Page 55 of An Adventure For Aster

He parked and they got out. “There are a lot of cars here,” Raine said. “Ivy told me most of the staff come and it’s just getting bigger and bigger each year.”

“I saw that at the summer picnic,” he said. “I wonder if they will continue to do this as they might run out of room.”

“Ivy said the same thing. That the summer party they’ve got more places they can hold it, but this is growing so much. Or they could still have it here, but then it could be indoors and out.”

“Guess we’ll enjoy it while we can. Zane said the summer picnic was a first.”

They got to the front door and he held it open for her. “Have you been here before?”

“A few times,” she said. “Last year we came around this time with my family and Brooks made a total mess out of things with Ivy. That was the first time I’d seen her. She’d been at the party in the back and came out to get a drink.”

She’d told Aster a tiny bit about Brooks and Ivy’s history because she was positive he might hear things and, though her brother wasn’t perfect by any means, she didn’t want Brooks judged either.

Not that she thought Aster would do that.

“Hopefully your brother doesn’t make a mess of things tonight,” he said.

“I doubt that can happen.”

When they got to the back, Aster waved to Zane, who came over quickly. “Hi,” Zane said. “I know we haven’t met officially.”

“No,” she said. “But I’ve seen pictures of you. I asked Aster to show me some from when he was in the service.”

She had a wet panty moment over that and was thrilled Aster didn't notice nor been upset remembering the career he didn’t have anymore.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Zane said. “I know your brother is here, but I figured Aster would be more comfortable with me and Luke tonight.”

“Yes,” Aster said. “But if Raine wants to go by Ivy and Brooks, it’s fine.”

“We can sit with your friends,” she said. “I’m used to talking to people I don’t know all the time. And I’ve met Lily before at school events. She introduced herself to me.”

She found that sweet that Lily had sought her out last year and said she was Ivy’s boss and had heard about her. She knew that Lily and Ivy were close, but Poppy and Ivy were closer.

“We are over here,” Zane said, moving to the right.

“Hi, everyone,” Aster said. “This is Raine Scarsdale. Luke Remington, and his wife, Heather. You know Lily and Zane. Daisy Jones, and I’m assuming, Theo?”

“Yes, Theo James,” Daisy said. “And we are hoping we can get through the night without him being called in. We aren’t sitting here though. We are over there with Rose and some of the others in the department. But I needed to come see my ex-roomie.”

Raine knew there were a lot of close relationships at Blossoms. Something else she missed. All her close friends had other lives now. One that she was starting to get.

She still did things with other teachers once in a while, but that wasn’t the same. They ended up talking about work half the time.

Daisy and Theo got up and moved away after she shook hands with them. She took a seat, and before she could start talking to anyone, Ivy was rushing over and pulling Brooks with her.

“Thought you might want to see your brother and all,” Ivy said. “Now everyone can see you’re totally different.”

“We are,” she said, grinning at her brother. “Hard to believe we were raised by the same parents. He got away with a lot more than me. Not fair either.”

“Boys always get away with more than girls,” Brooks said. “Right, Zane? You’ve got a daughter.”

“Two daughters,” Zane said. “One has me wrapped around her little finger and knows who to go to for what, but I lay the law down when it comes to some things.”

Lily smiled. “He thinks I don’t know what it’s like to be a girl or something and have some guy hitting on me or looking for all the wrong things. But I do let him be the bad guy for those things.”

“Someone always has to be the bad guy,” Raine said. “Or the bad child in the family. Normally it was Brooks.”

Her brother grinned at her. “Hey, like you said. It has to be someone. Why not me?”

---