Chapter 12 #2
But now it was time for me to apply this same critical thinking to my own circumstances.
Faelan had captured my interest for a reason, and while my initial instinct had been suspicion, a few talks with Oban had made me pause on that path.
What I needed was more information and a better understanding of who Faelan was before I would get out my pitchfork.
Just the thought alone brought an acrid taste to my mouth. It was one of my biggest issues with my father—how he could be so willing to persecute others, when we, too, had been persecuted. He had a blind spot, that he did, and one could even say he was a hypocrite at times.
My phone pinged in my pocket. Pulling it out, I noted my father’s name and switched it to silent. I wasn’t on call today and could happily avoid any conversation with my family.
“Work? Or family?” Faelan asked as she poured hot water from the kettle into the mugs.
“Family.”
“Hmmm.”
It was a perfect opportunity to address the story I’d told her yesterday about healers, but I wasn’t quite sure how to bring it up without sounding obvious.
“Have you always wanted to be a vet?” I asked, instead, taking the mug and plate of food from her and going across the room to the wee bistro table. I barely fit in the chair and I felt like we were eating at a doll’s table, but this seemed to be the only option.
“Pretty much.” Faelan shrugged one shoulder as she brought her plate to the table and sat, tearing off a piece of the croissant. “I’ve had a natural affinity for animals from a young age.”
“They don’t judge … you said.”
“It’s true. They don’t. Mostly.” A smile drifted across her pretty face. She was clearly remembering a secret joke I wasn’t privy to. “But also, it’s hard to ignore their companionship. You’re never really lonely, are you, if you have a pet?”
I looked around the flat.
“But you don’t have one?”
“I didn’t say I was lonely, did I?” Faelan scowled, neatly putting me back in my place. “What about you? If your whole family are medical professionals, was that just the only way forward for you?”
“Honestly, I never really tried something else.” I took a bite of my egg sandwich and chewed while I thought it over. “It wasn’t a burden for me. I genuinely like learning. I was an inquisitive child, more so than my brothers, and constantly asked questions. It also made me a touch annoying.”
“You? Annoying? Never.” Faelan gestured with a hand to the bags I’d dropped just inside her door.
“Hey, you’ll think I’m less annoying once I tell you what your surprise is.”
“And will you be telling me that now?”
“Nope, not yet. So, back to childhood. Basically, I like figuring out how things work. I like logic. Science was a great way for me to fulfill that part of my inquisitiveness. I’ve always been uncomfortable with things that I can’t explain.”
“And has there been a lot in your life that you can’t?” Faelan picked up her mug with both hands and leveled me a look over the top.
“Aye.” Not that I was ready to share what those things were with her. “But I suppose that’s what humanity is about, isn’t it? The pursuit of answers.”
“Or meaning.” Faelan’s eyes took on a haunted look.
“Och, now that’s an area I struggle with.” I leaned back and crossed my arms over my chest. “I take meaning in being able to treat injuries. To help others. But then I also struggle to understand when a child dies on my table.”
“I understand.” To my surprise, Faelan reached out and squeezed my arm, sympathy on her face.
“Not to the extent of losing a child, but to many, their pets are much the same. It’s horrific to not be able to help in those instances.
Us healers, we’re a special breed, aren’t we?
There are only certain types suited for this line of work. ”
“Healer. That’s an interesting way to put it. Don’t you mean doctor?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
“Doctors are healers. They were healers long before the term doctor ever came about. Isn’t that what you’ve been taught?
How to heal?” Faelan neatly sidestepped my question, and I gave up.
I was beginning to understand there was no normal way to directly ask someone if they used magick in their healing.
Which meant I either had to get up and leave, or I had to listen to my gut instinct that Faelan was a good person … with a secret.
Because, at the end of the day, I was hiding one from her as well.
“I guess so. Which is why I’m here to ‘heal’ a wound of yours.” I grinned when Faelan’s eyes narrowed.
“I don’t recall asking for help. With anything.” Faelan gestured with the cup, her lips pursing into a scowl.
“Remember when I said I could be annoying at times?” I laughed and stood up, crossed the room to the bags, and brought them back to the table. Putting them on the floor, I nudged them to her. “Go on. Open your prezzie.”
“I don’t wanna.” Faelan pushed out her lower lip and I laughed again. She was cute when she pouted.
“Aren’t you the least bit curious?”
“Oh, for sure. Dying of curiosity.” Faelan’s laugh was rich and warmed my gut, sending little tendrils of desire curling through me.
“But then if I open it, I have to accept it, and something tells me a B&Q bag means a project, and a project means you’ll stick around longer than I had planned to have company today. ”
I held a hand to my chest, and made puppy dog eyes, the picture of a wounded male.
“Are you telling me that you’re sick of my company? Already?”
“I should. Just because I suspect not many people tell you that.” Faelan smirked when I gave her a shite-eating grin. “I knew it. You’re the type of man people rarely say ‘no’ to, aren’t you?”
“That’s not true. Patients tell me ‘no’ all the time.” I laughed when she squinched her nose up and made a sound of disgust.
“You know what I mean. In your personal life.”
“I couldn’t say. I don’t have much of one.”
“Is that so?” Faelan toed the bag, and I knew I was getting closer to her opening them. “No lonely ladies waiting outside your door?”
“Nope. Oban would just chase them off. He’s very protective of me.”
Oban huffed from the couch and Faelan chuckled.
“What about you? I’m surprised you don’t have a line of men at your door.”
“Why?” Faelan asked, tilting her head to study me.
“Why? Because, for one, you’re drop-dead gorgeous.
But past that, you’re clearly intelligent, caring, and capable of running your own business.
It doesn’t appear that you’re after a partner for money, or frankly, to even complete any aspect of your life.
You seem largely fulfilled, content with your work, and willing to take risks. All really great traits of a partner.”
Faelan’s mouth formed a tiny O of surprise.
“That’s quite the assessment, Dr. Carmichael.”
“First one’s free. Next time, I’ll have to charge you.”
Faelan’s laugh warmed me once more, and this time she did bend over and tug the handles of the shopping bag open. She jolted and looked up at me in surprise, before pulling out a can of paint.
“You bought me paint?” Faelan asked, incredulous.
“Aye, lass. We’re going to paint your living room. Today.”
“But … I can’t.” Faelan looked around her flat. “I haven’t planned anything. I don’t have paint brushes. What if I hate the color you picked?”
“I brought all the supplies. If you hate the color, I’ll go back and get another color. But you did mention a dark navy and I picked the blue that the paint guy recommended. He said it’s dark and dramatic but has some cool undertones that are really nice.”
“But I don’t even know why I said navy. It might look stupid. Or make the place look too small.” Faelan glanced around the room, stricken.
“It’s just paint. How about this? We’ll try one wall and see how you feel about it.”
“Just one wall?” Faelan gave me a look like I was offering to give her a haircut.
“Just one wall,” I confirmed. “It’s easy enough to cover up if you hate it.”
“Hmm. You know what? I’ll do it. This is a good step for me.
” Faelan nodded her head sharply, like I was teaching her how to swim or something much more serious than painting a wall in her flat.
Only then did I really understand how important this might be to her.
I’d certainly heard the yearning in her voice when she’d mentioned never really settling down before, but the way she eyed the paint cans suspiciously and then gave herself a determined nod, as though it was okay to finally make a living space her own, made me want to understand her even more.
“It sounds like it. Shall we crack on?” I was ready to be standing up and out of that tiny chair I was certain would break under me at any sudden movement.
“I don’t even know where to start.” Faelan turned, hands on hips, and studied the wall. “I’ve never done this before.”
“Luckily, there’s not a steep learning curve.” Digging in the bag, I pulled out a roll of tape. “We start here.”
“Tape?” Faelan shot me a confused look.
“We tape the edges. So those pretty baseboards of yours don’t get dirty. And around outlets. And windowsills. Got it?”
“Ahh, I see. What else do I need to know?”
“Cover these wood floors. There’s a plastic sheet in the bag. We’ll start there. You’ll be a pro in no time.”
“We’ll see about that.” Faelan dug in the bag and then paused to look up at me. “Thanks. This is really sweet of you.”
I’m not sure why, but a compliment coming from her made me feel like a million bucks. I got the impression she wasn’t used to giving them out very often, let alone sharing her space or home improvement projects with anyone else.
“And most importantly?”
“Aye?” Faelan paused as she was pulling out a strip of paint.
“Don’t wear anything you don’t want to get paint on.”
“Oh.” Faelan glanced down at the shirt she was wearing. My shirt. “I’ll just go change.”
I smiled the entire time she was in the bedroom.