Page 114 of Lavender and Honey

"That's better," Lucian murmurs, his voice low enough that I almost miss it. When I glance at him questioningly, he simply shakes his head, that small smile still playing around the edges of his mouth. "Nothing. Just good to hear you laugh."

The simple observation catches me off guard. It's foreign territory, this casual affection, these small acknowledgments of my emotional state.

"So," Lucian continues, mercifully moving the conversation along when my silence stretches too long, "apart from rescuing our herbs from Elias's overenthusiastic pruning, what else have you two been up to?"

"We were just taking a break before tackling the tomatoes," Elias says. "Though I think we've earned a proper lunch break first. I made cold pasta salad last night – it should be perfect now that the flavors have had time to meld."

Lucian nods, rising from the bench with that same fluid grace. "Lunch sounds excellent. I could use something cold after being in that suit all morning." He extends a hand to me, an offer of assistance that I can accept or decline. After only a moment's hesitation, I place my palm against his, allowing him to pull me gently to my feet.

His hand is warm and slightly calloused, strong without being forceful. He doesn't let go immediately, and for a moment we stand like that, connected by this simple point of contact, my smaller hand enveloped in his larger one. Then he releases me, so naturally that it doesn't feel like rejection – just the continuation of a movement begun together.

"Coming?" he asks, already turning toward the house. The sun catches in his dark hair, highlighting strands of silver at his temples I hadn't noticed before. They suit him somehow, adding gravity to his presence without diminishing his vitality. I nod, falling into step beside Elias as we follow Lucian back into the house I can’t help but feel relaxed with the two near me. At least so far the day wasn’t so bad…but my mind couldn’t help but wonder back to my parents, that this will all fall apart soon because of them. I just have to keep hope that it doesn’t…that this will not end.

Chapter Sixty-Eight

Lucian guides us through the kitchen, where the lingering scent of fresh coffee hangs in the air. Elias moves to the sink to wash his hands, soil swirling down the drain in tiny black rivers. I stand awkwardly in the center of the room, suddenly hyperaware of my dirty hands, my borrowed clothes, my displacement from my normal life. The peaceful bubble of the greenhouse has burst, leaving me exposed to all the worries I'd temporarily escaped.

"You should drink something," Lucian says, opening the refrigerator. "Working outside can dehydrate you without you realizing it."

The mundane concern— so practical, so normal— makes the question inside me swell until I can't contain it anymore. "Is everything okay at my shop?" The words burst out, my voice higher and tighter than I intended.

Both men turn to look at me, surprise reflected in their expressions. Elias pauses with his hands dripping water ontothe floor, and Lucian straightens from his bent position at the refrigerator.

"I just— I haven't been there since yesterday morning," I continue, unable to stop now that I've started. "There are orders that needed to be filled, suppliers expecting deliveries. Mrs. Hernandez was supposed to pick up those special brushes she ordered last week, and—"

"Lydia," Lucian interrupts, his voice gentle but firm. "Everything's been taken care of."

I blink at him, the torrent of words drying up. "What do you mean?"

Lucian gestures toward the kitchen table, inviting me to sit. "Finn went by yesterday evening while you were in the nest with Elias. He put up a sign explaining the shop would be closed for a few days due to a family emergency."

Family emergency. The irony isn't lost on me. I sink into a chair, absently rubbing at a spot of dirt on my wrist. "And that's it? People will just... accept that?"

Elias joins us at the table, passing me a glass of water that I hadn't noticed him pouring. His fingers brush mine in the exchange, leaving behind a faint trail of warmth. "People in Haven's Rest look out for each other," he says. "They understand that sometimes life happens."

I take a sip of water, the coolness a sharp contrast to the heat of anxiety building in my chest. "But my customers—"

"Finn spoke with Mrs. Hernandez personally," Lucian explains, sliding into the chair across from me. His steel-gray eyes hold mine, steady and reassuring. "She's aware of the situation and said not to worry about her order. She can wait until you're ready."

"She knows about the situation?" My stomach drops. "What exactly did Finn tell her?"

Lucian's expression softens. "Only that you had an unexpected family visit that required your attention for a few days. Nothing specific."

I slump in my chair, relief mingling with a new wave of anxiety. "So the whole town doesn't know that my mother showed up out of nowhere to drag me back to a pack I fled from?"

A small crease appears between Lucian's eyebrows. "No, of course not. We wouldn't share your personal business without permission."

Elias reaches out, his hand hovering near mine without quite touching. "Though... Mrs. Chen might know a bit more," he admits. "She was there, wasn't she? When your mother first appeared?"

I nod, remembering the older woman's intervention and kind concern. "She came into the shop when she heard raised voices. And she told me to close early, take some time for myself." The memory brings a fresh wave of embarrassment. "So she definitely knows something's wrong."

Lucian leans forward slightly, his forearms resting on the table. "Actually, Mrs. Chen has been quite helpful. She contacted Finn this morning when she noticed an unfamiliar woman looking through your shop windows."

My head snaps up. "My mother came back to the shop?"

"It seems so," Lucian confirms, his tone carefully neutral. "Mrs. Chen recognized her from your earlier... encounter. She didn't engage with her, just quietly alerted us."

“So a lot of people know? I was informed that you guys were keeping people away and such.” I muttered quietly, not knowing how to really feel about the subject.

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