Page 62 of An Adventure For Aster

At least his mother told him that when he asked for ideas for Christmas. No reason to say his mother hinted toward sending his parents on a cruise.

Nope, not doing it. Then his father would run around bragging about that too.

His parents could pay for their own vacations like they did when he was a kid. Those adult-only vacations that he and Daphne were never a part of and had to stay back with his grandparents.

His parents had money to do things but chose to spend it on partying, drinking, and weed. Not his problem.

“That’s a nice thing,” she said. “My father needs his own tools too. I never know what he needs so sometimes we just chip in and give him a gift card to the place he goes.”

“Practical gifts are always nice,” he said. “Listen. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I didn’t think you would be. You said this is your dream job.”

She was grinning at him. “There is that and then you being here too. But I don’t have itchy feet. I only had the urge to get out of town and away from them. Nothing more. The rest of my traveling was only due to work.”

“I know,” she said. She ran her hand on his arm. “Don’t worry about it. I’m not.”

He’d have to take her word for it, but she didn’t seem concerned so he wasn’t going to be either.

20

DIFFERENT PERSON

On New Year’s Eve Aster knocked on Trace’s door. He hadn’t wanted to come to the party by himself, but Raine had the flu and told him not to even come to her house or sit home alone.

“Dude,” Trace said when he answered the door. “You don’t have to knock. Just come in.”

“That’s not my way,” he said. “Am I the last one here?”

“You are. Where’s Raine?”

“She’s home in bed with the flu.”

“Damn,” Trace said.

“No worries. I haven’t seen her in three days. I don’t have germs. I would have stayed home if I did. Don’t want to expose anyone.”

“Appreciate it,” Trace said. “Knowing you, you wanted to stay home anyway.”

He grinned. “I tried it. Raine gave me a hard time. I figured it wasn’t that much of a hardship to come here and hang out.”

“Never that,” Trace said, grinning. “Lots of food too.”

He followed Trace into the living room and saw everyone and nodded his head. He didn’t know the one guy with Sage Mancini, Trace’s sister. But Violet was there, Heather by herself because Luke was working, Daisy and Theo.

“Hey, Aster.”

He turned his head when he heard his name coming from down the hall. “Hi, Laurel.” He hadn’t known she was coming, but it wasn’t a big deal to him. She seemed nice enough the few times he’d talked to her.

“Violet said you were coming. All alone?”

“Raine has the flu, but she pushed me to come.” He held his hands up. “I’m germ free. She hasn’t felt well in a few days and wouldn’t let me near her.”

He’d told her more than once he was fine, but she got it in her head that because he had open heart surgery last summer he had a compromised immune system. He’d told her he didn’t. It wasn’t the same thing.

He was surprised at how much of a worrier she was over that.

“Might as well come and hang out with us,” Sage said. “I don’t think you met my boyfriend at the party last week. We were all just moving around so much. Aster Allen, this is Knox Bradford. He owns Bradford Electrical.”

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