21. Pretend He Understood

21

PRETEND HE UNDERSTOOD

A ster was talking to Poppy at the end of the month as they were laying out where to put all her sewing machines and the jewelry section. Putting those two together would make it easier and give more space for lotions, candles, soaps, and shampoos. The biggest profit of the company.

"What do you think is the best flow?" Poppy asked.

"That is up to you," he said. "Did you talk to Laurel about it? I'm here to fix the machines. Knox has said electrical is all up to date now, so there shouldn't be a worry of blowing fuses."

"Good to know," Poppy said, resting her hand on her baby bump. It felt like every time he turned around there was a pregnant woman.

Poppy was due in a few months. Jasmine was out of work and due next week. Violet was due in five months so he was making sure he was around if things had to be lifted or running to the greenhouses when Zane called him and there was no staff around.

Dahlia, whom he didn't talk to much other than when he needed to buy something, was due in two months, and then he'd just found out Rose was due in June. Somehow that one just slipped by him, but it's not like he was examining bodies for bumps. Rose was barely out of the first trimester.

"Do you want to just go to my office and map it out? I've got the floor plan laid out on my computer. We can pick up and move the equipment for everything and see the spacing that way."

"Yes, please," Poppy said. "Makes life so much easier this way. I'm so glad we hired you. One less thing for us all to think about. I was thrilled when Lily came back to work a few months ago. All this stuff you are doing for us." She was waving her hands around. "I can't stand it. And having Laurel here to deal with personnel issues and production is even better. Lily needs to just run the business. Rose and I need to be creative."

"Not to mention spend time with your kids."

"Definitely that," Poppy said. "They grow too fast. I can't believe Holly is going to be two when this little man is born in a few months."

From everything he'd witnessed, his three bosses were hands-on with their jobs and their families. Nothing he'd ever seen.

Not that his parents had any career that pulled them away more than clocking in and out, but when they were home they weren't present either.

"I wonder if there is something in the water here," he said. "Or a magic baby-making flower you're all sniffing."

Poppy laughed at his dry tone. "That's funny, Aster. Nope, just love. Something I hear you're feeling a lot of."

He turned his head sharply. "No babies in my future," he said.

"Not yet," Poppy said.

"Are you saying that Raine wants a baby right now?"

"Oops," Poppy said. "I'm talking out of turn and always do. No, I'm not saying that at all. But she obviously loves kids and gets her fill of them in her job. Just that Ivy talks about her family and Brooks's in passing and that she's so happy that you two are a couple. That Raine deserves to get the happy ever after that we all have."

Aster nodded. He wasn't sure he knew what happy ever after was and sometimes just nodded to pretend he understood.

"Got it," he said.

"You're just pacifying me," Poppy said.

He nodded his head again and she laughed. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and noticed it was Daphne. She never called during the day and he worried it was an emergency.

"I need to get this," he said.

"Sure," she said. "I'm going to walk the floor with some of my staff and get their opinions and then I'll come back."

"Hey, Daphne, what is going on?"

"Can you talk?" his sister asked. "I'm not interrupting you?"

He heard the catch in her voice. "Of course." He shut his door and went to sit down at his desk. "Everyone okay? Anyone hurt?"

"No, no. It's not that. It's Mom and Dad. I just got home from work and Mom was here and told me something. And I'm panicking and not sure why."

"And you needed to talk to me," he said. "What's going on?"

"They are moving."

"Moving?" he asked. "Where? They aren't ready to retire or leave their jobs."

"No," Daphne said. "They want to sell the house. Dad said it's too much upkeep and that they just want something smaller. Something where they don't have to do any work. They are looking at one or two bedroom townhouses."

"And they expect you to move out?" he asked. Shit. Now he understood.

His sister couldn't afford to live on her own. She could probably get roommates, but she wasn't close to people in terms of finding someone she could trust.

"Yes. Once the house is sold I'll have to leave. I mean I should. I'm such a failure. I'm twenty-eight years old and still live at home. I've got no education past high school and barely make minimum wage wiping noses and changing diapers if I'm not chasing toddlers around with paint all over their fingers. Then I go and bust my ass waiting and serving people four nights a week to pay the bills I've got and build my savings."

He knew his sister had some savings. But she paid rent where she was. She paid for most of the food in the house too. His parents expected that.

It's not that Daphne didn't have money in the bank, it's just that once she moved out, she literally would be spending everything she made to live and wouldn't be able to put more away. Chipping into what she had would stress her and he understood that.

"Move here," he said.

"No," Daphne said. "I didn't call for that. I just need someone to vent to. I can figure it out. I'll just get a roommate or something."

"I'm serious," he said. "I've got a spare room at my place. You can find a job here. If I have to get you a job at the plant, I can. You're a hard worker. It might not be what you want, but it will get you started."

His sister was sniffling on the other line. "I can't ask you to do that. It could be months before they sell the house anyway. They can't buy a townhouse until they do. Mom and Dad have no savings. You know that. But she always said without me paying half the mortgage, they'd have to buy something cheaper."

"You're paying half their mortgage for one fucking bedroom?"

"It's still cheaper than rent now. Do you know how much it costs to rent an apartment around here? And there aren't that many options either. The housing market sucks."

He took a deep breath. "It does. I got lucky that Zane had this cottage available for me. I don't want you to panic. There is no reason for it. I've got money, we know that."

"I don't want you to support me," his sister said.

"You're not asking that. I can get you set up somewhere so that you're in a good spot. I can do that there or here. Maybe I'd like to be closer to you."

Daphne stopped sniffling some. "I'd like that too. I miss you so much. I thought you'd stay, and then when you left, it just hurt like when you left for the service. And I shouldn't have said that and don't want you to feel guilty. I'm emotional right now."

He didn't think about that and should have. But he was being selfish and trying to get away from his parents and their constant comments on his money took away his sister's support system again.

"Then come here," he said. "We'll figure it out. It's no hardship."

"You're dating Raine. What if you two want to live together?"

"That's a bit far off," he said. "She likes her independence. We aren't together every night and when we are we can stay at her place. Don't put roadblocks up that are easily maneuvered around. I mean it. With the shape of Mom and Dad's house, it could be a long time before it sells. I'm sure they want more than it's worth. They are greedy that way."

"They actually started to clean. That is what made me ask what was going on. Mom took the day off today and was cleaning her room."

He laughed. "Might be the first I've known them to clean their bedroom. There could be twenty years of things in there, not to mention dust."

Daphne laughed. "Good point. Also..."

"You think they are going to ask me for money," he said. "Already assumed that. They are on their own." The fact they made Daphne pay half the mortgage for a cramped room for years just burned him.

"I figured, but I thought I'd give you a heads up. I told myself that was why I was calling but then my emotions just took over. I'm sure I'll be fine in a day or so. I'm sorry I bothered you with this."

"You didn't bother me with anything," he said. "I'm glad you called. I want you to fly here. I'll get the ticket. Come visit me. Look around the area. Don't tell me no. I mean it. Do it for me. For us to spend some time together. Consider it a vacation you never get to take more than anything."

"What's the weather like there in March?" she asked. "I don't think I can get any time off in February from the daycare. It's too short of notice."

"March could be nice or cold and snow. Hard to say as it's going to be my first year here then too. Look at your schedule and tell me the date that works for you and we'll get your ticket set. Don't tell Mom and Dad."

"You don't want them to know I'm coming to visit?" she asked. "Wait, then they will want to come too."

"Exactly. When it's time for you to leave or it's getting close, just tell them you're going away with some friends or coworkers. They won't even care enough to ask where."

His sister snorted on the other end. "You're probably right. But if they knew I was coming to see you, they'd be more interested."

He hung up his phone a few minutes later and opened the door to see Poppy standing a few feet away on her phone not paying attention.

"Sorry," he said.

"No worries. Is everything okay?"

"Just my sister. It's fine."

"Bet she needed her big brother to listen to her," Poppy said. "I know what that was like with Lily. Probably put a ton more stress and burden on Lily's shoulders, but man, did I need it a lot."

"I don't mind it," he said. "I'm going to have her come visit. Maybe check out the area a little. It'd be nice to have family close by."

"That's great," Poppy said. "What does your sister do? Jobs are rough around here, but we know enough people."

"That's a nice offer," he said. "Right now she works for a daycare and waits tables at night. You can see we weren't the college type."

"Nothing wrong with that," Poppy said. "I wasn't either, but Lily would have kicked my butt if I didn't get my degree. We had this grand plan, and boy, is it working. But you know, Zane's sister owns a daycare. I'm sure she could always use help."

That had completely slipped his mind about Zara's business. "Good point. First step is getting her here. So," he said. He was done talking about his personal life. "Do you have an idea how you want things laid out?"

"I do," Poppy said. "Let's pull up that floor plan and get to it. Rose will be here soon and she's going to figure out her side too. We'll get this done before you leave here today."

"I'm in no hurry to get home, but I'm sure you two are. Let's get started."

Poppy pouted a little as if she was going to argue with him about not being in a hurry but she didn't.

He didn't need interference in his relationship. He had a good enough handle on it.