding Her Heart

“Are you sure? It’s just that I’ve been thinking about it lately. I’m not sure how Aster feels about it, and it’s not something I desperately crave, but I think it could be something to consider bringing up. She’s never mentioned it, but I know how much family means to her. I’d…like to be a family with her.”

Blair smiled, a tear slipping down her cheek. “I think that’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.”

“I won’t get my hopes up, but I wanted to run it by you first. See what you thought.”

“I think…” Blair paused as she turned in her seat and took Eden’s face in her hands. “That you would be a wonderful mum. You’ve got the biggest heart of anyone I know, Eden. Use it. Fill it with as much love as you possibly can. Tomorrow is never promised…be happy.”

Eden closed her eyes when tears threatened to fall. The last thing she needed was to ruin her makeup; she’d managed to keep it together all day. “Thank you,” Eden whispered, her hand settling against Blair’s. “For cheering me on. For encouraging me. I know it didn’t quite go to plan in the beginning, but without you, I wouldn’t have told Aster how I felt.”

“Sometimes we just need a little push in the right direction.” Blair replaced the hand on Eden’s cheek with her lips, and then she wrapped Eden up in a strong embrace. “Now, the first dance is about to begin, so I should go and find my wife. While you go and find the one who will be yours one day…”

Eden watched Blair climb to her feet, squaring her shoulders as she did so. And then she caught Aster’s eyes again as her girlfriend rested against a pillar across the room from her. The love Aster’s dark eyes held took Eden’s breath away, the sheer thought of spending her life with this woman turning her entire body to jelly. Aster Bennett…the love of her life.

* * *

Aster was ready to head for their room. It was after eleven, everything was winding down, and Eden looked dead on her feet. Right now, they needed to relax. And by relax, Aster meant that Eden needed to lie on the bed while she undressed her slowly. Grinning at that thought, she left the table she’d been sitting at for the last twenty minutes and approached her girlfriend.

“Hi.” Eden’s eyes lit up. “You look tired.”

“I am. You ready to head back to our cabin?”

“Absolutely. Let me find Blair and say goodnight.” Eden took Aster’s hand. “Come with me?”

Oh, Aster would follow Eden to the ends of the earth.

Blair spun around when Eden called her name, smiling as her eyes landed on their entwined hands. “You know, I’ll never get tired of seeing you two looking so fucking gorgeous together.”

Aster lowered her eyes, heat creeping up her neck. This hadn’t been in her future, the idea of her settled down and happy, but here she was…ready to fall to her knees for anything Eden wanted.

“We’re heading back to our cabin. We’ll see you in the morning for breakfast, okay?”

Blair’s face fell. “Um, excuse me?”

“As much as I’ve loved this day, your wedding is over, Blair.”

“It’s not over until you do the one thing you promised me you’d do.” Blair paused, frowning. “Seventeen years ago.”

“I…don’t remember what I promised you seventeen years ago. I’ve slept since then, Blair.”

Aster was suddenly intrigued. “What did she promise you?”

“Dina Carroll?” Blair arched an eyebrow, and then she stared Eden down. “You told me, when I came out to you during my marriage to Barrett, that when I found my one true love, you’d sing it at my wedding.”

Aster’s world lit up. She would never tire of hearing Eden’s voice, and tonight, after so much love throughout the day, it would be the perfect ending to this gorgeous occasion. “Oh, she did now?”

“I don’t remember that.” Eden held up her hands. “And if I did say it, this is the first time you’ve brought it up since then.”

“Please…”

“No can do. I’m not a wedding singer. I’m just…me.”

“No, you’re not a wedding singer,” Aster said as she wrapped an arm around Eden’s waist. “But you have one hell of a voice, and I’d love to hear it again.”

Eden shook her head and lowered her eyes.

“Oh, come on. This is the greatest gift you could ever give me, Edes. For me, please.” Blair stuck out her bottom lip. “And Aster.”

“Fine.” Eden puffed out her cheeks as she wrung her hands. “The things I have to do for the pair of you.”

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