9. A Little Romantic And Sappy

9

A LITTLE ROMANTIC AND SAPPY

" D ahlia got engaged," Ivy screamed into the phone five days later. "And she's having a boy!"

"Wow," Raine said. "The day for a lot of news. Did you know the engagement was coming?"

"No," Ivy said. "I had hoped. I really did, but she takes things slow and you know that Hugh is recently divorced. That baby was a shock to them both, but they are so perfect for each other."

"I'm glad it's working out for them," she said. "And you've got another nephew coming."

She knew Jasmine was having a boy too.

"Me too," Ivy said. "Dahlia said no wedding date set. She isn't rushing it, but it's going to be small when it's time. I'm the only one having the big wedding."

"Your parents are going to be here for it and it's a first for you and Brooks," she said. She was surprised Brooks was willing to have a bigger wedding, but her brother would do anything for Ivy.

"It's a first for my sisters too, but Jasmine and Wesley eloped. You know that. I just hope Dahlia doesn't do that. I mean, it's not my choice, but it'd be nice to be there for her wedding. I understood Jasmine doing what she did, but I was sad too. At least they had another ceremony when they got back, but it's not the same."

"Everyone has to do what works for them, Ivy. Jasmine and Dahlia are a little more low-key. They also know that it's hard for your family to get together all the time. You didn't get pregnant like them."

Ivy giggled on the other end. "That's right. I was the good daughter. And I think it's nice that my brothers will both be here. We'll get to meet Mark's fiancée too. He's getting married in Japan. No way Dahlia and I are flying there. We don't like flying at all and over the ocean and that long? It won't happen. I know Jasmine and Wesley would try, but now with the kids it might be hard to leave them that long."

"I think it's great that they will try to go. Will your parents?"

"If they can. If not, then I know for sure Jasmine will definitely go and maybe Mona will too to watch the kids. I don't know. I can't think that far in advance. I'm just happy for Dahlia and excited about planning my wedding. I can't wait to go dress shopping. You're still going with us, right?"

"I wouldn't be anywhere else," she said. "And we've got to pick out the bridesmaids' dresses."

Raine was so excited to be in the wedding with Jasmine and Dahlia. River, Wesley, and Hugh were the groomsmen. She'd be paired up with Wesley, as Jasmine was the Matron of Honor paired up with River.

"Now we just need to find you a man," Ivy said.

It was the opening she needed. Aster had said this wasn't a secret when she brought up if she could let anyone know. That it'd get back to the people he worked with. There was no way it couldn't.

He'd had no problem with any of it and that made her feel better.

"Well," she said. "I'm dating someone."

"You are?" Ivy said. She could almost see in her mind the excitement and Ivy doing one of her little dances. "How come you didn't tell me and when did it start?"

"I'm telling you now," she said. "And it started on Friday. That was the first date. Then another on Saturday and Sunday. So three in a row, but we've only been texting since then. We'll try to plan something tomorrow again."

During the week was just too hard for both of them with work.

"You had three dates in a row after first meeting someone," Ivy all but shouted. "That means you had to have hit it off. Tell me more and who it is. Not that I know a lot of people around here, but how did you meet?"

"You do know him," she said, laughing. "And we met the first time at the firehouse when I brought my kids for a field trip. Then again when there was a garbage fire at the school."

"The only person I know that is a fireman is Aster," Ivy said. "Oh my God. Are you dating Aster Allen?"

"I am now," she said.

"He works for Blossoms. I know him. I talk to him. He's sexy. He's handsome. He's sweet in a quiet way."

She laughed at the words rambling out of Ivy's mouth. "He's all those things."

"Details," Ivy said. "I wish I was at your house right now. Oh, wait. Can I tell Brooks? I know how your brothers are with men you date. After Colton and all."

Raine let out a sigh. "You can tell them. And because you know Aster and he's friends with Zane and Luke, who works with Brooks, I'm hoping there won't be a problem."

"Got it," Ivy said. "I'll put in a good word for Aster with Brooks, but there is no reason to. He's a great guy. He really is. Lily said he's been a godsend for Zane since he moved here in July."

"Good to know. And yes, he is a great guy that I can see."

"Now to the details. How did the first date go?" Ivy asked.

"We ran into each other in the grocery store. I dropped some food out of my basket that was overloaded and when I bent down to pick it up, he was there getting another item. We exchanged numbers there."

"Oh my God," Ivy squealed. "That sounds like Brooks and me. Well, not unless you went back and had sex after. That is what Brooks and I did. You know that. Then he blew me off."

Raine grinned. She knew the story. That Brooks and Ivy had more of a friends-with-benefits situation with the understanding that Ivy was looking for more and if Brooks wasn't the one to give it to her, Ivy would just move on. No strings attached.

Her brother wasn't willing to let Ivy go. What she'd hoped for all along when she'd sought Ivy out to learn more about the woman who had her brother's head not on straight.

It all worked out, just like she said the same with Dahlia and Hugh and Jasmine and Wesley.

Though it wasn't what Ivy thought would happen, it only mattered what the couple really wanted.

"We didn't have sex," Raine said. "Not yet."

"But you want to," Ivy said. "That's a good sign right there."

"I don't move that fast, but I'm attracted to him. He's nice and sweet though he'd argue the sweet part."

"I like him. He's friendly but doesn't talk that much."

"He said that. That Zane told him being around women will wear him down."

"We are good at wearing people down," Ivy said. "So tell me about your three dates."

"We went to dinner on Friday. Saturday we picked apples and then went to Clyde's and the tasting room. Sunday, I had him come to my place and help me bake."

"That sounds like fun. Brooks never bakes with me. He likes to eat, but he doesn't bake, but he does cook and helps me and I love that. I think every guy should help out and do things equally."

Raine smiled. That was why Ivy was good for her brother. He needed someone in his life like that. River and Brooks were raised to help out and hated that their mother did so much, but their father did equally as much.

It was a shared life and it appeared to her Aster was looking for something similar during their awkward conversation.

She hadn't been positive she got her feelings and opinions out clearly, but maybe she did.

"He was really good about it. Then we cleaned up and I sent him home with half of what we made. He appreciated that."

"Good for you, Raine. I wish I could see your face because I can hear it in your voice. It's a little romantic and sappy at the same time."

"That's a good description of it," she said. "It's how I feel. I brought up Colton."

"You did?" Ivy asked. "Wow. Normally exes aren't a good conversation this early on."

"Aster has been pretty open about his life and past. What brought him here. Those things."

"What did bring him here? I just thought Zane found out he was out of the service and offered him a job. Kind of like Luke followed Zane here when he left."

She didn't want to say things that many might not know. "That was some of it," she said. "I don't feel right saying more. He'll tell his side of things when he wants to, I'm sure."

"I think I know," Ivy said. "I just was told not to say anything so don't want to say it if it's not the same thing. And now you're going to think he's hiding something if I don't tell you." Ivy took a deep breath. "I'm not as bad as I used to be in having to find things out and then share with everyone. I've matured."

It was the tongue-in-cheek way it was said.

The truth was, Raine had never known the side of Ivy that her older sisters did and used to judge her on, so she didn't see much of a change one way or another.

"I'm sure it's the same thing, but I'll let you keep your secret for now so there is no stress or worry. How is that? Anyway, he said a lot and I said a lot. But we got talking about the whole gender equality thing. He actually asked if I was mad that he'd paid for dinner Friday and everything on Saturday."

"Were you? Your brother never let me pay for anything for a long time. It drove me nuts."

She laughed. "I said I was but saw both sides of it. I explained that River and Brooks were the same way and why. That it was a respect thing that I'd seen growing up. He said it had nothing to do with being sexist on his end. He said he had a great job and the money. I don't know what he meant other than he probably had a lot of money put away from being in the service. He'd said before that he's wanted to help his sister and she won't take it."

"Sounds like she is independent like us," Ivy said.

"It does," she said and wouldn't say anything more about Aster's family. "He is the one who read between the lines that I might have had someone in my past who felt like because I made less I should do more to make it equal. Or give up things because they might not be equal. He wanted me to know he didn't feel that way. My job took as much time or more than his, and what we were paid meant nothing. People could even it out by doing things just as much as paying for things. I told him I did all the baking as appreciation, not making it even."

"That's such a great way to put it. Sounds like you guys have some good communication going. Unlike your oldest brother and me when we started out."

Ivy was giggling when she said that. "I like to think so. There you go and you're caught up to date. You can tell Brooks, which means I better call and tell my mother when I hang up with you."

"Yes, don't let Patty find out from Brooks. She'll be upset."

Raine loved how Ivy and Emma were so attached to her mother and concerned about hurting her feelings.

"I'll call her now," she said. She hung up with Ivy and then hit the button to call her mother.

"Hi, Raine. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing well," she said. "I've got some news."

"What's that?" her mother asked. "Something with school?"

"No," she said. It was pretty sad that it was expected it'd be work news over personal news. Her pathetic life and all.

"Then what?" her mother asked.

"I'm dating someone. Well, it will be a week tomorrow, but it's been three dates. And I met him a few weeks ago."

"Tell me all about it," her mother said. "Let me get my tea and settle in."

"How about I come over and share it with you instead and we can have some tea together?"

Her mother would enjoy that more. And maybe she wanted to have that mother-daughter talk that she'd been missing too.

"Oh," her mother said. "That would be lovely. Are you sure you're not too tired after your day? I know you run around all the time and then do work at home."

"All my work is done and I'm never too tired to spend time with my mother. I'll bring over some apple pie I made on Sunday. A piece for you, me, and Dad."

"Even better," her mother said. "I can't wait to hear all about this young man you're dating."

She laughed and hung up and couldn't believe how excited and giddy she was over this so soon.

She'd dated other men much longer and never felt the anticipation and body tingles she did with Aster.

And though she wasn't one to jump into bed with someone so soon, she had to tell herself to go with what she was feeling.

As she'd been saying tonight, things work out the way they should.