Page 30 of Lavender and Honey

I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat at the simple gesture of care. "Thank you," I murmured, tucking the phone back into my pocket.

Lucian stepped forward, his tall frame casting a shadow in the dim streetlight. "Remember, Lydia.” His grey eyes looking down at me, “Text when you are home. If you don't, I will be sure to visit your shop in the morning.”

I felt a shiver run down my spine at Lucian's words, not from fear, but from the unexpected warmth of his concern. "I will," I promised softly, meeting his steel-grey eyes. "Thank you."

As I turned to leave, Elias reached out, his hand hovering near mine but not quite touching. "Lydia," he said, his honey-warm voice soft, "thank you for today. For letting us into your shop, for joining us for dinner... for everything."

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks at his sincerity. "Thank you for inviting me," I murmured, offering a small smile.

With final goodbyes and promises to be in touch about the project, I turned and began my walk home. The cool night air felt refreshing after the warmth of the café, helping to clear my head. As I walked, I found my mind replaying moments from the evening— Elias's bright laughter, Finn's steady presence, Lucian's surprising gentleness.

When I reached my apartment, I paused before going inside. Taking a deep breath, I pulled out my phone and opened a new message to Elias.

"Home safe," I typed, hesitating before adding, "Thank you again for a lovely evening." I hit send before I could second guess myself. I fished my keys out of my pocket and unlocked my door. As I stepped into my apartment, closing the door as the familiar scent of lavender and paint welcomed me home. I leaned against the closed door, my mind still swirling with the events of the evening. The dinner had been unexpected in so many ways— Lucian's presence, the easy camaraderie between the three men, the way they had effortlessly included me in their conversations and plans.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, startling me out of my reverie. With slightly trembling fingers, I pulled it out to see a message from Elias.

I'm so glad you're home safe! And thank you for joining us. It really was a lovely evening. Sweet dreams, Lydia.

At the end of the message there was a smiley face and a heart emoji making me give a small snort of amusement. I felt a warmth bloom in my chest at his words. It had been so long since anyone other than Avery had shown such genuine care for my well being. Before I could overthink it, I typed out a quick reply.

You too, Elias. Goodnight.

Setting my phone down on the table by the couch, I took a deep breath in before I took my coat off and sank into the couch. Today had definitely been a long day for me…but It was worth it. I had more fun than ever…even if I had been uncomfortable here and there…but it had quickly been pushed away by the three men.

As I sank more into my couch, I tucked my feet under me, the events of the evening replayed in my mind. The warmth of Elias's smile, the steadiness of Finn's presence, and the surprising gentleness of Lucian's demeanor— it all swirledtogether, creating a tapestry of emotions I wasn't quite sure how to process.

I reached for my sketchbook, almost on autopilot. My fingers itched to capture the feelings, the impressions of the evening, before they faded. As I began to draw, loose, abstract shapes flowed from my pencil— warm, honey-gold swirls for Elias's comforting presence; strong, earthy lines for Finn's grounding energy; and bold, steel-grey strokes for Lucian's powerful yet controlled aura.

The drawing took shape without conscious thought, a visual representation of the complex emotions swirling inside me. I let myself be immersed into the drawing until the late hours of the morning, ignoring the world around me as I concentrated to make this art piece perfect.

Chapter Twenty

The next morning, I awoke to the soft chime of my phone. Blinking sleepily, I reached for it, surprised to see a message from Elias.

Good morning, Lydia! I hope you slept well. I was wondering if you'd like to meet up at the farmer's market this weekend to discuss some ideas for the seasonal gift sets?

I felt a flutter of nervous excitement in my stomach as I read his message. Part of me wanted to retreat, to maintain the safe distance I'd grown accustomed to. But another part— a part that was growing stronger with each interaction— yearned for more connection.

Taking a deep breath, I typed out a reply:

Good morning, Elias. I slept well, thank you. Meeting at the farmer's market sounds nice. Saturday morning?

His response came almost immediately:

Saturday morning is perfect! You can meet at my stall and can sit with me and we can go through ideas as I work? Are you going to open the store Saturday?

I bit my lip. I could have the store open later that day around noon instead of the normal nine in the morning.

I can put a note on the door saying I am opening late on Saturday. I just would like to be back to open my store around noon.

I sat anxiously in my apartment, staring at my phone as I waited for Elias's response. Opening late on a Saturday was not something I normally did, but the idea of spending the morning with Elias at the farmer's market was oddly appealing. Finally, my phone chimed with his reply.

That sounds perfect, Lydia! I'm so glad you're able to make it. We'll make sure to wrap up our discussion in time for you to open your shop. I'm really looking forward to seeing you and hearing your ideas!

I felt a warm flutter in my chest at his enthusiasm. It had been so long since anyone had been genuinely excited to see me or hear my thoughts. I typed back a quick reply:

I'm looking forward to it too. See you Saturday morning.

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