25. Find The Right Guy

25

FIND THE RIGHT GUY

A ster was waiting for his sister at the airport in Providence two weeks later. Forty-five minutes away, it was the best flight schedule to get her there.

It'd been about eight months since he'd seen her, eleven months since he'd been shot.

She couldn't get the whole week off of work and he wasn't going to push. Having her here Saturday through Wednesday afternoon was plenty and more than enough time to show her the area and try to convince her to move.

He felt bad that she was using vacation time she didn't have a lot of to come, but the bigger issue was she didn't want to give up two weekends at the restaurant because she was putting away as much money as she could for when she'd have to move out.

His parents hadn't said a word to him about it and he wasn't sure what to make of that. He didn't talk to them much and it was not something they'd say in a text.

He figured they thought Daphne would have mentioned it, was his guess.

At least he had this weekend and Raine could help him with his sister.

He looked at his watch and knew Daphne would be coming out any minute. Her plane landed about twenty minutes ago. Leaving so early in the morning and getting here at lunchtime helped to give them more time together.

Ten minutes later he heard his name called and turned and Daphne was pulling her luggage and rushing toward him just like she had when he'd landed in Houston on leave almost a year ago.

"Hey there," he said. "How was the flight?"

He gave her a big hug, lifting her in the air like he always did, then putting her back down.

"It was good," she said. "I don't care to fly much, but it's not the end of the world."

He didn't think of flying one way or another as he'd been in enough airplanes in his life.

"Let me grab your bag. Are you hungry? Do you want to stop and get food or can you wait until we are back?"

"Raine said we were going to lunch," Daphne said. "I can wait. I'm good."

They walked together out to the parking lot and to his truck. He opened the back door and put her bag in there.

"It's about forty-five minutes away or so. I just texted Raine we are on our way."

"I can't wait to meet her. I'm so excited to be here and even more excited it's not snowing."

There wasn't much snow on the ground right now either. "We had a huge storm mid-December. Like shut down the roads and stay indoors blizzard-type thing and then it all melted before Christmas. Since then it's just been a few inches here or there and then nice enough to melt right after."

"Okay," Daphne said. "Something to get used to if I move."

He started his truck and pulled out. "So you're thinking of it?"

"I've got to weigh my options. I did think it over. It's not like I've got this great career where I am. I could do that work anywhere. The question is, do I want to do it closer to my brother knowing he has no plans on leaving? You don't, do you?"

"No," he said. "I'm not going anywhere. I like it here. I've got a job I enjoy."

"And a woman you love," his sister said.

"That too," he said. "I want you to come and share what I've got."

She held her hand up. "I can take care of myself, but I know I might need to stay with you for a bit until I can find a job and a place. I did some research and the cost of rentals is even higher here than there."

"But you'll make more here. And you can rent a house here and get roommates if you want. Having roommates in a house is better than an apartment. Not trying to pressure you. You can stay with me as long as you want and not rush."

"I'll think about it," she said. "I have to figure out the job market and what the pay is. You say it's more, but is it really if I'm paying more for everything."

The fact she was even thinking along those lines was helping his case some.

"Let's take it one step at a time," he said. "I'm just glad you're here."

"Me too."

When he pulled into his driveway, he saw Raine's SUV already there. He'd given her a key to the back door so she could let herself in or out since she was staying with him more.

He parked and retrieved his sister's bag from the back and then they went to the front door, which Raine had opened before he got to the porch.

Raine came out and walked up quickly to hug his sister. He hadn't realized they'd gotten that close.

"I'm so excited to finally meet you," she said.

"Me too," Daphne said. "I'm sorry if I'm in the way for the next few days."

"Nonsense," Raine said, waving her hand. "Never think that. I'm sure you're hungry. Why doesn't Aster show you around and then we can get some lunch?"

Raine stepped into the house and they followed. "I know the room isn't that big," Aster said. "The whole house is on the small side, but we won't get in each other's way."

"It's really cute," Daphne said. "Bigger than an apartment I'd have if I could find one."

"As you can tell, the living room opens right into the kitchen and there is a little table to the side, but I normally sit at the counter."

"Not a lot of rooms, but it's roomy if that makes sense."

"It does," he said. "It's not cluttered, which neither of us likes."

"No," Daphne said.

"There are two bedrooms on the other side. The front one is yours, the bathroom is next, and then I'm past that."

Daphne followed him to her room and he set her bag down.

"It's bigger than my room at home."

"Exactly," he said. "So nothing is changing there and you won't have to pay rent here."

"I'm paying rent if I move here," Daphne said firmly.

"No," he said. "Out of the question and you know it. I'm dead serious. I know you. You're going to be working more than one job most likely and all you'll do is put your head on the pillow at night. You won't be here enough."

"Don't fight him on this," Raine said. "Then you'll make him moody. I don't like moody Aster. I like the playful Aster better."

"Aster is playful?" his sister asked. "Do I get to see this side of you?"

"Don't be a brat," he said. "You know how I am."

His sister laughed. "I do know. Just picking on you." She moved out and popped her head into the bathroom. "Bigger than the one we all shared at home too."

"See," he said. "Not that bad."

"The best is outside," Raine said. "It's beautiful."

The three of them went outdoors and walked to the bank of the water.

"Okay, I'm almost sold on this alone. Just how secluded and quiet it is. How do you sleep with no noise?"

"Pretty good now," he said.

He looked at Raine and saw her frown but didn't say anything more. It's not a conversation they'd ever had. She rarely asked about his time in the service and that was fine with him.

It's not like he had anything so horrible happen to him like Trace did. Losing his best friend in a bombing.

He'd seen men die, that is what war was about. But he'd like to think he could move on from it like Zane and Luke had. Even Trace.

"I'm glad to hear that," Daphne said. "And now I'm starving."

"Let's go," Raine said. "I thought maybe we could go to Mona's. You know if you moved here and still wanted to work as a restaurant server, she is always looking for someone. Ivy's sister is Mona's daughter-in-law. I could put a good word in for you."

He loved that Raine was helping. Not pushing for Aster to take care of his sister because Daphne was too independent for that, but helping her with job opportunities.

"Sounds good to me," Daphne said.

"It's a restaurant on the water. Part of a marina," he said. "It's a big venue for weddings and other events too."

"Even better," Daphne said.

He nodded to Raine and the three of them left and he drove the ten minutes there.

"There isn't as much to do around here as you're used to," he said.

"It's not like I do much," his sister said. "I work and might go out with friends once in a while, but normally on the weekends I'm working."

"The dating scene is pretty dismal," Raine said. "But if you wait you can eventually find the right guy."

"Very cute," Aster said.

"What?" she asked. "It's the truth."

"Finding a man is the last thing on my mind," Daphne said. "I'm trying to get my life figured out more and go from there."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Raine said. "I lived at home for a long time too. When I got my apartment I was waiting tables like you too on the weekends and doing it five days a week in the summer plus teaching summer school. It's not easy."

"Thanks for that," Daphne said. "I thought of going into the service like Aster."

"You never said that," he said.

"Because it was a passing thought. I couldn't do it. I'm not tough enough. Though when I'm watching six toddlers on my own and running in circles herding them up, I realize how tough I really am."

"That's right," Raine said. "Some smart guy told me once that every job is important regardless of money. That teaching the youth is one of the most important jobs out there."

"Sounds like a smart man I know," Daphne said, her hand coming from the backseat and resting on his shoulder.

Aster was wondering how lucky he was to have two women love him this much.