Page 85 of Never Been Gargoyled
“Always.”
We walked out of the courthouse hand in hand, Feydin's wing draped around my shoulders. The afternoon sun felt warmer than it had in weeks, and for the first time since this whole ordeal began, I let myself believe that everything was going to be alright.
The estate was mine. Feydin was mine. Our future stretched ahead of us like the gardens we'd create together.
We had all the time in the world to watch beautiful things grow.
Chapter 30
Epilogue
DAZY
Six months later, I stood at the front entrance of Winterbourne Botanical Gardens, watching the early morning light filter through the trees we'd carefully pruned to frame the view. The brass plaque beside the gate gleamed in the sunshine:Winterbourne Botanical Gardens - In Memory of Helga Morrison, Who Taught Us That Beautiful Things Grow When Tended With Love.
“You're vibrating.” Feydin came up behind me with two steaming cups of coffee. “Literally. I can feel the excitement radiating off you from ten feet away.”
I accepted the coffee, wrapping my hands around the warm mug. “I can't help it. Opening day! People are actually going to walk through our gardens and see what we've created.”
“What you've created. I just moved heavy things around and had stern talks with the occasional mouse.”
“You did way more than that.” I bumped his shoulderwith mine, careful not to spill coffee on either of us. “The fountain design, the stone pathways, that gorgeous pergola you built. This place is as much yours as it is mine.”
His wings shifted in that pleased way they did when I complimented his work. After six months together, I'd learned to read his wing language pretty well. Flared meant protective or aroused, tight against his back meant nervous, and this gentle flutter meant he was happy but trying not to show it too much.
“The pergola was a group effort,” he said. “Dorvak helped with the heavy lifting.”
“Only because you bribed him with the promise that his pastries would be featured in our café.”
“It’s a smart business decision.”
I grinned. The little café had been Feydin's idea, built into what used to be the old carriage house. Dorvak provided fresh baked goods daily, and we served tea made from herbs grown in our own garden—under the direction of Laney, our local tea expert. It had been an instant hit during our soft opening last month.
“Speaking of which.” I checked my phone for the time. “Shouldn't Dorvak be here soon with the opening day treats?”
“Any minute. Along with about half the town, if the RSVP list is accurate.”
My stomach did a flip. We'd expected maybe thirty people for the grand opening. Instead, we had over a hundred confirmed guests, includingseveral reporters from local newspapers and what appeared to be the entire population of Harmony Glen.
“What if they don't like it?” I asked, the question slipping out.
Feydin set down his coffee and turned to face me fully. “Dazy. Look around.”
The gardens spread out in carefully planned waves of color and texture. The spring bulbs we'd planted were in full bloom, from daffodils and tulips creating bold splashes of yellow to red peonies. The herb garden by the café filled the air with the scent of mint and lavender. Cherry trees lined the main path, their branches heavy with pale pink blossoms that drifted down like snow when the breeze stirred them.
“It's gorgeous,” I said.
“It's more than gorgeous. It's magical. You've created something that feeds people's souls, not just their eyes.”
“We'vecreated something.”
“Fine. We've created something miraculous. And if people don't see that, they’re never going to appreciate beauty. Trust me. Everyone’s going to properly appreciate my mate's genius.”
Mate. He still used that word sometimes, and it made my heart do acrobatics. Gargoyle mating customs were apparently very romantic, involving lots of providing and protecting and creating lovely things for their chosen person. Not that I was complaining. Being the chosen person of someone like Feydin was amazing.
“Your faith in me is either really sweet or biased,” I said.
“Both. Definitely both.”
