Chapter 14
Aster
Since I've been back home, I haven't spent nearly enough time in the actual town acting like a citizen. So that's what I'm doing.
My clients this morning were actually quite easy to make happy, it was a rabbit shifter family and all they wanted was a good-sized lot they could dump a massive amount of dirt in so they could dig to their hearts content. Pretty hard to mess up that.
Now it's sunny out, and I have nowhere else to be for a few hours, so I thought I'd see how much the town has changed since the last time I was here.
This place never changes too much, seeing as how supernaturals live for an incredibly long time. The real estate business here is pretty slow, but I'm staying busy enough I suppose. I definitely am not missing the hustle of living in the city, that's for sure.
I'm just passing by the spell shop, trying to figure out the purpose of the massive granite boulder that sits in front of it now, when I hear my name being called by a voice that has no business being in Trash Haven.
I don't know when I began to be actively annoyed by the sound of my ex’s voice, but thank the gods that hearing him speak isn’t a regular part of my routine anymore.
“There you are. I’ve been scoping the town out, you never mentioned how quaint it is. I dropped by your office, but all the lights were off.”
Motherfucker goes in for a hug.
I put a hand on his chest, stopping him. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Can't a guy come visit his fiancée? I wanted to see the appeal of the place you left me for. This isn't you, Aster. There's no way this kind of clientele is what you're seriously after.”
“How fucking dare you. I don't know what you smoked before coming here, but it's clearly messing with your memory. You seem to have completely forgotten about the fact that you’re with somebody else now and that you kicked me out.”
He has the magnanimity to wince. “Listen, can we talk? Somewhere private?”
If any of my guys see him here, talking to me, I really don't think it's going to be an invite-him-in-for-tea type of situation.
“No. I have nothing else to say to you, and quite frankly you're ruining my day.
I'm sorry you thought driving all this way uninvited and unwanted was a good idea, but I suggest you grab a cup of coffee and climb right back in that flashy car of yours and go back to the hole you crawled out of.”
He takes a half step closer, making me trip over the odd granite rock behind me. I end up falling against it, confused by its warmth.
“I'm sorry, okay? I had it really good with you, and I squandered that. I didn't appreciate you the way I should have.”
I scoff. “No, you didn't. Why the sudden change of heart? Did she forget to pick up your dry cleaning? Maybe realize you're hopeless when it comes to feeding yourself? Because I have a strict no take-back policy. She's not getting a refund from me.”
“I think the air here is affecting your head. You've never spoken to me like this before.”
“Because I was an idiot who forgot my backbone existed. We have nothing to say to each other. You need to leave.” I brush past him, trying to find a way to distract myself and look all casual. Internally, I'm freaking out and patting myself on the back for coming off so cool-headed and aloof.
Did I give off the cool, aloof vibe to you? It's okay to lie to me.
“Godsdamn it, Aster. I just want a fucking conversation. There's no way you can't give me that, not after the life we created together.”
I spin on him quickly, cutting off that train of thought.
“You mean the life you crumpled up and threw in the trash for a quick fuck at the office?
I gave you everything, Bill. All for you to try and ruin my career when I held you accountable for your inexcusable actions.
I could give you a conversation, but the only circumstances I would do so would be with you hanging over a cliff and me, the one responsible for keeping you there.
And then, I'd let go and walk away as you fell and went splat. Goodbye.”
“Did you…just call me Bill?”
Ah, fuck. “My bad. Have a bad one.”
I start to walk away again, trying so damn hard to stifle my laughter. Doesn't work too well, but it's the thought that counts, right? That's actually really funny; all those times the people around me messed up his name must have messed with my brain.
“Aster! What the hell? We need to talk. I don't know why you sent my mom those texts, but she's hounding me. Going on about how disappointed in me she is… just call her and tell her we're back together, alright?”
It was such a lovely day just a minute ago.
“No. I will not do that. I had a relationship with your mom as well, so I deserved to have my side explained to her without the bullshit of you interfering.
You got yourself into this mess, so you can deal with the consequences.
You're a grown-ass adult, and I'm no longer a part of your life. Get your shit together, Ben, if you want your next partner to stick around.”
By now, there are definitely people watching us interact. This town is small enough that this gossip will spread like wildfire, and everybody here knows who I'm with now, so this is definitely going to cause some issues. And yet, the guy just won't let me go.
I almost find this funny because he let me go so easily before. Now that I've realized how much better off I am without him, he's creeping in like an infectious disease.
I hear the buzzing before my eyes can track them, swarming Ben as he starts to bat at them. It's no less than I expected, so I just stand there, propped against the nearest building, and watch. It’s nobody’s business how hot I find my guys when they’re all agitated like this on my behalf.
Two cute little fuzzy honeybees are darting in and out, luckily avoiding Ben’s hands, looking for an opening to his face. Male drones don’t have stingers, so Ben won’t actually get stung, but he doesn’t need that information. Need to know basis.
It’s also really fun to not interfere with him being so distressed in a public setting.
“What the hell kind of bees are these? Why aren't they flying away? Aster, help!”
“Don't be rude, they're just having a bit of fun. You’ll be fine. Also, suck my dick.”
I walk in to the coffee shop to treat myself to a little afternoon pick me up, waiting for the situation outside to calm down. I know the guys will meet me in here when they're done playing, so I make sure to find a table that will fit all of us.
By the time they're shifted, and they’ve somehow found clothes to put on, I'm halfway through my iced tea and have their drinks waiting.
Hawthorne slides in first, kissing me on the cheek. “We got rid of him for you. You're welcome.”
“He was only here because his mother confronted him. I might have sent her some texts Ben sent me when we were breaking up. Thought she deserved to hear the way her son treats women. Also wanted her to know why I wouldn’t be at her anniversary party next weekend.”
Dev and Arbor also stoop down to kiss me before sitting down at the little table I took over. When does this stop feeling like it’s happening to somebody else?
“How do men like that end up with women like you? It does not make any sense to me,” Arbor says as he grabs my hand across the table. “Sorry he’s stirring up unpleasant emotions and shattering your peace.”
The door gets shoved open, and I just know without even having to look who it is. Ben thinks he's been wronged now, so he's going to keep trying to combat the problem until it's solved in his favor.
I don't hide my connection to the three men I'm sitting with whatsoever. Ben knows exactly who they are, because he's seen pictures of me growing up with them and in things my brother has sent.
His face flushes with anger as he walks to our table, planting his gross, sweaty palms on it.
“Seriously, Aster? This is why you won't take me back?
Because you have some sort of puppy crush on your brother's friends? That's pathetic even for you. Haven’t all those years of them ignoring you been enough of an answer? I'm willing to look past your behavior if you'll come get in the car with me. Then you’re helping me pick out apology flowers for my mom for stressing her out so much. It’s the least you can do.”
His voice softens and he leans closer, oblivious to the fact that I’m trying to lean away from him. This tone is the one he’d always use when he was trying to get me to do what he wanted, and I’ve been conditioned to give up my fight and fold because it’s typically easier than continuing to argue.
His tricks don’t work on me anymore, but let’s give him one last try for old time’s sake, shall we? It will give us something fun to laugh about later.
“We can pick up dinner from your favorite Thai place on our way there. The apartment is exactly as you left it, exactly how you like it. She’s gone.
I know I don’t have to tell you that, but she is.
She broke things off because you got somebody to plaster the break room with a picture of me bending her over my desk.
HR said she'd lose her job if she continued to have the affair on company time, and she decided I wasn't worth the risk.
So, congratulations. Chased off a more suitable woman, and now I'm stuck with you. Again.”
And…opportunity squandered.
I don't even bother responding, because as he's proved, anything I say goes in one ear and out the other. Also, I absolutely did not tell someone to print those pictures off and put them all over the breakroom, but that’s amazing.
I have no problem standing up for myself, but guys like him only respect other guys. Also, I'm just really sick of talking to him. I bat my eyes at Dev, who's the biggest, bulkiest, and most intimidating of them all.