Page 17 of Tributary

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Diana

“TELL ME AGAIN why we hate him.” Indigo walks with me along Oak Creek, her arms pumping as she struggles to keep up with the pace I set. I’ve been coming out here alone to think ever since I got back from Pittsburgh. I slow down, feeling badly that I’m forcing my newly-pregnant friend to over-exert herself when she just wants to help.

“Um, I don’t know, because he’s been spying on me? Because he finances my lousy ex who stole my fucking research and profited off of it?” Because he makes me think and feel things I don’t want to think or feel.

Indigo bites her lip and squints. “Yeah, but Asa didn’t know Jay’s ideas were stolen. And don’t give me this ‘spying on you’ crap. We all looked up Asa long before you two were knocking boots.”

“That was Abigail, and she looked him up because she wanted to help my brother woo him as an investor.” I can’t help myself and I start walking fast again, kicking at rocks and sticks as Indigo puffs along behind me.

“Speaking of!” Indigo jumps over a log and grabs my arm. “Hang on,” she huffs. “We have to stop so I can puke.” She turns to the side and vomits neatly into a bush. She takes a swig of water from the bottle I offer her and then wipes her mouth. “Anyway! Abigail wanted me to tell you she’s inviting Asa to Hunter’s welcome back party.”

I roll my eyes. “Of course she’s inviting him. Just my luck.” I kick another rock into the creek. “This is why I have rules. I should never have fucked someone my family is doing business with.”

“But he was so good at sex, you said.”

I sigh. “He’s really good.” The best sex I can remember, I think, but I don’t tell this to my friend.

“Come on.” Indigo loops an arm around my shoulders. “Buy me some ginger tea at the co-op.”

“I’ve got some peppermint that might settle your stomach,” I tell her, gesturing back toward my shop.

“Is that one of the safe ones? The midwife gave us a list, but I can’t remember past ginger…”

I shrug. “I can check for you later.”

We walk into the co-op, where Mary Pat is holding court at the register. Matthew and Aneke look up from their order of sprouted bread and, seeing me, grin. I roll my eyes.

Indigo pulls her travel mug from her bag and orders her tea. I bite my lip, trying to decide if anything looks good. I see a pimpled teenager racing against Ed Hastings for the last jar of my witch hazel astringent, and I make a mental note to steep some more. I wince, remembering how good Asa looked inhaling the scent of the witch hazel that day I was grafting the plants.

I try to push back the feelings of nausea that emerge whenever I think about him. I don’t know how to try again with someone, don’t want to have to guess his intentions, only to be wrong about it later. It’s easier to just stay away from men romantically. Why can’t he just want me for quick sex and move on?

“You ready?” Indigo nudges me and sips from her tea.

“What? Oh. Sorry.” I pull out some money and head over to Mary Pat. “I’m buying a cup of tea for Merry Sunshine,” I tell her.

She nods. “I hear your brother’s coming back soon.”

“That’s the word,” I say, not feeling very amenable to small town small talk today. Mary Pat is undeterred.

“I told Abigail, I bet he pops the question at the welcome home party.” She raises her eyebrows, clearly hoping I have inside information on this topic. I don’t.

“That’s not really my brother’s style,” I say, trying to back out of the store. I hear Indigo giggling as she notes my discomfort. “He doesn’t like big, public stuff like that…”

“Didn’t he land a helicopter on the lacrosse field when he tried to apologize to her that one time? Whole town was watching then, as I recall.”

I had forgotten that my brother did that, pulled out all the stops to make things right with Abigail when he finally realized he was an unreliable, self-centered jerk. I had warned Abigail not to trust him, that he would never change, and the nerdy squirt proved me wrong. This town seems set on making me earn my grouchy opinions today.

I shrug at Mary Pat and tell her to keep the change for the legal fund. Mary Pat wants to organize a fund and hire Sara to repeal the statutes keeping the town dry. “Make Oak Creek Wet Again,” reads the sign on the quart jar stuffed with bills.

Indigo wants to walk over and say hi to Sara, and I walk with her since my brother’s office is in the same building. I have a meeting with Archer about the permitting fees I’ll need if I’m going to be able to keep selling my crops to medical researchers. Abigail is in his office when we arrive and she rushes over to give me a hug.

“I’m just so excited,” she says. “Hunter touches down next month and then flies back here from Kazakstan a few days after that!”

We chat for a bit about his journey home and she squeezes my arm. “You’ll be able to make enough beer for the party?”

I nod. “I’ve got 12 cases of Hoppy Hunter IPA aging just for the event,” I say. I never really imagined myself making beer for any of my brothers, but then I never thought Hunter would fall in love with someone who fits right into our family. And here we are.

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