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“Soon, my dude,” Alder chuckled. She kissed the top of June’s head. “All right, Junie. You’re done.”
June jumped up with a grin. “M’kay, bye!” she said as she skipped off to see what Jack and Nash were doing.
“How long until we need to line up?” Aspen asked her sister, who had opted to go for trousers and a waistcoat like the rest of them instead of wearing a dress in the same color.
Alder checked her watch—a smaller, women’s model with chrome and rose gold accents. “Ten minutes or so.”
Zann laughed when Alder tipped her head back with a groan. “Patience, Asp.”
“I’m tired of being patient,” Aspen whined.
“You sound like my six-year-old,” Alder laughed.
“I’m six and a half!” Nash yelled.
Zann gaped at Alder. “How the hell did he hear that?” she whispered.
Alder sighed. “Kids just have this freaky knack for knowing when they’re being talked about.”
“No, Jack!” Nash screamed. “Not like that!”
“And doing shit like that,” Alder muttered. “Nash, no screaming!” She glowered at her sister. “I seriously don’t know if I want to kiss you or murder you for giving them those stupid things.”
Aspen grinned at her. “You’ll love ‘em when you’re not getting up fifty million times on the flight home because Nash can’t sit still.”
“I booked a red-eye so they’d sleep.”
Zann sniggered as Aspen’s grin turned sheepish and she muttered, “Oh.”
“Yeah.” Alder smirked. Her expression gentled as she looked at Zann. “When is Lydia flying back?”
Zann took a deep breath and held it as her heart ached at the reminder. She shook her head at the sad, understanding look Aspen gave her as she let the breath go. It’d be fine. She’d be fine. “Tomorrow morning. Her flight is at noon, so she’ll need to leave here before eight to drive down to LAX, return her rental, and make sure she has enough time to get through TSA.”
“I’d think she’d have pre-check,” Aspen mused.
“I’m sure she does. But LAX is always a zoo.”
“Fair point,” Aspen and Alder agreed.
Zann nodded. “Yeah.”
“Are you flying back with her?” Aspen asked.
The truth escaped Zann before she could stifle it. “I wish.” She fiddled with her sleeve, making sure the cuff was tight, and added, “I have a meeting with Waterman Films on Tuesday about my next project, so I can’t.”
“Bummer,” Aspen muttered. “Cool that Waterman is funding the project, though.”
Zann nodded. “I know. But I’ll get out there probably next weekend? Or the one after… We haven’t actually sat down and looked at our schedules or anything, but I don’t want to wait too long to see her again.”
“Okay,” Alder said, holding up a hand. “I know we’re being all sad and supportive—and I am; you guys are ridiculously cute together—but are all lesbians like this?”
“Like what?” Zann asked, though she was pretty sure she knew exactly what Alder was getting at.
“Meet a pretty girl. Fall in love in a few days. Bang. Boom. Cue the wedding march…”
Zann’s heart squeezed when Aspen winked at her and said, “Just the lucky ones.”
There was a knock on the door, and they all looked up as it was opened and the celebrant, Michelle, poked her head inside.
