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“Eden won’t mind. She’s having a night off herself.”

“Dom,” Aster said, sighing. “I just need to go home, okay?” She gave Dom a knowing look. “And I need to do it right now before your fiancée encourages me to stay.”

“O-okay.” Dom took a step forward. “Everything okay?”

“Will be, yeah.” Aster threw her thumb over her shoulder, backing up towards the side gate. “Tell them I said goodnight, okay?”

“How are you getting home? You can’t walk the streets.”

“I’ll walk into town. I could do with some fresh air. And it’ll do me good…get rid of the twenty pounds Blair added to my waistline tonight.”

“Mate, do you like need to talk or something?” Dom looked as though she had something she needed to get off her chest, but Aster didn’t need to hear it. It was best to go home.

Aster held up a hand. “Nope. I’m good. Talking makes everything turn into a mess in my head. But everything is fine. Eden is my boss, and I need to remember that. It’s just harder than I thought it would be.”

“But I was talking to Blair, and she said Eden—”

“Dom, I’m good. To even think for one second that I would be lucky enough to discover Eden was miraculously gay was ridiculous. And you know what, even if she was…it wouldn’t make any difference to any of this.”

“Why?”

“Have you seen her?” Aster snorted. “I’m all for punching above my weight, but Jesus, no.”

“Um, let’s not forget that I was lucky enough to find Blair.”

“The two can’t be compared. Blair was actively looking and is gay. Eden isn’t looking for anything at all. And certainly not a woman.”

Dom chewed her lip. “Mate, I—”

“Thanks for a great evening. Bye, Dom.”

Aster shot out of the side entrance, relieved when she slid out of the electronic gates and onto the pavement without being dragged back inside. She felt terrible for leaving without saying goodbye, but she needed some space and a little time to work things out in her head. Tonight was kinda special, being Eden’s plus one in some way, but she couldn’t do that again. It only left her longing for something impossible. Aster may have been deeply attracted to Eden Kline, but she would also be stupid to contemplate the potentials for a second longer.

13

Eden dragged her weary body into the lift, blowing out a deep breath when the doors closed. She was already running late this morning, her lack of sleep throughout the night the cause. If she could get into her office and drink some coffee, check in with Aster, everything would be fine.

She unlocked her phone. Blair had left her another message.

B: Let me know how Aster is.

E: I will. She hasn’t answered any of my calls.

B: Maybe she’s snowed under with work.

E: She’s not. She’s shit hot when it comes to work.

Eden slid her phone into the side of her oversized handbag, striding out of the lift when the doors opened. All seemed well around the office as Maxine waved from her desk, but Eden couldn’t settle until she’d seen Aster with her own eyes.

“Morning, Eden.” Maxine stood from her desk. “You have some enquiries to get through this morning and a note or two that have been left on your desk.”

“Perfect, thank you.”

She would usually hang around and catch up with her team, but Eden had zero strength for small talk today. Aster had vanished out the back last night, and Eden couldn’t help but wonder if her slight outburst had something to do with it. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate Aster’s concern for her, but she didn’t want Aster to cut her own night short. Just as Eden suspected she had a few weeks ago when she suddenly decided she was ready to leave Blair’s, mid-conversation with Dom.

But really, it was hearing Aster call her a friend that made her feel uncomfortable. Of course, they were friends, but Eden had felt special last night as they sat eating dinner together. She’d seen the look Aster gave her as Dom and Blair talked about their own relationship. She’d seen that longing in Aster’s eyes. So to hear her call Eden a friend…she hadn’t expected it. Then Blair’s sympathetic smile had only left a dread settling within her.

Eden had well and truly blown any chance she had with Aster. She should have just been honest from the moment she knew she was into her. Yeah, it’s never that simple.