I nodded.
“Wait, why have you never mentioned this before?”
I hesitated, then exhaled. “Because when I was a kid, the other boys used to call her a witch. Not in a cool way. The kind that made you feel like your family was dirty. I got into fights about it. And after a while, I just stopped allowing myself to think of it as home.”
A beat passed. She reached up and brushed a strand of hair from my forehead like she could smooth out the ache.
“She has a whole cabinet full of pressed herbs and little linen sachets,” I continued, my mind racing back to memories of my mum opening the wooden furniture, the old hinges creaking with age. Even now, I could hear it clear as day in my head. “And when I told her about the lavender balm you and your family make, she got all misty-eyed. That was a fun FaceTime call.”
“You told your mum about that?” Aurélie whisper-shouted, almost conspiratorially.
“Swear to God. She went on for twenty minutes about how French lavender has ‘better bones’ than the stuff from up north.” I grinned. “Said if your family was still making that kind of remedy, we were clearly destined. Hence the wedding planning.”
A delighted, slightly flustered laugh broke out of her. “Oh my God, Cal. I’m going to die. Is the whole Fraser family this poetic?”
“I mean, she is the one who claims that you gifting me that balm healed me,” I said, mouth tugging into a wry smile. “Said you’re probably some kind of guardian angel. Or a selkie, maybe. Sent to bind yourself to a mortal man with lavender and lust and whatever spell you’ve put on me.”
Her lashes fluttered, and the breeze lifted wayward strands of her hair off her collarbone. “A selkie?”
I nodded solemnly. “Scottish sea folklore. Seals that shed their skin to become women. But if a man finds the skin and hides it, she has to stay with him.”
She gasped, mock scandalized. “That’s barbaric.”
“Most old myths are. But I wouldn’t put it past my mum to believe in them. Especially if it meant justifying how fast I fell for you. Or how beautiful you are. Selkies lure men to ruin, you know. And I walked straight into it with open arms.”
Aurélie flushed all over again, that endearing pink blooming on her cheeks and throat. She ducked her head like she could hide in her coffee mug. “You’re both mad.”
I grinned and brought our joined hands to my mouth, kissing her knuckles one by one, lingering on her ring finger. “She knows all the old wives’ tales about fertility, too. Like, whole rituals. Moon cycles, special teas, little charms. I’m pretty sure there’s an entire post-wedding tradition for baby-making.”
“You’re joking.”
“I’m not. I’ll call her right now and ask if you want,” I offered sincerely. “No shame, no pressure. Just options.”
Her mouth dropped open, surprised in the cutest way. “You are not calling your mum to ask her how to get me pregnant.”
“I absolutely will. Don’t tempt me.”
She narrowed her eyes, still blushing furiously. “You’re so fucking weird.”
“And you love me for it.”
She laughed again, full and bright and real. “D’accord. Call her.”
I blinked. “Wait—really?”
She raised a brow, lips curving around her mug. “What? You said no shame. And put it on speaker. You’ll leave out important details if you try to paraphrase.”
I groaned. “Jesus Christ, woman.” But I was already letting go of her hand and reaching for my phone.
I didn’t thinkhe’d actually do it. I thought he was bluffing—teasing me, like usual. I thought I had time to finish my coffee and maybe kiss him stupid again and joke about fertility charms without it escalating into anactual phone callto his mother.
But no. Callum Fraser was ruthless with no concept of hesitation.
“Wait, wait—Cal.” I sat up straighter, almost spilling my coffee. I glanced down at the half-full mug, then turned to set it down on the side table. Suddenly, I was wide awake as he casually opened his favorites on the phone app. I melted when I saw my contact next to his mum’s. “You’re not actually calling.”
He didn’t even look at me. “You said to.”
“Ouais, but I didn’t think you’d actuallydoit?—”
