Her brows pinch together momentarily. “It’s like my mind went blank. I know it’s important, but I can’t tell you more.”
“Ahh, I see.”
My shoulders slump in defeat.
She suddenly changes the subject. “So what did I miss?” A smile brightens her tired face.
I begin filling her in on the last couple of days, starting with the birds, and she laughs loudly at my story.
“It was really on my shoulder? Like a pirate?” she asks through her giggles.
“Yes! You scared the hell out of me, talking to it and everything!”
She chuckles, and her eyes sparkle. “If there were two, then it was just Odin, dearie.”
Gran has always had a healthy respect for the Gods. But at times, she talks as if they’re old friends.
We spend the rest of the day connected at the hip, having given Lizzie the day off. We take walks through the grounds, hand in hand, while I fill her in on everything else I can think of, including my growing affection for Lachlan.
The day is a haze of tea, laughter, and cherished moments. The peace has reinvigorated my mind. Time rushes past, even though I do my best to absorb each new memory we make and hold on to it tightly. I hope tonight goes just as well. Gran glances at the clock on the mantle in the parlor before not so suddenly eyeing my casual attire.
I roll my eyes before saying, “Yes, yes, I should probably get changed. I hear you.”
I fake a frown.
Gran trills from the parlor. “Wear something pretty.”
“Alright, you can give it a rest,” I call over my shoulder as I trudge up the stairs.
Alone in my room, though, I begin to pace as the anxiety slowly starts slithering into my chest. Something has shifted for me with Lach, and now nothing in my wardrobe seems suitable for the occasion. I want to impress him, for him to look at me with the same wanton expression I struggle to hide from him.
I open the window to allow some fresh air into the room before I slump onto the floor; my head rests against the settee’s cushions. I do a round of mindfulness to pull myself together. It really has been the most useful of tricks for dealing with my anxiety.
I need to properly thank Torin for finding an easy solution.
Closing my eyes and opening up my senses, I focus on the rustle of the breeze through the vines below my open window and the distant chattering of the birds. Taking a deep breath, I inhale the scent of the clematis and wisteria spring blossoms floating in my room. My pulse begins to slow, and I do another round of breathing and mindfulness before I’m finally calm enough to pick myself up off the floor.
My mind is clear, and my confidence is back in place. I grab the only dress I have, a black tea-length cotton dress with straps that tie into little bows on the shoulders. But right as I’m shutting the bathroom door, the faint whisper of wings can be heard over the sound of the door clicking shut.
With my dress on, hair curled, and face painted lightly with rose blush to match the gloss I applied to my lips, I descend the stairs. Each step is carefully placed as I grow accustomed to the small kitten heels I wear instead of my usual flats.
The doorbell rings, and I loudly call, “I got it!”
But the door swings open before I can grasp the handle, and I’m met by the most staggeringly handsome man.
Lachlan is dressed fashionably in a black sweater with a white collar peeking up from beneath it, charcoal-tailoredpants, and black wingtip boots. I take a moment to eye him up and down, appreciating the graceful elegance he’s exuding.
My eyes slowly make their way back up to his face, and I notice the surprise lighting his eyes. His partially parted lips kick up into a breathtaking smile.
“Ye are stunning,” he breathes.
His eyes simmer with something unreadable. I grin while twirling in place so he can get the full effect of the dress. He chuckles, jostling the load I hadn’t even realized was in his arms.
“Thank you!” I beam before reaching out to him. “Here, let me help you with those.”
But he breezes past me. “Nae, I got these,” he responds, heading towards the kitchen.
The bag is unceremoniously dumped onto the kitchen island, and Lachlan begins unloading it. Arugula, olive oil, balsamic glaze, bushels of grapes, a lemon, prosciutto, burrata, and basil leaves are unloaded onto the island.
