AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But he left, too. He came back home a few times when he was in college, but then after Sharon died, he stopped. I only saw him two more times after that, and both times, it felt like he was from another world.
“That was a long time ago,” I say.
“But it was just him you had a crush on, right? You never had a crush on Mason?”
“No,” I answer quickly. “He was smug and rude and messy and creepy.”
Though I have to say, after he kissed me, I started thinking maybe he wasn’t so bad, after all. Or maybe I just told myself that because I didn’t want to think my first kiss was from a creep.
“And now?” Peggy asks.
Now, he’s neat and hot and rich and so sure of himself.
“He’s okay, but if you’re suggesting I have a crush on him now, I don’t. Besides, I’m too old to have crushes.”
“And too old to have never had a boyfriend.”
“I had one in college,” I remind her.
“You mean Nick, that guy who liked working with trash?”
“Making art out of trash,” I correct her.
“You went out for how long? A week?”
“Two.”
Well, twelve days, to be exact. It couldn’t last longer than that after he asked me to search a dumpster with him. He didn’t really seem interested in me anyway. He never tried to kiss me or anything.
“Fine,” Peggy says. “I’ll correct myself. You’re too old to not have a boyfriend.”
“I’m only twenty-four.”
“Old.”
I pull into the driveway and park the car in the garage. As I yank my key out, I look at her.
“If I’m old, what does that make you?”
“I’m only twenty-seven,” she says. “And I’ve had three boyfriends and I got a kid.”
I get out of the car. “Well, I can’t handle a boyfriend right now. You know that.”
Peggy meets me behind the trunk. “Because you’re too busy taking care of your dad?”
I don’t answer as I open the trunk.
“And when will you stop being busy with that, hmm? When you’re fifty?”
I grab a bag of groceries. “I sure hope he’ll live that long.”
“So you’re telling me you’re never getting married?”
I hand her the next bag. “I never said that. I just… can’t think about that right now.”
“Okay.” She grabs another bag. “Just keep in mind that your dad didn’t raise you to take care of him.”
“He took care of me.”
“And now you’re old enough to take care of yourself.”
I close the trunk. “I’m confused. Are you saying I should take care of myself by getting a boyfriend? That does not make sense.”
I head inside the house. Peggy follows me.
“I’m saying you deserve to be happy, that you owe it to yourself to be happy.”
“Well, I definitely want to be happy.” I pass by the laundry room and make a right towards the kitchen. “I just haven’t found someone who can make me happy.”
“And have you been looking? What? You just expect someone to fall out of – ?”
She suddenly stops talking. As I lift my head, I understand why.
Mason is there. Again. This time, he’s standing on the stairs holding a box in his arms.
My eyebrows furrow. What is he doing here, burglarizing us?
“Aster.”
His thin lips curve into a smile and my heart responds by skipping a beat. When did he learn to smile like that? When did he learn to smile at all?
“Let me help you with those.”
He puts down the box on the steps.
“It’s fine,” I tell him. “They’re not heavy.”
“Okay.” He picks up the box.
“What’s that?” I ask him.
He glances at it. “Oh, just some stuff that your dad asked me to take off his hands.”
My eyebrows arch. “You were talking to my dad?”
“Yeah. He invited me in.”
Okay. I definitely wasn’t expecting that. And I don’t mind. It’s nice, actually. It’s a good thing my dad had company. I just wish it didn’t have to be Mason.
“Well, I’ll be going,” he says. “See you around.”
Mason walks past me. I purse my lips and wait for the front door to open and close. After it does, I let out a deep breath. Peggy continues talking.
“That was Mason, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.” I turn to face her. “I’m sorry I forgot to introduce you.”
Peggy shrugs. “It’s fine. He didn’t realize I was here anyway. I was practically invisible.”
I snort on the way to the kitchen.
“I don’t know what your taste in men is, Aster Higgins, but that man is steamy in any language. If I were you, I’d grab him right out of the pot before someone else got a piece of him.”
I set the grocery bags on the counter. “Like I said, I can’t handle a boyfriend right now.”
She does the same. “Yeah, I know he’s too hot to handle, but I think you’ll manage.”
I roll my eyes. Why do I even bother talking? Peggy isn’t listening. Right now, she’s a one-way street.
