Page 18 of Lavender and Honey

Grateful for the distraction, I latched onto the new topic. "Mostly supplies," I admitted, taking a sip of water.

"Do you have any plans to expand your store? Maybe offer art classes or workshops?" Elias spoke up, curiosity in his voice as he took another bite of his food.

Grateful for the distraction, I considered his question. "I've thought about it," I admitted. "But I'm not sure I'm ready for that level of... interaction yet.” I was fine with the amount of people that came into my shop now. It was steady and not overly busy. I didn’t have any employees but myself.

Elias nodded thoughtfully, his honey-warm scent wrapping around me like a comforting blanket. "That's understandable," he said gently. "Running a business is challenging enough without adding more to your plate."

Finn leaned in slightly, his green eyes soft with understanding. "But if you ever decide to take that step, we'd be happy to help. Elias has experience running workshops at the farmers' market, and I've done a few woodworking demonstrations."

Their offer of support caught me off guard, a warm feeling blooming in my chest. It had been so long since anyone other than Avery had offered to help me, to support my dreams. "Thank you," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. "That's very kind of you both."

Elias smiled, the warmth in his eyes making my heart skip a beat. "We're happy to help," he said softly. "That's what community is all about, right?"

I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips. The idea of community— of belonging somewhere, of having people to rely on— was both alluring and terrifying. For so long, I'd kept myself isolated, afraid to let anyone in. But sitting here with Elias and Finn, I felt a glimmer of something I hadn't experienced in a long time: hope.

As we finished our meals, the conversation flowed more easily. Elias and Finn shared stories about their experiences at the farmers' market, their laughter infectious. I found myself relaxing, even contributing a few anecdotes about some of my more colorful customers.

When the waitress brought the check, I reached for my purse, but Elias gently placed his hand on my arm. "Please, let us treat you," he said, his honey-warm eyes meeting mine. "It's the least we can do for you joining us on such short notice."

I hesitated, torn between my ingrained independence and the genuine kindness in Elias's eyes. "Are you sure?" I asked softly, my fingers still resting on my purse.

Finn nodded, his smile warm and reassuring. "Absolutely," he said, his deep voice gentle. "We've enjoyed your company, Lydia. Consider it a thank you for brightening our afternoon."

I hesitated, torn between my instinct to be self-reliant and the genuine kindness in Elias's offer. "I... thank you," I finally murmured, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. "That's very generous of you."

Finn smiled, his green eyes twinkling. "It's our pleasure, Lydia. We've enjoyed getting to know you better."

As we stood to leave, I felt a pang of regret that our time together was coming to an end. The afternoon had been unexpectedly pleasant, a rare moment of connection in my usually solitary life.

"Thank you both for lunch," I said softly as we stepped out onto the sidewalk. "It was... nice." The word felt inadequate to describe the feelings I had because of these two today.

Today was definitely a great day, and I went out of my comfort zone… but as I looked at Elias and Finn, I knew it was worth it.

Chapter Eleven

As I lay curled up in bed, my mind kept replaying the events of the day. The unexpected encounter at the café, the warm conversation over lunch, the gentle kindness of Elias and Finn. It had been so long since I'd allowed myself to truly connect with anyone besides Avery. The memory of Elias's honey-sweet scent and Finn's deep, soothing voice lingered, bringing an unfamiliar warmth to my chest.

My fingers absently traced the skin of my neck where I had applied the new scent blocker. The irritation had lessened significantly, a small mercy I was grateful for. As I breathed in deeply, I caught the faint scent of lavender— my own natural scent, no longer completely masked. It was both thrilling and terrifying to allow even this small part of myself to be exposed.

With a sigh, I reached for my phone, knowing I needed to process this with the one person who truly understood me. Avery picked up on the second ring, her voice warm and familiar.

"Hey stranger," she teased. "To what do I owe the pleasure of a mid-week call?"

I took a deep breath, unsure where to begin. "I... I went out of town today," I started hesitantly. "To get some new scent blockers." There was a pause on the other end of the phone.

"New scent blockers?" Avery's voice was a mix of surprise and concern. "The ones you were using before were bothering you that much?"

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. "Yeah, they were really irritating my skin. I found some new ones that seem a lot gentler."

"That's good," Avery said softly. "I'm glad you found something that works better for you. But I'm guessing that's not the only reason you're calling?"

"I ended up running into Elias and his partner, Finn." I admitted softly, the events of the day rushing back to me in a whirlwind of sensations and emotions.

"Wait, what?" Avery's voice rose with excitement. "The cute omega from the farmer's market? And his alpha partner? How did that happen?"

I chuckled softly at her enthusiasm, feeling a warmth spread through my chest at the memory. "It's a long story," I said, settling back against my pillows. "I went to this little café to get some tea and relax a bit before I drove back home and they just... showed up."

"And?" Avery prompted, her curiosity palpable even through the phone. "Don't leave me in suspense!”

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