Page 110 of An Adventure For Aster

“They want you and me in some pictures.”

“Me?” he asked.

“Yep,” Emma said, smirking. “Unless you’ve got a problem with being in wedding pictures with your girlfriend?”

“No problem,” he said, setting their drinks down.

Maybe Reese was right. You were just a different person when you were in love.

There was no way he’d picture himself right where he was now two years ago. That wasn’t a bad thing either. It didn’t matter that the career he saw himself in was gone.

What mattered was what Mike said. How good you were at cleaning things up.

Aster was a pro at this point.

37

MAKING IT WORK

“I’m exhausted,” Raine said hours later. “My feet hurt, my back is aching and my jaw feels locked from all the smiling and laughing. I might be excitement drunk on top of it. Is that a thing? Can you give me a boost into your truck? I’m not sure I’ve got the energy to even step up.”

Aster laughed and walked around to pick her up and put her in. Maybe she said that just so he could get his hands on her again.

She wasn’t sure she could get him on the dance floor. It’d been hard, but he’d only done it for some slow songs.

Good enough in her eyes, but she had to get her hands around him in that black suit and gray tie. He might have had boring colors on, but he stood out in a crowd to her.

“You looked as if you were having a blast,” he said. “Along with a lot of the other women.”

“Poppy and Violet are big dancers, but you know, just having had babies and all, they were tame tonight. I hope Daphne didn’t have a bad night with the kids.”

“I doubt it,” he said. “She can handle anything.”

“I know,” she said. “I thought River and Emma’s wedding was fun, but nothing like this. Ivy said she was going to have the party wedding and she accomplished it.”

“It did seem like lots of people were enjoying themselves,” he said. “Even Ivy’s parents were out there dancing.”

“I thought that was sweet,” she said. “My parents too.”

“Do you think you can walk into the building or do I need to carry you?” he asked.

They were going back to her apartment because Daphne was most likely at Aster’s house now since Poppy left before them.

It didn’t bother her much that Aster’s sister was around. They were making it work.

“I’d never turn down you carrying me, but my neighbors might think I’m hurt and I’m not.”

“Didn’t you just complain about all the things that were bothering you minutes ago?”

“That’s different,” she said. “That is a different kind of pain.”

“If you say so,” he said.

“I do. And I’ll find energy because I need to get my hands on you in that suit. Yummmmmy.”

“How much have you had to drink?” he asked, turning to look at her.

“A few glasses of champagne over a few hours. And I was dancing enough I’m sure I burned it off. I’m good. I know exactly what I’m doing.”

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