Page 48 of An Adventure For Aster

“You baked?” Daphne asked. “Aster can cook and did a lot when he was home, but baking?”

“Did you really bake?” Raine asked, giving him a questioning goofy look, pretty much calling him out.

“Fine,” he said. “I was Raine’s assistant. I peeled and chopped and then helped clean up.”

“Which is a huge help,” she said. “I got everything done faster.”

“You two are almost cute together,” Daphne said.

He held his snort in...barely. “Thanks.”

“What do you do, Raine? For work?”

“I’m a first grade teacher,” she said. “I met your brother when we had a field trip to the fire station and he was there volunteering.”

“Aster!” Daphne said. “You told me no more of that. You weren’t putting yourself at risk.”

“Oops,” Raine said. “Didn’t know that was a secret.”

“Not a secret,” he said. “And there is no risk. I haven’t fought one fire since I’ve been here and they need volunteers. I’m not stupid. There isn’t much call for running into burning buildings with volunteers. Most times you’re working the fire from the outside and just keeping it under control rather than saving things.”

He knew that. They weren’t trained the same as professionals. They didn’t have the same equipment.

His sister thought she’d lost him months ago. She’d said, as much as she knew he was upset over losing his Army career, she wouldn’t have that worry daily that he might not come home.

He hadn’t realized how much that bothered her, as they’d never talked about it before.

“Sorry,” Raine said. “But that is how we met. We didn’t talk for a few weeks until he got a call to come to the school on a false alarm. Someone started a fire in a garbage bin but put it out. It didn’t stop the alarms though. We talked, or I should say, flirted. Still no date out of it.”

“Not until we ran into each other at the store,” he said. “Then we exchanged numbers and have been dating since. So we first met in early September, dating from early to mid-October. There is your timeline.”

“I’m so happy to hear you are doing well, Aster,” Daphne said. His sister yawned on the other line. She should have had the day off and yet busted her ass and probably still made more than a few days at her daycare job.

“I am,” he said. “And not alone. You can ease your mind.”

“Can I have your number, Raine?” his sister asked. “You know, just to check up on Aster. I have Zane’s. Aster gave it to me just so I had someone’s number there. I worry if I don’t hear from him for a few days.”

“I always reply to your texts within a few hours,” he said.

“I know you do,” Daphne said.

“You can have my number,” Raine said. “No problem. I’ll get yours from Aster and then text you.”

“Thank you,” Daphne said. “Now I’m going to watch some TV and soak my feet.”

They said goodbye and hung up, him turning to his girlfriend. “You don’t need to text her.”

“Of course I do,” she said. “I like her. A lot. She worries about you and that is what siblings do. You saw that today. Don’t make your sister worry when she isn’t here to see how well you’re doing.”

He sighed. “You’re right.”

She smiled. “I like being told I’m right.”

“Really?” he asked. She climbed on his lap. “Then you’re right again.”

Her lips lowered to his. “Say it again.”

“You’re right,” he said softly.

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