Page 28 of Holding Her Heart

“I don’t mind it when I’m home alone. You know, if I’m not dating.”

“And does that happen much at all, or?” Eden should have clamped her mouth shut, but verbal diarrhoea was about to commence. “I mean, do you have a partner at the minute? You said you didn’t, but things change.”

“Nope. No girlfriend.”

“Okay, so ordering in works for you when you’re alone.”

“Yep. Absolutely. But if I had a girlfriend, I wouldn’t insult them with takeout. I mean, not regularly. I’d cook dinner. Whatever they wanted. I make some mean Italian dishes, and I’m a dab hand when it comes to putting some tapas together. But that happens very rarely. You know, cooking for someone else…” Aster trailed off, shaking her head. “Sorry. Way too much information.”

Oh, no. That was the perfect amount of information. Eden would love nothing more than to show up at Aster’s, dinner waiting with a glass of wine. God, she really would revel in that. “I asked.”

“But why?”

“Intrigued.”

Aster cleared her throat, the file on the screen coming to life. “Okay, well…now that you know my takeout routine, should we do some work?”

Eden felt a swell of something unfamiliar in her chest. “Y-yes. We should do that.”

9

Aster blew out a deep breath as she knocked on Grace’s front door. She’d driven here tonight with the intention of discussing what was going on with her best friend, but she suddenly felt herself backing out. As she had a few weeks ago. Aster knew this was the perfect time to talk to Grace since Mia wasn’t around to influence anything Grace said about it all, but the thought of laying her feelings bare sent a wave of anxiety through Aster.

It’s only Grace. You’ve been best friends for a long time. She wouldn’t judge you. Aster straightened herself, gripping a bag of popcorn and various other treats in her hand. When the hallway light flickered on, Aster swallowed hard.

The door opened, instantly settling Aster when she saw Grace’s kind face. “Hi. Come in.”

Aster stepped past her. “Okay, look. I’m here tonight because I need to talk to you about something. It’s a mess, at least in my head it is, and I could do with some advice. But if you don’t think you can give me advice, it’s fine. I’ll figure it out myself. It’s stupid to even think what I’m thinking; I don’t even know why I’m here.”

Grace placed her hands on Aster’s shoulders, tilting her head. “Maybe we should go into the living room and sit down before you explode.”

“I think exploding is what I’m hoping for. At least then I wouldn’t have to deal with all this shit.”

Grace remained silent, taking the bag from Aster’s hand and resting it at the side of the couch. “Sit. Calm down. It’s nothing that can’t be fixed.”

If only that were true. Aster blew out a shaky breath, listening to Grace moving around in the kitchen. When she returned with a huge bowl, emptying the popcorn into it, she relaxed into the couch, sitting beside Aster. “Okay, what’s going on?”

“I think I’m falling for someone…”

Grace’s entire face lit up, her hand stilling in the popcorn. “Oh my God! This is amazing news. I’m so happy for you.”

“No. It can’t happen. It’s…not possible.”

“Okay, I need more to work with.”

“Eden.” Aster said her name as though she was the only other living, breathing being on the planet. And at times, in Aster’s world at least, she was. “It’s Eden.”

Grace’s shoulders slumped as her face fell. That excitement in her eyes had turned to terror. “No. No, no, no.”

“So you see my issue?”

“Issue? Oh, this is more than an issue, Aster. How the hell could you be falling for Eden? She’s straight.”

“I know.” Aster gritted her teeth. “I’m well aware of that shitty fact, but it doesn’t change how I feel, Grace. It doesn’t stop me from thinking about her from the moment I wake up.”

“Have you had like…a thing with one another? Did she lead you on? Is that why you’re feeling like this? A one-night stand gone wrong…for you.”

“No, not at all. I’d never go there. I’m not that stupid.” And Aster meant that. If there was one no-go, it was dating a straight woman. “I don’t even know why I’m feeling like this. It’s not like she’s even looked at me that way.”

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