“It certainly is.” I examined the vegetable. “And good news, it’s intact—stalk and all.” Cora Roberts—rescuer of wayward vegetables.
He glanced over his shoulder at me. “Thank you, doctor.”
I nodded, a little in awe of the fact that this had been lodged inside of him. It was more than a foot long. Definitely not a Walmart purchase. “Do you go to the farmers market?” I asked as Ewan dropped his feet to the floor and began dressing.
“Every other Monday, the organic fruit and veg is sublime.”
I detached the Ventouse cap traditionally used to help the delivery of babies and waved the eggplant at him. “You want this?”
His eyebrows climbed off his face. “Um, no, you may dispose of that.”
“You sure? You can’t moussaka without eggplant.”
“We have another.”
Oh boy. “Put it in the dish this time.”
“Don’t worry doctor, my lesson has been learned.” He slips on his sneakers and looks around the room. “Um.”
“Pay Maggie on the main floor as you leave. Standard consult fee only.”
Someone rapped their knuckles against the door. Ewan opened it and came face-to-face with Hudson. They stared at each other for a hot minute, then Hudson stepped back and allowed Ewan to leave. Hudson’s fitted shirt flirted with his muscles like a koala wrapped around a tree. His blue stonewashed jeans had the same issue. A perpetual five o’clock shadow gave his strong jaw line definition. He was the epitome of everything masculine, and being a red blooded female, I paid attention. That said, he was still semi in the dog house, and he was proving to me day by day that he was sorry. I’d put the brakes on our budding relationship because he’d reversed his feelings over concerns about his political standing and the optics of dating the granddaughter of a rival faction. Then the idiot had jumped into a Hell hole to save me. It was complicated. His deep set hazel eyes were trained on me as he squinted at the offending vegetable still in my hand. Right, the pack meal.
“Traditionally, guests bring wine, flowers, or chocolates.” His voice rumbled and caused a little shiver to dance down my spine.
“I’m hardly a traditional type of girl. But this isn’t fit for consumption.”
I turned and dropped the eggplant into a clinical waste bin along with my Rudolph gloves. Then I began scrubbing my hands in the metal sink.
“You look pretty,” he said, edging closer. I looked okay, I was in a silver dress rather than jeans and a t-shirt, or if it was a big day at the office, slacks and a blouse. My hair was twisted into a simple updo, rather than the standard ponytail. A splash of makeup made my pixie features a little more mature.
I raised a brow and glanced at him, the warning in my gaze clear. I might be attending a meal with the pack’s heavyweights, but that was to try to smooth over the rift caused by the loss of life on my land. Regardless of our relationship status, this meal would be necessary. He was trying to read more into it than I was willing to give.
“Thank you,” I said, wiping my hands on a towel. I stalked out of my examination room and into my office. I yanked open the desk drawer and withdrew a bottle of whiskey.
Hudson whistled low as he twisted the bottle to face him. “Balblair’s. Now that’s a gift worth celebrating.”
Not too flashy, but not cheap either, being the perfect gift for a group of people who appreciate their food and drink. I pushed the drawer shut with my hip and led the way up the stairs, finding the vampires had already left. Maggie grinned at me and waved.
I turned toward her to collect my final part of the gift. She lifted a round tin from under the counter and handed it toward me. Maggie’s cooking was not for the faint of heart, but her cookies? To die for.
“I made triple chocolate chip, oatmeal, and lemon.”
“Thank you, I’ll be back in a few hours. Call me if you need anything.”
“I won’t need anything.”
Ugh,pleaseneed something. I spun and faced The Principal who was holding the front door open for us both. “After you,” he said with a grin, which spoke as to how much he was enjoying watching me squirm.
The cool night air made goosebumps erupt on my arms. “Why is my Bugatti parked out front?” I wondered. Technically, it was Sebastian’s Bugatti. He was my best friend, the vampire Crown Prince of North America, and he kept losing his baby to me in bets.
“I thought you might like to drive?” Hudson said as we descended the steps and he dangled the keys in my face. He knew I would be nervous about the meal and had decided to let me drive my sports car to take my mind off it. A car he hated, given his large frame. He also detested letting anyone else drive, unless it was Dave. He was a control freak.
I swapped my gifts for the keys and with a huff, got into the driver’s side. I slid the seat forward and pumped it up. Damn oaf. Hudson watched me reposition the chair with barely contained amusement. Two could play at that game. My foot hit the gas and we peeled out of the driveway at breakneck speed. Hudson cursed a blue streak and I smiled. Never underestimate a Roberts woman, we always got the last laugh.
Chapter Two
Have Mercy on my soul, because I would not be forgiving.
