Page 43 of Lavender and Honey

Soren's smirk widened, a hint of mystery in his expression. "Now that would be telling," he teased, his purple eyes shining with mischief. "Let's just say I have something special planned. You'll have to wait and see."

I felt a flutter of excitement in my stomach at his words. There was something thrilling about the mystery, about not knowing what Soren had in store. "I look forward to it," I said softly, meeting his intense gaze.

Soren's expression softened slightly, his purple eyes warm as they held mine. "So do I, Lydia. So do I."

Lucian cleared his throat, drawing our attention. "While individual dates are important," he said, his deep voice carrying a note of authority, "we should also plan some group activities. It's important that Lydia gets to have both experiences.”

Elias nodded enthusiastically at Lucian's suggestion. "That's a great idea," he said, his hazel eyes bright. "Maybe we could do a movie night here at the house? Or a game night?"

I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness at the idea. Group activities would certainly be different from one on one dates, but the thought of spending time with all of them together was appealing.

"I'd like that," I said softly, glancing around at the four men. "A movie night sounds nice. Or... maybe we could cook dinner together sometime?" The words slipped out before I could second guess them, and I felt my cheeks warm slightly.

Elias's face lit up at my suggestion. "That's a brilliant idea, Lydia!" he exclaimed, his honey-warm scent spiking with excitement. "We could each contribute a dish we enjoy.”

I smiled at Elias's enthusiasm, feeling a warm glow of happiness at how well my suggestion had been received. "That sounds perfect," I said softly. "I'd love to learn some new recipes."

Finn nodded, his green eyes warm. "It's settled then. We'll plan a group cooking night after our individual dates. It'll be a great way to spend time together in a relaxed setting."

Lucian checked his watch, his eyebrows raising slightly. "It's getting late," he said, his deep voice tinged with regret. "We should probably wrap things up for the evening. Thank you again for coming Lydia. We enjoyed having you.”

I glanced at the clock, surprised to see how much time had passed. The evening had flown by, filled with good food, laughter, and meaningful conversation. Part of me was reluctant to leave, but I knew it would be best if I did.

“Thank you for having me too. I enjoyed it…and I can’t wait to see what is to come.” I really meant it too.

I was apprehensive of the future…but with these four men I was also looking forward to it.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The next morning, I awoke to the gentle chime of my phone. Blinking sleepily, I reached for it, a smile tugging at my lips as I saw Elias's name on the screen.

"Good morning, Lydia! I hope you slept well. Just wanted to confirm our picnic date for today. Does noon work for you? I can pick you up, or we can meet at the park if you prefer."

I felt a flutter of excitement in my stomach as I read his message. Our first official date. The nervousness I'd felt last night had mellowed into a pleasant anticipation.

"Good morning, Elias,"I typed back."Noon sounds perfect. Why don't I meet you at the park?"

His response came quickly:"Sounds great! I'll meet you by the big oak tree by the enclosed dog park.”

I smiled at Elias's response, feeling a mix of excitement and nervous anticipation flutter in my stomach. Our first officialdate. It felt surreal after everything that had happened, but in a good way.

"Perfect. I’ll see you there."I typed back, before setting my phone aside and getting out of bed.I got out of bed and padded to the kitchen, starting my morning routine. As I sipped my tea, I found my mind wandering to the evening before— the warmth of their home, the easy banter between the four men, the way they had made me feel so welcome and valued. It was a stark contrast to the loneliness I had grown accustomed to.

The morning passed quickly as I got ready, taking extra care with my appearance. I chose a comfortable but pretty sundress, perfect for a picnic in the park. As noon approached, I quickly looked myself over in the mirror before I applied my scent blockers as usual, but paused before sealing the bottle. After a moment's hesitation, I used a lighter application than normal. Not enough to fully reveal my scent, but enough there was a light wisp of a soft lavender smell…barely there but noticeable if you were paying close attention.

Giving myself one last nod, I grabbed my wallet and keys and headed out. The walk to the park didn’t take long and when I arrived it wasn’t too busy. There were people scattered around, but not as much as it would have been if I came on a weekend.

As I approached the big oak tree near the enclosed dog park, I spotted Elias waiting for me. He was dressed casually in jeans and a soft looking button down shirt, a picnic basket at his feet. His face lit up when he saw me, his honey-warm scent spiking with happiness.

"Lydia," he called out, waving me over. "You look beautiful."

I felt a blush warm my cheeks at his compliment. "Thank you," I said softly as I reached him. "You look nice too."

Elias's smile widened, his hazel eyes warm as they met mine. "I'm so glad you could make it," he said, picking up the picnicbasket. "I found a great spot by the pond, if you're ready to head over?"

As we walked towards the pond, I found myself stealing glances at Elias. The sunlight caught in his chestnut hair, bringing out hints of gold. His movements were relaxed and confident, a stark contrast to the nervous energy I felt thrumming through my own body.

"So," Elias said, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between us, "how are you feeling after last night? I hope we didn't overwhelm you too much."

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