Chapter 16
Nevan
My fingers drummed on the table at the Deerborn as I waited for Enid to arrive.
The tavern was crowded tonight, and a group of men gathered by the massive stone hearth in the middle of the restaurant, laughing and clinking their mugs of ale.
I remembered a few years ago when this restaurant had been on the brink of closure, but thanks to Elowyn, the owner’s daughter, they’d started making more innovative recipes, swapping out their menus seasonally, and taking requests from townspeople.
Now they were more popular than ever, and for good reason: their food was delicious. I hadn’t been here in ages, but the smells of crispy potatoes, rosemary, thyme, and some kind of roasted meat were making me regret that.
“Order up!” a man called from the kitchen, and a young woman grabbed the plates and delivered them to a table nearby.
The door to the restaurant opened, Enid stepping in. Everyone grew quiet at once, all eyes on her. I swallowed, hoping she would ignore them and just focus on me. I caught her eye, nodding and giving her a smile.
She didn’t flinch or shrink away, just walked into the tavern like she owned this place. I’d always been amazed by her confidence. She didn’t seem to care what anyone thought of her, didn’t feel the need to mold herself into something she wasn’t. I admired that.
She strode through the maze of tables gawking at her until she arrived in front of me.
I’d been so focused on keeping eye contact with her that I hadn’t noticed what she was wearing.
Now as she stood close, I took her in, my blood heating.
I’d only ever seen her in her long-sleeved black dress and her black robe—and I wasn’t complaining about either of those.
But tonight she wore a maroon dress with a low-cut bodice and a cinched waist. Her black hair hung down her back in loose waves, and someone had painted glittering leaves on either side of her umber eyes. She was stunning.
“Hi,” I managed.
She was about to sit down when I jumped up to get her chair.
The eyes of the entire tavern weighed heavy on me as I dragged the chair back and gestured for Enid to sit.
She glared. “I can get my own chair, for goodness’ sake.”
I took my seat, starting to warm up to that scowl of hers, the way her nose slightly wrinkled, her eyes flashing, brows knitted together. “It’s supposed to be romantic,” I said.
In an instant, her scowl was replaced by confusion. “Romantic? You pulling out my chair—something I could do with very little effort—is romantic?”
Well, when she put it like that . . . I nodded to her dress. “That’s new.”
“Do you approve, then?” She tugged at the bodice, which only revealed more of her cleavage.
Approve was a word for it.
She huffed. “I got ambushed by Fiona and Niamh, along with that dressmaker and a talking painting.”
“Margaret came to your cottage?”
“You know her?” Enid asked.
“Oh, Margaret makes sure everyone knows her,” I said. “She’s a bit of a gossip.”
“A bit?” Enid raised a brow, and I laughed.
“Gossip is her entire life. But to be fair, she is stuck in a painting and doesn’t have a lot else to do but listen in on people’s conversations.”
“Well, if it isn’t Nevan Wolfgang,” a voice said, interrupting.
Enid and I looked up to see Myrna Carragh hovering over us, owner of the Deerborn and possibly the oldest living person in Fairwitch Isle. Wrinkles lined her ancient face as she peered down, her white hair up in a bun.
“Hi, Myrna,” I said.
“It’s been a while, Mr. Wolfgang.”
“I guess I’ve been busy. Being the only town healer and all.”
“Well, I’m glad you made it out tonight.
And with a companion, it seems.” She turned her pointed gaze to Enid.
“No funny business now. I don’t want that vine of yours coming in and suffocating anyone while they’re eating.
” She lowered her voice. “Unless it just happens to be Mr. Wolvern’s table.
” She tipped her head toward her former arch nemesis.
The Wolverns and Carraghs feuded for centuries until Elowyn Carragh fell in love with Liam Wolvern and ended the animosity. Mostly.
Myrna might still have held a grudge.
“Wouldn’t mind seeing that vine of yours give him a squeeze.”
Enid’s lips twitched.
“Vine won’t be dining in tonight,” I said before Enid could agree. “We’re here to eat. Enid’s very excited to try your delicious food.”
That seemed to mollify Myrna, who raised her chin. “It is delicious. My Elowyn helps us with the menu. She’s the castle chef, you know.”
“Great,” Enid said with a flat tone.
I kicked her under the table, and she shot me a glare. I mimicked smiling, which only made her frown deepen.
“We’ll have your roasted chicken and dumplings and two ales.” I held up two fingers.
Myrna kept her narrowed gaze on Enid but finally nodded and spun on her heel.
“Remember how we talked about smiling?” I asked.
Enid rolled her eyes. “Oh, I remember. My least favorite conversation with you to date.”
“You’ve ranked our conversations?” I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. “Now I’m going to have to hear the full list, worst to best.”
She pressed her lips together, and I laughed.
“Okay, how about instead you tell me why you were ambushed tonight?”
Enid sighed heavily as one of the serving boys plopped two foaming mugs of ale in front of us. “They knew about our date tonight, and apparently, they decided my wardrobe was lacking.”
I choked on my ale. “Really?”
She nodded, brows furrowing. Grumpy Enid might have been quickly becoming my favorite Enid. “Fiona said it looked like I was going to a funeral.”
I choked again, and Enid just stared at me, unamused as I banged my fist on my chest. “I don’t think that,” I said quickly.
“I mean, your maroon dress looks stunning. It fits you well.” I squeezed my eyes shut.
Fits her well? What in the fuck? “I mean, it molds to your body.” Oh godwitches, no.
That was way worse. “It’s lovely is what I’m trying to say. ”
I finally chanced a glance at Enid to see amusement flashing in her eyes. “Please tell me more about how it fits me,” she said.
I took another drink of my ale, and thankfully, this time there was no choking. “I think I’ve said enough about your dress.”
“Why is everyone so surprised to see you?” she asked suddenly, glancing around the tavern. “That lady at the apple cider cart said the same thing as Myrna.”
I traced my finger around the rim of my glass. “I don’t get out a lot. I’m busy between healing and potions and all the expectations on my shoulders.”
“Why don’t you just stop doing what everyone is expecting of you?”
I gaped at her, a nervous sweat gathering at the base of my neck. She made it sound so easy. “Because I don’t want to let anyone down. Have you never felt that way?”
She took a sip of her ale. “I’m used to letting people down, to being a disappointment. I guess I’m immune to it now.”
The glow of the firelight lit her green skin. Her lips were a rosy red, her cheeks with the faintest blush on them. She looked lovely. “I don’t think that’s it,” I said.
“How could you possibly know that? I’m telling you, I’ve disappointed almost everyone in my life.”
Sadness tinged her words. It was barely detectable, but I hated thinking that anyone had made her feel like a letdown.
“That’s their problem. Not yours. You’re confident.
You know who you are. That’s not something a lot of people can say, Enid.
Everyone’s always pretending, making themselves into something they’re not.
You don’t do that. You are who you are and if anyone doesn’t like it, too bad for them. ”
She swallowed thickly. “How do you do that?” she asked finally, voice soft and quiet.
“How do I do what?”
“Shine a new light on everything. Make me look at things in a different perspective. It’s annoying, and you need to cut it out.”
I laughed, but my heart squeezed. Had no one ever complimented her before?
“I guess ever since Lor disappeared, I started feeling like I needed to brighten everyone’s moods.
Wolfe completely retreated, blaming himself for what happened to our brother.
Cillian got crowned high prince shortly after Lor’s disappearance, and he was not ready for the responsibility.
My parents were not only grieving a lost son but also worrying about two other sons. ”
I still remembered how much our family dynamics shifted after we thought Lor had died. We’d stopped feeling like a family, and I’d hated it. I’d wanted to bring us back together.
Enid stayed silent, just staring at me with her umber eyes, waiting for me to continue.
“I was the one who pulled everyone out of their misery. I got us to start having family dinners again.” Wolfe had refused to come, but it was still better than nothing.
“I reminded everyone about the good things we still had to hold on to. And it helped. Slowly, my family healed. I guess ever since then, I feel like I need to keep doing that. I need to keep making everyone happy or we’ll fall back into that pit of despair. ”
It seemed like Cillian was already doing that, and I didn’t know why. But maybe doing these house calls would help brighten his mood.
I took a deep gulp of my ale and shot Enid a shaky smile. “Anyway, I’m sorry I keep doing that with you.”
“Don’t be,” she said quickly, and the way she said it—so sincere, all the annoyance gone—made me determined to compliment her more.
She leaned forward, a mischievous glint in her eye.
“Since you love how much I don’t conform, does that mean I’m allowed to threaten anyone tonight?
Like those men who have been glaring at me since I arrived? ”
I glanced over at them, and she was right. Everyone else in the tavern had moved on from Enid’s presence and was now enjoying their drinks and food and conversation. But the group of men by the hearth, all of them part of the royal guard, stared at Enid with angry scowls, muttering to each other.
My blood boiled. She was just sitting here, enjoying her evening like everyone else, and they had the audacity to act like this simply because her presence made them uncomfortable.
“I’m going to say something.” I moved to get up, but Enid put her hand over mine.
“Don’t,” she said. “I can take care of myself.”
“Trust me, I know you can take care of yourself. Let me take the heat for this.”
“You’re the likable one.” She glanced down at her hand, still covering mine, and snatched it back, folding it in her lap. “We can’t both be unlikable or this plan will never work.”
I sat back with a huff and crossed my arms as the men continued to glare. “Well, if they’re going to stare, then let’s give them a show.” I waggled my brows.
Enid’s eyes widened in alarm.
“Come here.” I pointed at my seat.
“On your lap?” she whispered.
I tipped my head toward a couple in the corner, currently making out in their cozy booth. If they could show affection, then so could we.
Besides, we needed to start ramping up our efforts, and cuddling with me would be a far more effective way to get people to stop staring at Enid everywhere she went. “Are you okay with that? We don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable doing.”
She held my gaze, then stood. My breath momentarily left my body as I took in her figure. In the short walk to my chair, she sashayed her curvy hips, then she pushed my chair back from the table and sat in my lap. My hands gripped her waist, fingers digging into the velvety fabric of her dress.
Holy fuck. I had not thought this through. My cock twitched as she wriggled her ass against my legs and stroked my cheek with her long black nails.
She leaned down, lips close enough to graze my ear, and whispered, “How’s this for convincing?”
“Good.” Too fucking good. “I think this’ll do it.”
Goddamn, why was this turning me on? It was all fake. I had to remind myself of that. I’d literally picked Enid because she had no real interest in me. But my cock didn’t know that. All it knew was that I had a beautiful, brilliant woman in my lap, caressing my face in front of the entire tavern.
And I liked it. I wanted them to know she was mine, and they could fuck off if they weren’t okay with it.
My empty mug sat in front of us. Maybe that was why I was suddenly feeling so possessive. It was the alcohol.
Enid’s was empty as well. I hadn’t even realized I’d finished mine already. Yes, that had to be why I was reacting to Enid this way. Definitely the alcohol and nothing else.
Her lips dragged from my ear down my jaw, and I sucked in a sharp breath. The whole tavern faded away until it was just the two of us. Just Enid’s hot breath and her rosy scent and her warm lips. Then I was imagining what it would be like to feel those lips all over my body.
“What are they doing?” Enid whispered in my ear, reeling me back to reality.
Right. We were in a tavern, and Enid was pretending to be all over me. That was the whole point of this. It had been my idea because I was an idiot, severely underestimating what her sitting in my lap would do to my body.
“Nevan?” she asked. “Can you see them?”
I cleared my throat and peeked over her mane of black hair, None of the men were staring any longer. Some of them pointedly looked in the other direction.
“It worked,” I said, and Enid drew back with a grin that transformed her entire face.
“Should I eat my meal in your lap after it arrives? Feed you, maybe?”
Godwitches be, there was an image. I shifted uncomfortably. “Uh, no. I think that’s enough for tonight. We don’t want to scandalize everyone.”
A look flashed in Enid’s eyes, gone before I could decipher it, and then her delicious weight lifted from my lap, and she was back in her chair.
“All right, two orders of roasted chicken and dumplings.” Myrna appeared in front of us and set the plates down.
“Think you two can keep your hands off each other long enough to eat?” She raised a brow, but it wasn’t disgust or anger in her gaze—it was amusement.
We might have been shifting the public opinion already.
Enid’s gaze met mine, her lips twitching, and we both burst out laughing.