"And I felt something. This... heat. Like electricity, but warm. And he got this look on his face, like..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "I don't know. I've never seen him look like that before."
Freya was very still. "What did he do after?"
"He let go and stepped back. Then he started asking me questions about druids. Whether I might be causing the land sickness without realizing it."
"He what?"
"I know." Chloe's laugh was humorless. "One second he's looking at me like I'm the most important thing in the room, and the next he's interrogating me about my bloodline. I don't understand him."
"What has he been like since then?"
Chloe thought about this morning. She'd almost talked herself out of going to the orchard, convinced that things would be awkward after the way she'd left. But Corin had been waiting at the gate as always, and when he'd seen her, something had eased.
He'd been different. Not distant like that afternoon. Not cold or clinical. Instead, he'd been... attentive. Present in a way he hadn't been before. He'd walked closer to her as they checked the beds, not touching but near enough that she could feel thewarmth radiating from his body. He'd asked about her morning, about whether she'd slept well, about whether she needed anything from town.
Small things. Nothing that crossed any lines. But the cumulative effect had left her feeling off-balance.
"He's been nicer," Chloe said slowly. "More careful. Like he's paying attention to everything I do and say."
"That sounds like a good thing."
"It should be." Chloe rubbed her temples. "But I can't figure out why. One day he's asking if I'm accidentally poisoning his land, and the next he's bringing me coffee without me asking and making sure I have the warmest spot by the heater. It doesn't make sense."
Freya's mouth curved into a full small smile. "Doesn't it?"
"No. It doesn't." Chloe met her eyes, something defensive rising in her chest. "He's not interested in me. Not like that. We've been working together for a while and known each other longer, and he's always been polite but distant. This is probably just... guilt. Or pity. He felt bad for questioning me, so now he's overcompensating."
"Is that what you think is happening?"
"What else could it be?"
Freya set down the herbs she'd been holding and leaned against the worktable, her expression thoughtful. "Can I tell you something about bear shifters?"
Chloe nodded warily.
"They're not like wolves or cats. Wolves are pack animals. They wear their emotions openly, bond quickly, fight for dominance. Cats are solitary, mysterious, hard to read." Freya's voice had taken on the cadence of someone sharing old knowledge. "Bears are different. They're steady. Patient. They take their time with things that matter."
"What does that have to do with Corin?"
"Everything." Freya's green eyes held hers. "Bears don't rush into things, Chloe. They watch. They wait. They make sure before they act. And when they do finally commit to something, whether it's a home or a hive or a person, they commit completely."
Chloe's mouth had gone dry. "You're saying..."
"I'm not saying anything." Freya's smile was gentle. "I'm just telling you about bears."
"Freya."
"What?"
"There's no way Corin is interested in me like that. He's never shown any sign of it. He barely talks to me half the time."
"He barely talks to anyone. That's just Corin." Freya picked up the herbs again, resuming her sorting. "But I've noticed a few things over the past couple weeks. The way he watches you when you're not looking. The way he says your name. The fact that he invited you to work with him every day when he's never let anyone help with his orchard before."
"That's just because of the land sickness."
"Oh, ok," she replied sarcastically.
Chloe opened her mouth to argue, then closed it again. She didn't have a good response.
