Chapter 45 Monroe
MONROE
The next three weeks pass by in a whirlwind of planning the claiming ceremony.
I spend my days with Cherri and meet up with Briar after his classes are over at the Conservatory.
Aside from a few kisses and lingering grazes of fingers against skin, we haven’t done anything physical since our evening at Novel Nibbles.
It’s not for a lack of want—the sweet scent frequently filling the air is proof enough of that—but for whatever reason, Briar never takes it further.
To be fair, we’ve mostly spent the afternoons and evenings at his place, working through ceremony plans between homework, dinner, showers, and bedtime.
He doesn’t want to be away while Juni sleeps, and I can’t blame him.
Coming home to find your child covered in blood is a parent’s nightmare.
I can’t pretend it didn’t rattle me either.
At the end of each night, I take my floracycle home, cursing myself for not asking to stay. To talk, to fuck, I’m not sure what I want.
And that’s the crux of the problem, isn’t it?
Pushing for more is selfish, even if that means every night I end up reaching for my toys or listening to one of the erotic excerpts on my planter stereo, pretending it’s Briar saying the words.
That it’s his fingers, his tongue, his body bringing me to the pinnacle of ecstasy.
If he can feel my desire, he doesn’t act on it. There’s no amplification.
So when he asks on our walk home if I’ve ever been to The Nestling Fields, my fingers twitch in anticipation, wondering if he’ll finally make his move.
“Is this your way of inviting me to go with you to them?” I stare up at him, giving him just kiss me, damnit eyes.
“When I have you in The Nestling Fields, it won’t be on a random weekday with a few harbingers milling about.” His eyes drop to my lips and his hand slides down my spine, whispering against the shell of my ear. “It’ll be when I’m claiming you for every Bloom to see.”
A full-body shiver courses through me as he captures my lips in a kiss.
A delicious, yet solitary, kiss.
“Sorry. That was probably too forward.” His desire permeates the space between us.
Before I can tell him how much I liked his forwardness, he clears his throat, spine straightening.
“I recommend going during the daytime for a bit more quiet. You’ll also get a better view of the flora and incredible flowers and trees and vines.
The magic and energy at something like a claiming ceremony is immense, enough to grow a lush backdrop that shifts with each event. It never looks the same between them.”
He’s helping me build out the platforms, and later tonight we’ll visit The Greenhouse so I can pick out which plant varieties I want featured at the ceremony.
“So what you’re saying is the scenery itself will change as the day goes on?”
“Yes. And it will remain that way until the next ceremony.” He slips his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
His white shirt has the top button undone, and for a moment, I’m back in the bookshop, eyes glued to the foxgloves reaching across his chest. I can’t see them now, but knowing they’re there, inked into his skin, warms me with feral pride.
“There’s a steady amount of activity taking place in The Nestling Fields on a daily basis, so anything grown there or in the near vicinity doesn’t take much upkeep. ”
We step onto his porch, and he opens the door, holding it for me. I drag a hand down his chest, my mate mark tingling when my fingers graze over his. The sensation pools lower, and I nibble my bottom lip.
Later, when we’re alone, I tell myself. Briar’s been so delicate with me, most likely due to my hesitation about the bond, but all I can think about when he gives me space is how indelicate I want him to be…
The door snicks shut behind us, and I’m snapped into the present.
Something is wrong here.
Usually the girls are bouncing off the walls with energy they’ve held at bay during their lessons at the Sprouts School, but it’s eerily quiet when we get inside the house. “Where are the—”
The back door creaks open, and Lilliana runs in, sliding across the wood and running straight into Briar who grunts in pain. Pretty sure she just smacked into his nuts.
She bumps his fist, then shuffles over to me. “Monroe! Perfect timing.”
“What is it, Lily?”
“We need your help with something.” She gestures with her thumb over her shoulder. “In the backyard.”
“Of course.” I take her hand, waiting for her to lead the way. “Let’s go.”
She bounds off so quickly, she’s dragging me the first few steps. I kick off my heels so I don’t twist an ankle. She opens the door, and—
“Surprise!” A dozen Blooms pop out from behind bushes and the long table that’s been set with full tea trays, pitchers of lemonade, and a stack of macarons as tall as me.
I nearly stop in my tracks, jaw going slack, but the sheer force of her excitement pulls me across the threshold. “What is this?”
“It’s your birthday party!”
I can’t contain my smile. “It is?”
“Happy birthday!” Millie shouts, running over with Juniper. “We asked Daddy when your birthday was and he said September seventh.”
The last few weeks have been such a blur, I hadn’t realized. But even if I had, I didn’t think it was something we’d celebrate. I can’t believe I’m forty-one. My fortieth swept in and out without much notice.
Taylor’s chest puffs up, her purple braids swinging against her shoulders. “We got to work right away.”
“Did the decorations ourselves,” Juni adds. “But Daddy did the flowers. We can’t do those just yet.” She points to the ornate teapots on either side of the table. Oversized blush and mint peonies fill them and encircle the space.
“Monroe,” she says, tugging on my skirt. I kneel so I’m level with her. “Do you like it?”
“I love it.” I pull Juniper in for a hug and wave over the other three to join in. “Thank you, girls.”
All of Briar’s family is in attendance except Corrigan, though that doesn’t surprise me.
Despite what Briar said about her being protective of her brother, I’m still certain she hates me.
Cherri arrives with Dani, giving me a big hug and kiss on the cheek, and behind them Roxy and Kendrick file in to wish me a happy birthday.
“It’s so good to see you,” I tell them. While I see Cherri when she comes by the house and sometimes at Briar’s when she and Dani are over, my other two roommates are a rare sight.
I see Roxy at Novel Nibbles if I pop by during the daytime, but I haven’t seen Kendrick since they moved to the mated side of The Fluffle.
“Guest of honor sits here,” Briar says, pulling out the lush purple wingback chair for me. I sit, and he leans down, a few strands of his hair brushing my cheek. “Taylor will be presenting the itinerary.”
“How very official of her,” I reply with a wink.
He takes a step back, and everyone turns their attention to the precocious ten-year-old who stands up from her seat.
“First on the agenda is a craft. Every good party has a craft.” Her tone is very matter-of-fact as she waves toward the table.
“We’ll be painting this tea set.” There’s a group of large teacups and saucers situated around a tall, curvy teapot.
Taylor’s eyes lock on Dani. “Everyone is required to participate.”
I laugh. So do a handful of the other guests as Dani gives their niece a mock glare. “Why do I feel like I’m being singled out?”
She sticks out her tongue at them in response. Her spine straightens and she continues down the paper held in her small hands. “Next, everyone’s favorite party game, pin the tail on the bunny.”
Naturally.
“And finally, a fancy tea party to finish the celebration.”
“Auntie Corrigan!” Millie shouts, getting out of her chair and running over to her aunt.
“Sorry I’m late.” Corrigan’s smile doesn’t reach her eyes. “Was tied up with some Radix business.”
Her gaze flicks to Briar, and while there’s a twinge of something through our bond, I can’t put my finger on what it is.
“You came just in time to paint with us.” Millie tugs her arm. “Sit next to me.”
“Of course, darling.”
“We were worried you weren’t going to make it,” the dean—Claire—calls from the other end of the table.
“And miss out on this beautiful celebration my nieces put together? I’d never.”
So that’s why she came. Not for me but for them.
At least she’s honest.
“How are the ceremony preparations coming along?” Briar’s father, Davis, asks, giving Claire’s hand a squeeze.
“Good so far.” I nod toward Briar who is squinting at his teacup as he tries painting a bunny on it. It comes out more of a brown blob with ears. He sets it down and glances up at me. “Briar and I spent the morning working on some logistics.”
Claire looks relieved, and I’m not sure if I should be glad or offended. I haven’t spoken to her since she delivered my punishment from the Radixes. “I’m certain it’ll be a wonderful tribute to the commitment our Blooms are making to each other.”
“Monroe’s taken a lot of care in planning everything.” Briar’s hand rests on the nape of my neck, his thumb grazing my skin. Goosebumps ripple upward from the point of contact, paired with the intensity of his lavender stare. “It’s going to be a beautiful event.”
“I know we are excited for it,” Dani says. Cherri nods in agreement before she goes back to her crafting. “It’ll be so nice once it’s official and the bond can finally settle.”
I pick up my paintbrush and dip it in emerald. Biting my bottom lip, I try concentrating while the table wobbles from passing paints, pouring lemonade, and people getting up from their seats and moving about to visit with one another.
“You never forget your claiming ceremony. Ours was over fifty years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday.” Davis’s voice carries down the table, but his attention is wholly on Claire. “Now look at us—our kids are all grown up.”