Page 20 of Spreading Her Wings

“Sure. I know your name, that you’re my sister’s frustrating best friend, that you like weird toppings on your pizza, and that you have a sweet tooth constantly. That’s not what I mean, Katie.” I grazed her lips. “I mean I want toknowyou. I want to know the way your breathing sounds when you’re sleeping and the first thought that goes through your head when you wake up in the morning. I want to know what you wish for when you see a shooting star. I want to know about your family and all the things that give you that tingling, swelling feeling in your chest, and I want to find them all and bring them to you so I can see the way your eyes squint when you smile.”

She gulped, sucking in a deep breath. “I-I… Auston, I don’t know what to say.” Her bottom lip trembled when she spoke, as if remembering the snarky comments fired between us over the years.

“Let’s start with the basics, hmm? What’s your favorite color?”

“Blue,” she said with a giggle. “How is that any deeper than knowing I like dessert?”

“Fine. You want deeper? What are your parents like?”

“They’re kind of old-fashioned, and when I was growing up, they were a lot stricter on me than they are on Amy and Emma now.” She laughed, pausing and aimlessly running her finger in circles over my chest. “They’re, like, madly in love. It’s really cute.”

I chuckled, hugging her closer to me. “Maybe I’ll meet them sometime.”

“That’s what I wish for on a shooting star.”

“What?”

“A love like theirs.” Her voice sounded dreamy when she said it, like she imagined what it would be like to love that fully.

She felt good, soft, as she relaxed into my arms. “Me too.” I wanted a family like hers. A family in general. I had Andy, and I had my friends. Most days they were enough, but there was an underlying longing for a family of my own.

“I’m really glad you came over.” She planted a kiss on my cheek that made my throat tighten. It was the kind of kiss that came backed with feelings. Sighing, she laid her head on my shoulder.

When I looked back at her, her eyes were flickering shut. She hummed when she nuzzled her face against my neck, and I pulled the blanket from the back of the couch, draping it over both of us and locking my arms around her.

I held her until her breaths were slow and even, decorated with the occasional purr. Every time the sweet sound slipped past her lips or she snuggled against me, I sighed, placing a slow kiss on her forehead. “Good night, kitten.”

Aunt June looked at me like I had grown a second head. “Are you really asking me if I can take care of myself for three days? It sounds more like you’re looking for a way to get out of this trip you’re going on. Am I right?”

Was I? Images of Auston licking brownie batter from his fingers in my kitchen last night flashed across my mind, and a warmth traveled to my center when I thought about the way he’d made me come on the counter. I had woken up in the middle of the night to the sound of his light snoring and his arms closed around me. Falling back asleep came easy.

“Of course not. I just worry about you, Aunt June. I live close by for a reason. I just want to make sure you’ll be okay.” Since she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, I’d been more concerned about her living on her own. I’d bought a house down the street so that I could be here if she needed me, and I stopped by most days to check on her. She was always fine, but I was paranoid about the day she wouldn’t be. Tears pricked my eyes.

She sighed, patting my hand. “Katie, sweet girl. I’m fine. Your parents are only twenty minutes away if I need anything. You shouldn’t worry so much about me.”

Standing up from the table, June pressed a small kiss to the top of my head before grabbing the tray of brownies from the counter. They were fresh brownies, not the ones I’d burnt with Auston. I could only imagine what she’d say if she found out about that.

“Do me a favor, though,” she said, setting them on the table and hesitating before she sat back down. “Have fun, but protect your heart.”

“We’re just friends.” My hands shook while I lifted a brownie to my lips. Were we really just friends? At this point, whatever it was between Auston and me was starting to become more intense.What was I getting myself into?

She shook her head. “I know, I know. You’re just faking it, and he’s just Andy’s annoying brother,” she said, boring her eyes into mine. “But I saw the way that man looks at you.”

When I shot her a look, she shrugged. Even knowing I was getting in over my head, the butterflies stirred in my stomach at the idea that maybe Auston looked at me differently.

My phone vibrated across my dresser, causing me to jump and realize I’d been holding the silk nightie in my hands for longer than I’d meant to.Jules. It was a video call, and I looked around the room as if to check that nobody else was there before answering. Her blonde hair and big smile filled only half the screen as next to her sat Andy.

“Hey girl! We miss you!” Jules whined.

Seeing the two of them together on the screen made my throat swell, and my house suddenly felt quieter. Where they probably filled a room with laughter and talking, the only company in the room with me was the speaker I hadn’t evenbothered to turn on. Pushing past the sinking feeling in my stomach that felt a lot like jealousy, I grinned. “I miss you bothso much! How’s my amazing, handsome little nephew?”

Jules looked off to the side where I imagined Carson was sleeping, a serene smile on her face. “He’s perfect.” My best friend stared at her son for a minute, as if pulling her eyes from him would cause physical harm.

“What are you doing?” Andy elbowed Jules until she looked back at the screen. “Are you packing?”

I looked behind me where my open suitcase laid on my bed, a stack of dresses and heels next to it. “Oh, uh, yeah!” I said, hoping I sounded like I wasn’t about to dodge the question. “I’m going out of town for a couple of days.”

“Where are you going? Are you coming to see us?” Jules squealed on the other line, and Andy perked up with equal interest.

---