Page 65 of Perfectly Petite Shorts
“The sign says to ‘ring the bell.’ It does not say to ring it fifty times if the first ring doesn’t immediately produce results.”
Irritation overtook my anxiety. Crossing my arms over my chest, I took a deep breath and held it, puffing out my cheeks. “How was I supposed to know you heard the first ring? Maybe you were in the shower or something and missed the first time. If you think about it, it’s really not the best system. I’m sure there has to be—”
“Enough!”
My shoulders hunched as I flinched. Hamish’s eyeswere dark, swirly pools of shifting shades of green. I didn’t need to be a witch, warlock, or brownie to be able to feel the waves of power radiating off him.
Quietly sitting there, I watched as a myriad of emotions flew across Hamish’s face as he tried to reign in his apparent annoyance. I’d always heard that fairies were hard to read, that they kept their feelings close to the vest. I wasn’t sure Hamish McIntyre had gotten the memo. And if that were the case, then why was he considered such a good lawyer?
Eyes slipping closed, Hamish inhaled deeply. Unlike me, his cheeks didn’t expand. After another two deep inhales and exhales, Hamish reopened his eyes. The swirling greens were now rolling hills of emerald.
“Now, let us try this again. You said you had a case I might be interested in. I believe you indicated it would be difficult, but there was a loophole.”
I cocked my head to the side. I’d already explained all this yesterday. I’d gotten the feeling he wasn’t listening and even called him out on it. Looks like I’d been right. Considering myloopholewas more of a minuscule opening no larger than the size of the eye of a needle, I’d kind of hoped we could sort of bypass this part.
So much for hope.
Clearing my throat, I laced my fingers together and tapped the pads of my thumbs against each other. “Well…you see…the loophole is kind of, sort of, more of a theory… Kind of.”
Hamish’s eyebrows rose. “A theory? Whose theory?”
“Mine?”
Hamish didn’t appear impressed. “Are you asking me or telling me?”
I bit down on my bottom lip while pulling together my self-confidence. “Mine. Definitely mine.” There, that sounded much better.
“Oh? I wasn’t aware you were a lawyer. Pray tell, where did you get your degree?”
Did all fairies graduate with honors in Mocking 101, or was Hamish exceptionally gifted? “Obviously, I’m not a lawyer. I just thought—”
“Your first folly.”
My mouth snapped closed so fast my teeth rattled. A thousand words flew through my mind, none of them complimentary and a few might even end my short dryad life. Attempting to be smart, I kept my mouth closed. I sat there, gaze murderous.
Silence and tension competed for dominance as the air filled with both. An eternity seemed to pass, and I wondered which one of us would break first. Hamish surprised me when his lips twitched, the corners lifting as he fought either a smirk or frown. Honestly, I couldn’t tell which.
“Something funny?” I asked, my words clipped.
Hamish shrugged. “More amusing than funny.”
I wasn’t sure I understood the difference but didn’t want to sound stupid, so I simply cocked my head to the side. My actions made Hamish’s lips twitch even more. Why in Gaia’s name did he have to look so incredibly handsome while mocking me?
“As you were saying, you believe there might be a loophole. Kind of. Sort of.”
My teeth ground so hard I’m surprised they didn’t fracture. I considered throwing out a biting response but remembered why I was here, and that wasn’t to get into an unwinnable pissing match with a fairy. I was here to try and save Jamila’s land.
Channeling Jamila’s memory, I laid out my case. “You remember what I said about Jamila’s ungrateful children selling her land?”
“I do. I also remember telling you that, assuming the will isbinding and lawful, there isn’t anything you can do. Is there a problem with the will?”
I wished. “No. I haven’t seen it, but Jamila used a fairy-run company to write and authorize her will.” I didn’t tell Hamish that Lilibeth had “popped” into the office Jamila’s will was stashed in and taken a look herself.
Hamish held up his hands and shrugged. “That doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room, even for me.”
“I know. But the will was written before Jamila knew about me, about what I would become. I was born on that land. Dryads need their land. I’ll wither and die if I can’t bury my roots within the soil I was born into.”
Hamish grew quiet and his gaze distant. Stillness overtook him. I had the distinct feeling he was thinking and shouldn’t be disturbed. It was the most serious I’d seen him, and it gave me a shimmer of hope.
