“That thing is huge,” Aspen says, referring to the beanbag.
“Isn’t it? I got it because I kept falling asleep while reading in my old chair. I wanted something bigger, and then I saw an ad for this thing. I can stretch out completely like I’m in a bed. I swear I sleep here more than I do in my bedroom.”
“Is there something wrong with your bed?” I ask, frowning.
We just got her a new bed two years ago. Surely nothing is wrong with it already, right?
Ashley rolls her eyes. “My bed is fine. I just didn’t want to keep reading in bed and hardly spend time out here in the living room. Now stop worrying.”
Aspen laughs. “Good luck with that. I swear, that’s all the man does is worry.”
My sister winks. “It’s part of his DNA. I swear he inherited it from our dad. Now tell me, how long have you two been together?”
“A while,” I say right when Aspen says, “It’s new.”
Ashley raises her eyebrows. “Alrighty then.”
“We’ve known each other and liked each other for a while, but we’ve finally decided to see where it goes,” Aspen amends.
“Hey, no need to explain it to me. I get complicated.”
“Are you seeing anyone?” I ask.
“No, big brother, and even if I was, it wouldn’t be your business.”
“You are my business,” I remind her.
“Okay, fine. It wouldn’t be your business until I was ready to tell you. Trust me, you don’t want to hear about all the dates I go on.” She huffs.
Aspen groans. “Dating is the worst.”
My sister nods. “You can say that again. I went on a date last week, and the guy’s wife walked up. She said straight up that they were looking for a third, and I wasn’t her type. She grabbed her husband, and they bounced. Thank God we had only managed to order drinks. Otherwise, I would have been stuck with a bill from hell. He was talking about ordering a tomahawk,” she says, referring to a giant ass bone-in steak.
“Jesus Christ,” I hiss, shaking my head.
“I once had a guy keep buying shots for our friend group. What I didn’t know was that he had grabbed my card from the back of my phone case and given it to the bartender. The bartender never checked the name. So the next morning, I realized my card was gone and decided to call the bar. Sure enough, it was there, and I had a four-hundred-dollar tab,” Aspen says.
I shake my head as they bond over bad dates and shitty men.
This wasn’t exactly how I imagined them bonding, but I’ll take it.
As they continue to chat, I take a back seat and think about how right this feels. I always kept my sister at a distance, and I still will as long as I am dealing with dangerous shit, but maybe I can let her in a little more.
I smile at the two women who rule my life.
Yeah, I think things will work themselves out.
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
ASPEN
“Ilike seeing you happy, Asp,” Calloway says as he walks into the kitchen.
I’ve had a smile on my face more often than not these days. I mean, I am not perfect by any means, but I am getting there.
“I am happy,” I tell him as he moves closer.
