Made to Love Read online

  Lex tried to put herself in Nikki’s shoes and sympathize. It would be necessary if she were to tolerate Nikki for the next few months. The drive home was very telling. Two hours on her speaker phone, being regaled by Nikki’s stories about all her rich girlfriends and how easily she could get a woman into bed. She was kind enough to sprinkle in comments about getting tied down and knocked up never being on her bucket list. Needless to say, by the second hour, Lex was ready to pull her hair out. “I bet you’re tired. Why don’t we show you the bunkhouse so you can relax?"

  “Sounds good.” Nikki grabbed a second suitcase out of the backseat. “Listen, thanks again, cuz. I really appreciate you guys letting me bunk here.”

  “Sure, no problem.” Aspen waited for the two of them to go up the stairs before she attempted to climb them.

  “I got it from here.” Nikki dropped her suitcase on the porch with a thud. “I can see getting around is tough. You’re going to pop that kid out anytime, huh?”

  Aspen silently thanked Nikki for saving her from the stairs. “Another three weeks, but I’ll probably go late.”

  “That sucks.” Nikki grabbed the handle of her suitcase and waggled her eyebrows at Lex. “You know what they say helps with that?”

  Lex reddened slightly. “Castor oil.”

  “Mm, yeah. Something like that.” Nikki turned the handle and swung the door open. “Really, I’ve got it. Take your wife home and rub her feet or something nice.” A sad look passed over Nikki’s face before her telltale smile flashed again. “I will probably hole up here a while. Think things over. Know what I mean. If I need anything, I’ll yell.”

  “Okay.” Lex watched the door swing shut then shook her head, clearly puzzled. She put her hands on her hips and watched the spot where Nikki occupied only seconds before. Shrugging, Lex spun on her heel and met Aspen, putting her arm around her and squeezing. She slipped her arm through the crook in Aspen’s arm and matched her slow stride.

  “Wow.” Aspen raised her eyebrows quizzically. “Are we sure that’s the same Nikki that came to the wedding?”

  “I was beginning to wonder that myself. It wasn’t until she started telling stories of Ma trying to feed her eight times a day that I knew who she was.”

  “The purple hair is certainly a statement.”

  “Yeah, it screams save me from Barney.” Lex stopped at the steps to the house and extended her hand toward Aspen.

  “That’s funny. Mom sent a package for the baby and guess what was in there?”

  Lex groaned loudly. “Seriously?”

  “Uh-huh.” Aspen winked mischievously. “Wait until you see what she sent you.”

  “Why do I not like the sound of that?” Lex swung open the door and waited while Aspen navigated inside. “Speaking of purple, do you think the carpet matches the drapes?”

  “Really?” Aspen sighed in exasperation. “Only you would wonder something like that.”

  “It’s a great idea. I mean think about it. It would be like a big flashing neon sign that reads Nikki’s Flower Patch. Open all year round.”

  Aspen smiled uncomfortably. “And you just made it weird.”

  Lex watched her wife walk away, and she chuckled at her retreating figure. “I made it weird?” Lex jogged to catch up with her, shaking her head and laughing at the woman who just locked herself inside the bunkhouse. She stopped outside Aspen’s studio and leaned on the doorjamb. “What are you working on now?”

  “Just a few pieces for the art show.” Aspen held up a sketch of a woman Lex presumed was her. It was a profile of a nude woman who was clearly pregnant. Her long hair danced around her face, and her hand rested on her stomach protectively. “You like it?”

  Lex pushed herself off the door and strode over to Aspen. She took the picture and held it out. “It’s beautiful. How did you get yourself from this angle?”

  “Funny you should ask.” Aspen took the picture and set it back on her easel. She picked up a piece of charcoal and began filling in the shadowed areas. She smudged the new lines with her pinky. “First of all, I can’t tell you how incredibly hard it is to move with a Cadillac strapped around my waist. I feel as if my hips might actually separate, and all of this will just fall out.”

  Lex snickered before the look on Aspen’s face straightened her up. “You’re the cutest vehicle transport truck I’ve ever seen.”

  Aspen glared at Lex. “Funny.”

  Lex wrapped her arms around Aspen’s waist and kissed the back of her neck. “Anyway, you were saying.”

  “Oh, yes.” Aspen leaned into the embrace, and her stomach flip-flopped. She loved the feeling of being in her wife’s arms. She felt safe and loved and most of all she felt wanted. “I took the mirror in our room and moved it, so I could see the door.”

  “Wait.” Lex pulled away and looked at Aspen askance. “The full-length mirror? The one it took me and Nick to carry up the stairs? Babe.”

  Aspen spun around and caressed Lex’s cheek. “I’m fine. I just had to turn it a bit.”

  Lex took Aspen’s face in her hands and fixed her with a concerned gaze. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you. Don’t do anything…”

  “Stupid.” Aspen finished Lex’s sentence. She saw the worried look in Lex’s eyes, and she was immediately sorry that she caused her to worry. She pulled Lex’s hands away from her face and guided her palms to her protruding belly. “Here, feel this?”

  Lex started to shake her head no, but then she felt a subtle movement beneath her hands. Her face lit up excitedly. “She kicked.”

  “She or he kicked. Lex, I’m sorry I upset you. I promise you I would never do anything to hurt our baby.” Aspen’s mind flashed back, and she saw the pain in Lex’s eyes. The devastation of thinking she failed Aspen. Her heart ached momentarily for Lex, but the pain was quickly replaced by the knowledge that this time Lex wasn’t going anywhere, no matter what happened. “We’re both fine.”

  Lex smiled tremulously. “I know. I can’t help worrying.”

  “Well stop it, you nerd.” Aspen’s smile widened at the look on Lex’s face. “Aw, what’s the matter? Can’t take a little name calling?”

  Lex laughed then kissed Aspen soundly. “I’ll show you nerd, dork.”

  “Dork?” “Aspen growled playfully. “Keep it up, Mrs. Tataris and I’ll…”

  “You’ll what?” Lex waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

  “Ha, not on your life.” Aspen schooled her face into the perfect pout. She slid off her stool and sashayed as suggestively as her body would allow her to toward Lex. She wrapped her arms around Lex’s neck. “Admit it, you think I’m sexy. You love when I waddle toward you.” She rubbed her belly against Lex’s groin and moaned as though she had just finished a delicious morsel. She leaned in and kissed Lex softly. Aspen deepened the kiss, only pulling away when she heard Lex’s breathing quicken. “Still a dork?”

  “Mm, yes.” Lex closed her eyes and smiled dreamily. “But a beautiful one.”

  “Oh.” Aspen swatted Lex playfully. “Now you’re gonna get it.”

  Lex feigned fear and turned to run before a loud beep pulled their attention away from each other. She snapped her fingers. “Oh darn, saved by the bell.”

  “Uh-huh.” Aspen picked up the phone and eyed the display. “I better take this. It’s Mason.” Aspen punched the button to accept the call. “Mason, hi.”

  Lex watched the expression on Aspen’s face change to one of concern, and she immediately worried. She figured it had something to do with the art show they were getting ready for. It was bad enough that Aspen was still pushing with just three weeks left in the pregnancy, so any additional stressors were not welcome.

  “Sure. I’ll grab Lex, and we’ll be right over.” Aspen hit end and set the phone on the stool.

  “What’s wrong?” Lex tugged on her ponytail and prayed it wasn’t anything big.

  “Mrs. Cabot passed away.”

  “Mason’s neighbor?”

  “Yeah.” Aspen started putting her supplies away, a distracted expression on her face. “It was quite sudden, I guess. She had a heart attack. Mason isn’t doing so well. They were pretty close. I told her we would come over and distract her.”

  “Sure, yeah. Anything we can do to help.” Lex held her hand out toward Aspen. “Should we stop and grab food on the way?”

  “Probably so. Knowing Mason, she hasn’t eaten.” Aspen followed Lex out. Her mind flashed to her friend and fellow artist, Mason Durant. She and Mrs. Cabot had been close for years. Mason’s parents wouldn’t win any parents of the year awards, and Anne Cabot had been a mother of sorts to Mason. Aspen could tell from the short conversation that Mason was devastated. She only hoped they could comfort her.

  Chapter 3

  Lex pulled into Mason’s driveway and shut off the engine. “You guys need a few minutes?”

  “No.” Aspen shook her head from side-to-side and opened her door. “Besides, I need your help up the steps.”

  “Ah, I see.” Realization dawned on Lex’s face, and she shook her finger in Aspen’s direction. “I’ve been downgraded. I’m nothing but your stair bitch now.”

  “Oh, you’ve always been my bitch.” Aspen winked and smiled mischievously. She watched Lex walk around the front of the car. She was more attractive now than the first day Aspen saw her. It didn’t matter that she was in love with Lex. Lex was gorgeous, that was a simple fact. Their son or daughter would also be blessed with her genetic good looks, as they had used Lex’s brother, Nick, as the donor. Their baby would be the perfect blend of the two of them. Hopefully, dark and exotic with Aspen’s piercing blue eyes. The pregnancy had been hard for Aspen. Months of morning sickness plagued her until her third trimester and now, she felt as big as a house and that hampered he
r doing all the activities that kept her from going insane. She hadn’t cooked a decent meal in weeks, the horses were lacking in company, and sex, well that was scarce. She rubbed her belly as all the thoughts flashed through her mind. It was worth it though. She and Lex would have a beautiful baby, an extension of their love for each other.

  The creak of the door pulled her mind back to reality. Lex extended a hand and pulled gently. “My lady.”

  Aspen giggled. “I should amend my comment. You have always been my knight in shining armor bitch.” The last word she said under her breath, but the look on Lex’s face let Aspen know she heard it. “But you're mine and I love you.”

  “That’s better.” Lex glared at her playfully and shook a bag of fast food. “Think we should have brought something with us to drown her sorrows?”

  “My guess is the fridge is already well-stocked. You know she has a bit of a problem.”

  Lex nodded solemnly and placed her palm under the crook of Aspen’s elbow. “How old was Mrs. Cabot? She can’t have been much older than Aunt Ginny or your mom.”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe late fifties.” Aspen navigated the last step and took a moment to catch her breath before knocking on the door. “I always thought she was pretty healthy.” Aspen pulled the screen door open and knocked.

  It took several minutes for Mason to answer the door and when she did, one look at her face, and it was apparent she’d been crying. “Hey, come in.”

  Aspen shot Lex a look before she stepped into Mason’s living room. The lights were off and the curtains were drawn, so it took her a moment to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. She pulled Lex toward the couch and sat down quietly.

  “Thanks for coming.” Mason’s voice trembled with emotion. “I didn’t know who else to call.”

  “God, Mason, of course we would come. You’re our friend and you just lost someone close to you.” Aspen saw the empty pints on the end table, and she grimaced. “Been hitting it pretty hard.”

  Mason followed Aspen’s eyes and laughed wryly. “Yeah, I have. It seems Ben & Jerry’s is the best way to self-medicate.”

  Lex set the bag of food down next to several empty containers. “Chunky Monkey. You’re hitting the hard stuff. Be careful, Mason. This will sneak up on you before you know it and leave you wrecked on the floor with no memory of the last twenty-four hours. I’ve seen it happen.” Lex gestured surreptitiously. “It’s not pretty.”

  “Hey, I saw that.” Aspen pinched Lex’s arm and scrunched up her face in mock anger. “I am not that bad. Besides, it was Phish Food anyway, not Chunky Monkey.”

  To her credit, Mason at least pretended to laugh. “Thank you. I needed you guys to come save me.”

  “You want to talk about it?” Aspen’s heart went out to her friend. She looked miserable. Even in the pale light, she could see Mason’s eyes were red-rimmed and swollen. Her face looked haunted, and if there was one word to describe Mason, Aspen would say lost. Having her own parents and Aunt Ginny and Uncle Neal most of her life made it difficult to imagine how Mason must feel with no one to turn to. “Or not, it’s up to you.”

  Mason leaned forward in her recliner and ran her hands through her hair. She rested her head in her palms, giving Aspen a chance to study her friend. Her tall frame slumped dejectedly, making her seem much smaller than Lex, though they were almost the same height. Blond curls that were normally tucked into a doo-rag sprang out in every direction, making Mason look a bit crazy. She was dressed in old jean bibs and a T-shirt that could have been made sometime in the ‘60’s. From the look of it, Mason might have had the outfit on that long. Aspen wanted to pull the woman into her arms and comfort her, much like a mom would, but she wasn’t sure Mason would want that; not yet, anyway. After what seemed like an eternity, Mason exhaled and sat up. “I got the call Sunday. Anne was at church for a bake sale when it happened. They called 911 and tried to revive her, but it was a massive heart attack. I was one of her emergency contacts, so they called me. By the time I made it to the hospital, she had already passed away.”

  Aspen leaned forward and patted Mason’s hand consolingly. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know how close you were. If there is anything we can do, just ask.”

  “For now, a shoulder is appreciated most.” Mason shot them a grateful smile.

  “Mine happens to be extra padded right now.” Aspen patted her shoulder and laughed softly. “As a matter of fact, pretty much everything is soft right now.”

  “Ah.” Mason’s eyes flicked between Aspen and Lex uncomfortably. “A shoulder is good. I’ll let Lex keep the rest.”

  Lex smile apologetically. “Forgive her. The mind was the first thing to go.”

  “Hey.” Aspen punched Lex in the leg. “I’ll have you know my mind is perfectly fine.” Aspen pulled her gaze from Lex and glanced around the dimly lit room questioningly. “Why are we here again?”

  Mason laughed before her forehead crinkled in concern. “There is one thing. I’ve got plenty of pieces done already, but I may come in a bit short for the show. Is that okay?”

  Aspen waved a dismissive hand. “I think everyone will understand.” She pictured her own small collection of artwork. The South End Art Hop was Burlington’s biggest art show of the year. It took place every Labor Day Weekend and usually drew tens of thousands of visitors. The businesses and studios on Pine Street were refitted as art galleries and exhibition sites for more than 500 artists. Aspen barely had enough pieces to fill her small studio. She hoped between her artwork and Mason’s sculptures that they could fill the space, but the newest announcement left her wondering. “Besides, you have a bunch of pieces already done.”

  “Yeah.” Mason shrugged her shoulders. “I’ll probably sell most of those by August. I’m doing six shows this summer.”

  “Six?” Aspen eyed Mason with incredulity then saw the twinkle in her eye. “Wait. Don’t tell me you got into stART?” stART on the Street was the biggest art show in Central Massachusetts. Aspen had applied twice, and so far, hadn’t been accepted either time. It was almost impossible to get booth space if you didn’t have it the years before. “How did you swing that?”

  Mason smiled cryptically. “Remember Joanna?”

  “Tell me you aren’t messing around with her again.” Aspen looked at Lex helplessly. “Aren’t you going to say something? You know how bad it was after Joanna.”

  “Stop worrying.” Mason chuckled softly. “I’m not sleeping with her again. I promise.” Truth be told, it had taken her a long time to get over her ex, Joanna. It didn’t matter that she was cheating on her the whole time. Joanna had done a number on Mason, convincing her that she couldn’t do any better than Joanna. “She got a permanent exhibit in the city, and she gave me her spot. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gotten it either. Right now, I have just enough pieces for that show.”

  “It’s next month, isn’t it?”

  “The 7th.” Mason rubbed her hands together. Her palms were hard and calloused from years of sculpting. She eyed them critically. They were rough and worn, big even for her size. Mason picked at a spot distractedly. “It will take everything I have between the shop and Anne’s yard.” For years, Mason displayed her artwork in Anne Cabot’s yard. Her whimsical sculptures, made from old metal and rebar, fit the Queen Anne style house as if they were made for it. “God.”

  “What?” Aspen shot her a sympathetic look.

  “I’m going to have to find another place to display my stuff.” Mason groaned wearily. “This is going to call for another pint.”

  “What about your yard?” Lex, who so far had remained quiet, nodded outside. “You should have room.”

  “I suppose.” Mason thought about her postage stamp sized yard. The garage took up most of the empty space, which meant everything would be cluttered all together in the small space that remained. It certainly wouldn’t have the appeal that Mrs. Cabot’s yard had. Her lot was close to an acre, and the mature gardens and trees accented Mason’s metal sculptures perfectly. “It’s going to be a bitch getting all of it moved.”