Page 39 of The Last Unicorn's Mate
How should I frame this?“There are types of people in this world that are content to be by themselves.Asher is one of them.”
Clover mulled that over.“So, he’ll just stay a boyfriend?”
“He’s not my boyfriend,” Juni said.“We’re friends, and one day, he’ll have other friends and will leave us to be with them.Do you understand?”
Clover thought for a moment then nodded.“You mean, he doesn’t want to have a girlfriend.”
“Correct.”
“That makes me sad,” she said.“I like him.”
Juni smiled.“I like him too, so we better enjoy him while he’s still friends with us.”
After that, Clover didn’t ask any more questions on the subject.Asher came back with a tray filled with two plates piled with a cheeseburger and lots of fries and two soft drinks.Since he had a business to run, he didn’t linger, but she watched him mingle with the guests and she noticed that he acted the same with them as he did with her.Which only emphasized she wasn’t anyone special.Honestly, it hurt, but it was good she discovered that now, because she could paint her feelings for him into corners she knew how to get around.
When they were done eating, Juni placed money on the table and rose.Asher was nowhere to be found.She took Clover’s hand and they left The Unicorn.They’d only gone a few feet when she heard her name.
“Juniper!”
She stopped and turned to see Asher hurrying toward her.
“You left without saying goodbye?”
“Oh, it looked like you were busy and we didn’t want to be in the way,” she replied.
He cradled her face with his hands.“You are not in the way.Ever.”
Juni wished he wouldn’t do stuff like this.Say and touch her like he cared.Like they were starting a relationship.The logical side of her brain was telling her to end it with him.Lock it all away and return to some small semblance of self-preservation, but the other part was the one that controlled her heart, and it was screaming at her to soak it all up.
“Can I come by this evening?”he asked.
“You really want to do that?”
He frowned.“Of course.I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
With a smile, he bent his head toward her but stopped and glanced down at Clover.Instead of her mouth, he kissed her forehead.
“See you later.”
She nodded, and they started walking home again.
“Are yousurehe doesn’t want a girlfriend?”Clover asked.“’Cause he was gonna kiss you.”
“No, he wasn’t.”
“Juni and Asher sitting in a tree,” Clover started singing, and this time, she had a name to put with hers.“K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”
“Stop it,” she said, but there wasn’t any heat in her words.Clover repeated the song, this time even louder.“Oh, my god.You’re such a brat.”
Clover sang all the way home.
