Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Faelan
Did I check my phone more often than I should hoping I’d see a text from him?
Absolutely. But Luch had told me he’d be on nights this week, which meant he’d likely be sleeping all day.
That was the life of a doctor, and it wasn’t like I was sitting around twiddling my thumbs, waiting to hear from him.
The moon doesn’t grant wishes to the likes of me.
He hadn’t elaborated on what he’d meant, instead, he’d pulled me into a steamy kiss that had me forgetting everything but his mouth on me. But I’d thought about it more than once since then.
This afternoon I was doing another first for me. A first that Luch had kicked off by helping me paint my living space.
I was going to Shona’s garden to pick out a few plants for my house.
The idea alone, of actually owning plants to keep alive and nurture, made me slightly giddy.
Naturally, I’d always loved flowers and would pick up bunches at the market here and there, but I’d never owned my own plants before.
Shona promised me she had some options for me that were dead easy for a plant newbie to manage, and I trusted her word on that.
As long as they weren’t dead easy to kill as well …
Gloam had elected to stay home, needing to rest before he had a good run in the moonlight that night, and I cheerfully made my way to Shona’s, choosing to walk the distance along the loch instead of drive.
Not only was it a surprisingly nice evening—clear skies and a gentle breeze—but I sometimes found it difficult to sit after a long day.
Even though I was on my feet most of the day, walking helped me clear restless energy and allowed me to sort out my thoughts.
Plus, without my car, I wouldn’t be overly burdened with too many plants. I would feel too guilty if I bought several from Shona and then murdered them all with benign neglect. No, one plant to start would be best, and that would be easy enough for me to carry home.
Ahead of me, a woman walking a fluffy golden retriever wearing a yellow and white guide dog vest stopped on the pavement in front of Shona’s nursery. She’d stopped where the pavement ended and the gravel driveway started, and her dog obediently sat at her side.
“Mitch, wait.”
The dog sat and swiveled its head, looking for cars.
“Mitch. Forward.”
The dog stepped confidently off the pavement, and the woman followed, adjusting her gait to the difference in terrain.
I followed at a distance, not wanting to potentially distract her dog from working, or startle her.
It was clear she was either visually impaired or blind, and I watched in admiration as she and her dog worked perfectly together to navigate the rocky path before they reached the grass next to Shona’s garden.
Shona’s cottage, and her surrounding gardens and nursery, were charming as could be.
She’d invited me to visit a few times now, but I’d finally taken her up on it now that I knew she was a part of the same Order I’d just joined.
Her cottage, a lovely cream stone building with vines trailing up one side, was positioned just off the road, and her expansive gardens spread out behind it.
Rows of plants were staked out in various stages of growth, and at the back of the gardens were several greenhouses and another equally charming cottage.
It was a lovely space, and I could imagine spending many an hour digging around in the gardens here, well, if I had any idea what I was doing with plants, that is.
Though I was someone who dearly loved being in nature and around flowers, I certainly had no frame of reference for their care.
But that would change.
I was a proper adult. I owned my own business, I owned my own flat, and I even, technically, had my own pet.
Though Gloam was about as self-sufficient a pet as one could have, really, so I couldn’t quite claim that as a win for adulthood.
Nevertheless, I was here, I was building friendships, and I was getting myself a damn plant.
“Mitch, find Shona.”
I tuned back in from my thoughts to find the guide dog, presumably Mitch, had gone on alert. He’d found a person, all right, but probably not the kind of person that the woman holding his harness was thinking.
A gnome dashed from the bushes and froze into a statue form when he saw the dog. Covered in tattoos and wearing a leather biker vest, the gnome went from moving to frozen so fast, even I second-guessed if what I was seeing was correct.
Mitch clearly did not know what to do with this development.
Frankly, I didn’t blame the dog. What does one do when being ordered to find a person and a gnome appears? His fluffy golden tail wagged, and he dragged his human forward, sniffing the now still gnome statue inquisitively.
Then he gave it a sloppy lick.
Just to see, naturally, if it was real or not.
I bit back a grin as I imagined the fury of this gnome at that lick. Granted, I’d never seen a real-life gnome before, but I had to imagine this was somehow connected to Shona’s magick, even as I marveled at the power that must be involved in freezing oneself into a statue form.
Mitch sniffed heavily.
“Oh, do you have to go potty, Mitch? I can hear you sniffing. Mitch, busy. Go bizzies, Mitch.”
I gulped as Mitch eagerly lifted his leg, readying himself to pee on the gnome’s face.
“Excuse me!” I called, surprising both the dog and the woman, who put a hand to her chest, before turning around, bringing Mitch with her.
With their backs turned, the gnome came to life and lifted a fist in the air, brandishing two fingers at the dog, before dashing back into the bushes.
“So sorry to startle you,” I said, smoothly, trying desperately not to laugh at the gnome. “Are you here to see Shona? I’m looking for her as well.”
“I am.” The woman looked to be late twenties, with lush brown hair, gorgeous amber eyes behind thick rimmed glasses, and a smile that lit up her face.
Mitch matched her smile, but he didn’t come forward to greet me as most dogs normally would.
He was working, after all. I’d treated enough guide dogs to know it was best to not distract him in any way while working, so I kept my focus on the woman.
“We can find her together. I’m Faelan Fletcher, the new vet in town. I say that because I’ll probably meet you at some point if you’re from the area.”
“I am! I just moved back here a few months ago. Mitch will be due for his checkup soon enough, so it’s nice to meet you. I’m Zara.”
“Hi, Zara and Mitch, nice to meet you both.” Mitch wagged his tail, his face still stuck in a doggy grin, and leaned into Zara’s side. “I’m here to buy my very first plant.”
“Your first plant? Really?” Zara gasped and held a hand to her chest again. “That’s almost blasphemous.”
“You’re a plant person, I take it?”
“I love them. I swear I can hear them speak to me.” Zara laughed. “They’re slowly taking over my house, yet here I am, ready for another.”
“In that case, what would you recommend for a newbie?”
“Hmm, you’ll need something hearty.” Zara’s expression sharpened. “You’re certain you’ll be able to care for it? Otherwise, if you don’t have the time, we’ll need to get you something like an aloe or a cactus that needs very little care.”
“Ouch.” I laughed. “I’m hoping I can tend to it fairly regularly, but until it becomes a part of my routine I may forget at times.”
“Right, so you don’t want something too sensitive then,” Zara mused and turned. “Mitch, sweetie, find the door. We want to find Shona.”
Mitch took off across the lawn, heading toward the greenhouse, and I stepped in stride.
“I’m busy with my practice all day, so I could keep the plant down there, but I really do want one in my flat. I’m trying my hand at decorating, and having a plant feels like the cozy thing to do. I can keep it by the window, so it gets light.”
“East facing? West?”
“Um, the window? I don’t know?”
“Morning sun or afternoon?”
“Morning,” I said, relieved that I wouldn’t have to reveal my absolute lack of directional skills.
“Hmm.”
Movement caught my attention, and my eyebrows rose as two gnomes darted around the corner of the nursery.
Mitch barked and Zara froze in her tracks.
“What’s wrong? What’s going on? He never barks.”
“Um, I think it was just a squirrel that ran through really fast.”
“Really? That’s so weird. He never does that.” Zara looked worried.
“I can’t see anything that would bother him, but maybe he saw something else?
” I didn’t like to lie, but in this case, I wasn’t sure how to explain the presence of gnomes.
I didn’t even know why there were gnomes running about, but the last thing I was about to do was surprise a stranger with an explanation about magick.
Shona poked her head out from the door of the greenhouse, having heard Mitch bark, and a smile wreathed her face.
“Zara and Faelan! And, Mitch, of course. What a treat.” Shona came outside and lightly touched Zara’s arm, before giving the woman a quick hug.
“Sorry about the barking. Mitch must have seen something.” Zara shrugged and Shona shot me a quick look. I widened my eyes and shook my head slightly, letting her know that Mitch had seen something unusual.
“Not a problem. The hedgies are tucked away in their wee nest, sleeping, so it wouldn’t have bothered them at all.”
“And how’s the wee mum getting on then?” Zara asked.
“Och, she’s grand. Really just doing so well. The babies are growing so fast, and as much as I want to be diving in and playing with them all day, I’m giving them their space as Dr. Fletcher suggested. Best to let Mum and Dad handle the babies, and I’ll keep my wee nose out of it.”