Page 68 of An Adventure For Aster

“You think they are going to ask me for money,” he said. “Already assumed that. They are on their own.” The fact they made Daphne pay half the mortgage for a cramped room for years just burned him.

“I figured, but I thought I’d give you a heads up. I told myself that was why I was calling but then my emotions just took over. I’m sure I’ll be fine in a day or so. I’m sorry I bothered you with this.”

“You didn’t bother me with anything,” he said. “I’m glad you called. I want you to fly here. I’ll get the ticket. Come visit me. Look around the area. Don’t tell me no. I mean it. Do it for me. For us to spend some time together. Consider it a vacation you never get to take more than anything.”

“What’s the weather like there in March?” she asked. “I don’t think I can get any time off in February from the daycare. It’s too short of notice.”

“March could be nice or cold and snow. Hard to say as it’s going to be my first year here then too. Look at your schedule and tell me the date that works for you and we’ll get your ticket set. Don’t tell Mom and Dad.”

“You don’t want them to know I’m coming to visit?” she asked. “Wait, then they will want to come too.”

“Exactly. When it’s time for you to leave or it’s getting close, just tell them you’re going away with some friends or coworkers. They won’t even care enough to ask where.”

His sister snorted on the other end. “You’re probably right. But if they knew I was coming to see you, they’d be more interested.”

He hung up his phone a few minutes later and opened the door to see Poppy standing a few feet away on her phone not paying attention.

“Sorry,” he said.

“No worries. Is everything okay?”

“Just my sister. It’s fine.”

“Bet she needed her big brother to listen to her,” Poppy said. “I know what that was like with Lily. Probably put a ton more stress and burden on Lily’s shoulders, but man, did I need it a lot.”

“I don’t mind it,” he said. “I’m going to have her come visit. Maybe check out the area a little. It’d be nice to have family close by.”

“That’s great,” Poppy said. “What does your sister do? Jobs are rough around here, but we know enough people.”

“That’s a nice offer,” he said. “Right now she works for a daycare and waits tables at night. You can see we weren’t the college type.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Poppy said. “I wasn’t either, but Lily would have kicked my butt if I didn’t get my degree. We had this grand plan, and boy, is it working. But you know, Zane’s sister owns a daycare. I’m sure she could always use help.”

That had completely slipped his mind about Zara’s business. “Good point. First step is getting her here. So,” he said. He was done talking about his personal life. “Do you have an idea how you want things laid out?”

“I do,” Poppy said. “Let’s pull up that floor plan and get to it. Rose will be here soon and she’s going to figure out her side too. We’ll get this done before you leave here today.”

“I’m in no hurry to get home, but I’m sure you two are. Let’s get started.”

Poppy pouted a little as if she was going to argue with him about not being in a hurry but she didn’t.

He didn’t need interference in his relationship. He had a good enough handle on it.

22

NOT A BIG DEAL

“Poor Daphne,” Raine said later that night when Aster was sitting down for dinner. They’d had no plans for the night, but she missed him. He’d been busy this week and she was too. So many kids had been out sick this month and she’d been dealing with catching them up and talking to parents and walking them through schoolwork too.

Who would have thought first grade would have so much homework now? But if the kids got behind, it made it harder to move on without losing them at some point.

She never wanted that to happen and put more of her time in when it was needed.

“Yeah,” he said. “But at least she will come for a visit. She texted me an hour after the call to say she did want to see me but not to worry about her moving here.”

“Are you going to try to convince her?” she asked.

Raine placed the pot of sauce and meatballs in front of him; he’d brought the spaghetti over already after he’d sliced the bread.

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