Page 84 of Toxic Vengeance

He eyed the plant clippings on the table. “Any of those poisonous?”

She grinned. “You don’t think I’d risk poisoning the bride on her wedding day, do you?”

“No,” he answered, though he still looked a little wary. “But could you? Kill someone with that stuff?”

Eden looked down at the specimens she’d gathered, some from a florist in town, but most from Marcus’s gardens. The mop head-shaped hydrangeas had long since faded into a rusty purple color from their former bright blue, but the foliage was beautiful with tinges of red and purple amongst the green. In high enough concentrations, its cyanogenic glycoside could be lethal. “Technically? Yes.”

“Well that’s…terrifying. Which ones are poisonous?”

“Most of them. And there are a lot more toxic plants out in the garden, too.” Yew, hemlock, nightshade, holly. Rhododendron, hydrangea and lily of the valley.

He focused back on her. “Did you get a chance to talk to Marcus about the garden thing?”

“Yes. If we’re still here next spring, he said I can create my own poison garden, as long as it doesn’t put Karas or the horses at risk.”

He nodded. “Smart of him to stipulate that.”

Eden poked him in the shoulder with her forefinger. “I’m quirky, not careless. I’ll make sure it’s still safe for all the people and animals living here. But it’ll be great to make a garden in honor of my grandma. I’m going to clear the plot Marcus showed me and plant a whack of narcissus bulbs later this week, if you want to help.”

“What are those?”

She laughed at his worried expression. “Daffodils.”

His eyes widened. “They’re poisonous too?”

“In the right concentration. You’re so funny,” she said with a grin.

“And you’re kinda scary. But I love you anyway.”

“Good. Because I have something for you.” First she picked up the single bloom she’d cut from the garden earlier, and handed it to him. “Look familiar?”

“Looks like the one you left floating in the glass the morning you left.”

She nodded. “A pink camellia symbolizes ‘I’m longing for you.’”

Awareness filled his eyes. “And the dead leaves?”

“Sadness.”

He stared at her as her message hit home. She’d been trying to tell him without words how she felt about him, even then.

“Today, I’m giving you this.” She picked up the boutonnière. “Are you allergic to ragweed, by chance?”

He eyed her, a grin tugging at his lips. “No.” He took it, twirled it slightly in his fingers. “So what does it mean?” he asked, watching her.

“It’s also known as ambrosia.” Nerves tingled in the pit of her belly, but it was time. She had to give the words back to him. “It symbolizes love returned.”

His expression changed and he curved a hand around her nape. “Eden…”

Her heart thudded against her ribs, wanting to burst free. “I love you, Zack.”

His forceful exhalation gusted against her hair, and then he was crushing her to him, his arms strong around her. “God, I love you too. So much.”

Eden smiled against his shoulder and closed her eyes, memorizing everything about the perfection of the moment. Finally saying the words was liberating, helping her shed some of the chains from her past. Zack was her future, she was done with holding back.

After a moment he eased back to study her, mischief twinkling in his eyes. “I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess ambrosia’s toxic too?”

“Yes, but you’ll be safe, I promise.”

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