Page 47 of Never Been Gargoyled
“We keep digging.”
She glanced at my bandaged hand. “Maybe you should stick to research for a while and let me handle the manual labor.”
“I can work with one hand.”
“Feydin.” She fixed me with a stern look. “I’d tell you to stop for the day, but I know you. You’re just as eager to get this done as me. But promise me you'll be more careful.”
The concern in her voice, the way she said my name… My heart felt ready to burst from my chest. This was what it felt like to be cared for. To matter to someone.
“I promise,” I said.
“Good.” She smiled again, then glanced around. “I have to admit, the house is looking better already. You've done amazing work.”
Pride shot through me. She'd noticed the care I’d taken with her home. She was happy with my efforts to improve it.
“There's more I want to do,” I said. “The gutters need cleaning, some of the roof tiles are loose, and there's definitely something living in the attic that shouldn't be there.”
She winced. “What sort of something?”
“Well, I’ll admit there could be mice within the building.”
“Ah-ha. Told you so!”
I huffed but she was right. “I'll have a word with them.”
She laughed. “How in the world are you going to do that?”
“Gargoyles are good at convincing small creatures to relocate,” I said seriously. “A stern talking-to usually does the trick.”
“You're going to lecture mice into leaving?”
“If necessary.”
Her laughter was bright and genuine, and the sound of it made my wings float out with happiness. I'd made her laugh. Despite everything weighing on us, I'd managed to bring her joy.
“I'd like to see that,” she said, still grinning.
“Stick around and you might.”
The words hung in the air between us, heavy with meaning. Her expression grew thoughtful, and I worried I'd overstepped.
“I'm not going anywhere,” she said quietly. “This is home now.”
Home. She'd said it again, and this time, she was looking directly at me when she said it.
My heart, which had been racing since she'd bandaged my hand, felt like it might explode from the emotions surging through me. This was what the mating bond felt like. It gave me an overwhelming need to protect and provide and be near her always.
I was falling for her completely. Had already fallen, if I was being honest.
The only question now was whether she might ever feel the same way about me.
Chapter 18
Dazy
My phone rang while I was deadheading roses in one of the gardens, my hands covered with soil and leaf matter. I wiped them on my jeans before answering, not recognizing the number.
“Ms. Osborne? This is Sheriff Martinez. We spoke briefly when your lawyer was asking about Helga Morrison's history.”
