Page 44 of Lavender and Honey

I considered his question for a moment before answering. "I'm... okay," I said slowly. "It was a lot to take in, but in a good way. Everyone was so kind and welcoming."

Elias's face softened, his hazel eyes warm as they met mine. "I'm glad to hear that," he said softly as we lapsed into a comfortable silence.

"I hope you're hungry," Elias said, breaking the silence between us. "I may have gone a bit overboard with the food."

I chuckled softly, glancing at the large picnic basket he carried. "I'm looking forward to it. Your cooking last night was amazing."

Elias's face lit up at my compliment, his hazel eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love cooking for others, especially..." he trailed off, a faint blush coloring his cheeks.

"Especially?" I prompted gently, my own cheeks heating up as I looked up at him with a small smile.

Elias's cheeks flushed a deeper pink as he met my gaze. "Especially for people I care about," he admitted softly. "Cooking is how I show affection, I suppose. And I... I care about you, Lydia."

I felt my heart skip a beat at his words, a warmth blooming in my chest. "I care about you too, Elias," I said quietly, surprised by how easily the words came. "And I'm grateful for the care you put into your cooking. It means a lot."

Elias's smile was radiant as we reached a secluded spot near the pond. He set down the basket and pulled out a large blanket, spreading it on the grass. "Here we are," he said, gesturing for me to sit. "Our own little oasis."

I settled onto the blanket, taking in the peaceful scene around us. The pond stretched out before us, its surface rippling gently in the light breeze. Ducks paddled lazily across the water, and I could hear the distant laughter of children playing somewhere in the park.

Elias sat down beside me, a smile on his face as he began unpacking the picnic basket, revealing an array of delicious looking foods.

"I hope you like variety," he said with a sheepish grin. "I wasn't sure what you'd prefer, so I made a bit of everything."

I watched in amazement as he pulled out container after container. There were delicate finger sandwiches, a colorful salad, fresh fruit, and what looked like homemade bread.

I felt my eyes widen at the spread before us. "Elias, this is amazing," I said softly, genuinely impressed by the effort and time he'd put into our date.

Elias beamed at my praise, his honey-warm scent spiking with happiness. "I'm glad you like it," he said, his hazel eyes twinkling. "I wanted our first date to be special."

I felt a flutter in my stomach at his words, touched by his thoughtfulness. "It's perfect," I assured him, reaching for one of the sandwiches. As I took a bite, I couldn't help but let out a small noise of appreciation. The flavors were perfectly balanced, the bread soft and fresh.

Elias watched me with a pleased expression, his own sandwich forgotten in his hand. "Good?" he asked, though the twinkle in his eye suggested he already knew the answer.

I nodded enthusiastically, swallowing before I spoke. "Incredible," I said. "You really have a talent, Elias."

"So," Elias said, popping a grape into his mouth, "tell me more about you. I know about your art…and that you prefer to drink tea like it is water…and are liking my cooking a lot. Tell me what you are willing to share with me.”

I felt a flutter of nervousness at Elias's question. Opening up didn't come easily to me, but I wanted to try. For him. For us.

"Well," I began slowly, "I grew up in a small town not too far from here. My parents... they had very traditional views about pack life and Omega roles." I paused, taking a sip of water to steady myself. "They weren't exactly supportive of my art or my desire for independence."

Elias nodded encouragingly, his hazel eyes warm and free of judgment. "That must have been difficult," he said softly.

I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. "It was. I left as soon as I could, came here to start over. My art and my store... they've been my lifeline."

Emboldened by his interest, I continued. "I studied art in college, but I never thought I'd be able to make a career out of it. My parents let me because they thought I would attract wealthy Alpha connections.”

I gave a bitter laugh and shook my head, going to change the subject, “Though besides the art I do enjoy reading. I used to always find small family owned bookstores to find old books to collect.”

Elias listened intently, his hazel eyes soft with understanding. "That sounds like it was a challenging environment to grow up in," he said gently. "I'm glad you were able to pursue your passions despite that. And I love that you collect old books— you should definitely bring that up with Lucian.”

I titled my head to the side, “Will you tell me why or do I have to wait to ask him myself?”

Elias gave a smirk, “Nope you have to ask him. You will be getting to know him on your date.”

I laughed nodding my head, “That’s fair.”

Elias chuckled, his smile warm as he shifted slightly, leaning in just enough to make my heart skip a beat. "I like that you're curious. Lucian will appreciate that too."

---