Page 18 of Shift of Heart
His brow crinkled, and I wondered if no one had ever asked him that question. “Different. It’s Hawthorne.”
My breath caught as I stumbled. Caelan caught me by the elbow before I went down, steadying me. I righted myself as a nervous laugh escaped me. “Sorry about that. I’m a total klutz sometimes.”
His hand burned into my skin. “Quite alright.”
But he didn’t let go until Simone cleared her throat, then he jerked his hand away like he’d burned himself.
I turned away and led them through the back into the office, where I kept the book of floral selections. My mind spun. Hawthorne. Caelan’s last name was Hawthorne? Of all the surnames for a Shifter Lord to have, I never would have expected it to be so...witchy. The Hawthorne represented love and fertility and had a direct connection to the fae realm.
I also hadn’t expected it to relate so directly to my powers.
Shaking my head to ward off those thoughts, I held open the door, but Caelan took it and gestured for me to go inside.
Simone gave me a strange look as she brushed past, but her expression morphed into one of awe as she stepped in.
“Whoa,” she breathed. “This is your office?”
I pulled a couple of chairs up to the large carved table to the right side of the room and went around to the other side of my desk to get the book with all the selections.
“It is. Every plant in here was grown either by cutting or seed. The ones on that shelf over there—” I pointed to a set of large, polished mahogany shelves Ash had made from a fallen tree. “Those are hybrids I’ve created over the years.”
Caelan had stopped in the middle of my office, his mouth slightly open as he took everything in.
I rarely felt self-conscious about my magic, but even I had to admit my office was a little...extra. Plants were arranged on every available surface, and where there wasn’t a surface, I’d added shelving. Or a table. Or a wire rack.
Even the top of my credenza was crammed with plants. Vines climbed the lamps and light fixtures, tangled through the curtain rods, and hung with lush green leaves. I’d even placed three string of pearl plants inside my ceiling chandelier.
I had multiple varieties of pothos, Monsteras, ferns, and orchids blooming in every color in the large bay window overlooking the town square. There were African Violets and peace lilies, multiple types of succulents, Easter and Christmas cacti in full bloom, and dozens of others.
Simone wandered over to the hanging rod by the window and gawked at one particular plant. “This,” she breathed. “What is this? It’s stunning.”
I walked over to her and grinned. “It’s called Callisia Repens Pink Lady. It’s a turtle vine.”
She reached out and jerked her fingers away. “Oh, sorry. I just?—”
“Feel free to touch anything you want. Plants crave contact just like we do.”
Simone’s lips parted as she reached up to stroke its leaves. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. How do you keep it alive?”
I shrugged. Floromancy was a rare magic and not usually dangerous, but I rarely discussed my gift with anyone. “A strong green thumb and lots of research.”
I watched as Simone marveled over the plant. “Would you like a cutting?”
Simone gasped. “Oh no. I couldn’t.”
Caelan came over and stood beside Simone. “You should accept her offer. It’s good for the plant and an excellent way to brighten up your rooms.”
I blinked in surprise. “You grow things?”
Caelan’s teeth flashed. “Nothing like this, but I have a few houseplants I enjoy.”
Interesting. So many people dismissed green things inside the home, claiming they were too much work, or they had a brown thumb, but houseplants oxygenated the air, soothed anxiety, and helped calm the atmosphere. Plus, they were beautiful to look at. I wondered if Caelan felt the same.
Tearing my attention away from him, I refocused on Simone. “I’ll take a few cuttings for you and root them. It will take a couple of weeks, but when they’re ready, I’ll call you for pickup if that’s alright. If you see anything else you’d like to try to grow, I’m happy to take any cuttings you’d like.”
Simone’s smile grew. “That’s incredibly generous. Thank you.” Her bright gaze swept the room. “Can I ask for one of everything?”
Caelan huffed a laugh. “How about we keep it under five today? We don’t want to take up too much of Evie’s time, and we still haven’t looked at the flower selections.”
