Page 27 of Tributary

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Diana

I WAKE UP to a flood of text messages shaking my phone until it falls off the night stand. I groan as I roll over to retrieve it from the floor. Indigo and Sara, then Abigail, then Enid and Aneke, whose husband evidently hung out with Asa yesterday and did a hard sell on some solar panels for the Espenshade house.

I wonder briefly how long it will take for people to call it the Wexler house now that he owns it. Then I set about texting my friends a selfie of myself giving them all the finger. I refuse to respond to any of their questions about whether I slept in my bed or his. Did they really expect me to tango with that man after several pitchers of Tessy’s strongest suds?

I slam the button on the coffee pot and quickly get dressed. I promised my family I’d help them get everything set up for Hunter’s party. My mom isn’t used to Hunter having a partner who actually cares about him returning…she was always the one to go and fetch him from his missions, so Ma is getting out her anxious energy through twinkle lights and celestial decorations.

Of course my dork brother is coming back from space the day of the Spring Equinox, and the whole town has revived their forgotten Equinox traditions. The ladies from the crystal shop are organizing an egg hunt, and all the eggs have glow-in-the-dark stars inside that the kids are supposed to stick to the walls in their bedrooms.

The yoga ladies are planning hundreds of sun salutations outside. I lift the corner of the curtain to confirm that yes, they are out there already with yoga mats in the middle of Main Street. Half of them are barefoot. I shiver, wondering how cold the pavement feels at this hour, but they seem sort of zen as they bend and flow.

I chug down my coffee and walk over to meet my parents, who are tacking up welcome home banners in the giant refreshment tent, where a bunch of Sapling kids are lining up my special beer in galvanized tubs full of ice.

“Hey, pumpkin,” my dad says, planting a kiss on the top of my head. “Do me a favor and help boss around the sound guys? They’re setting up the stage for the band.”

The more I walk around, the more I realize everyone has everything under control. The town has been transformed in just a few hours. Garlands and paper decorations hug the utility poles. Matthew and Aneke are setting up the giant lift from the solar shop, and instead of hoisting new solar panels, they’re dangling a giant, sequined sun and moon.

I sigh, and sneak back into my shop to check on all my plants. I feel restless, not because I’m worried about my brother, but because of Asa. That man has me all turned around. My heart almost stopped when he offered to invest in my business. I should probably have talked to Archer and Sara about options, but of course my snap reaction is to yell at him. I can’t even fantasize about what it would look like to suddenly have the capital I need for my certification. What would the strings be if I took Asa’s money? What would that mean for our…do we have a relationship? We have hot sex, and I can’t even manage to lie to myself about wanting more of that. My god, that man can kiss.

It’s better to distract myself with my work. I promised I’d sort out the future after Hunter’s party, when I can sit with Archer and figure out how far I am from bankruptcy. I give the medicinal plants a thorough going over and then decide to set some witch hazel to steep. Each time I finish another task, I remember something else I wanted to try with my hops, and I lose track of the time until I hear the bell jingle above the front door.

I pop my head up and see Asa Wexler looking fine in designer jeans and an untucked button down. I remember how much finer he looked last night in his gray sweats, and I flush just as he says my name. “Thought maybe you’d be holed up in here,” he says. “Don’t you want to enjoy the party?”

“I lost track of time,” I say, trying to smooth out my shirt, sighing as I notice streaks of dirt on my jeans. “Is Hunter back yet?”

He shakes his head. “Judging by the countdown clock on the library, we’ve got about a half hour til he and Abigail roll up. I think Moorely has a GPS tracker on her car…” He drifts off and reaches out to gently rub a thumb across my face.

I inhale sharply, and lift my hand to my cheek. It feels like his touch has seared my flesh. He makes me actually want to swoon, and it feels like I’ve got birds flying inside my stomach when he smiles at me.

“You had some dirt, just there,” he says, smiling. “But I like it.” And when he leans in for a kiss, I’m not sure why I let him. Like it’s so natural, for him to peck me lightly on the mouth. And it does feel natural, like I could get used to this.

I realize if I’m not careful, I will get used to it. And I sure as hell don’t want to give Asa Wexler the kind of power to yank away something meaningful to me. This is why I need to push him away.

Still, when he tugs on my hand and nods his head toward the party, I follow along with him. “Just let me lock up,” I tell him. He nods and gives me space, looks out the front window while I set the alarms. I like watching him sniffing things.

“Hurry up,” he says. “We already missed the egg hunt.” Smiling, we walk outside as kids stuff their pockets with stars and line up for lemonade.

Asa leads me to a bench near the stage, and we sit for awhile, listening to the bluegrass band. Enid, in uniform, wanders over and sits next to me. “Is it too early for beer,” she asks.

“Ha! Are you allowed while you’re on duty?”

She shrugs. “I’m only on duty because Ed Hastings is upset that there is beer.”

Asa, intrigued, leans forward. “What’s with this town and the alcohol laws? Can it really be true that Oak Creek is dry?”

Enid laughs. “I know you’re from New York, where they sell beer at the grocery store. But this is Pennsylvania. The whole state has inane laws about booze and brothels. Ed is finicky, and makes sure the letter of every law is followed.”

I lean back as Enid and Asa swap tales about how many college students can live in an apartment building before it’s considered a bordello and why we’re allowed to give away my home brew at Hunter’s party as long as no money changes hands.

Asa seems so at ease here and I can tell he’s truly paying attention as Enid talks. I start to realize I have potentially misjudged him, always assuming he must be a ruthless shark to have accumulated so much wealth, to have convinced so many businesses to sign over ownership in exchange for his seed money. But really, nothing I’ve seen him do or say fits that profile. Maybe, I decide, Asa isn’t just trying to get into my pants. Maybe the bastard actually is a nice guy.

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