Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Orla

F inlay was driving me crazy.

He popped up when I least expected it, stealing kisses left and right, disappeared, and then I wouldn't see him for ages. Which of course, made me look for him more, and then he'd surprise me with stopping by to steal a kiss or to tell me a funny story.

Every day he asked me for a date.

And every day I told him no.

It had been over two weeks since the gala in Edinburgh, and somehow Finlay had managed to unofficially have a date with me, in some capacity, almost every day since we had kissed. Usually it was bringing me a bite to eat at lunch or sharing an after-work soda and a snack while we talked about the updates to the site project. Well, he insisted they were dates. I ignored him because a proper date would be one where he asked me out, I accepted without taking any form of payment for doing so, and we did a proper activity or had a meal together. As such, I was convinced we weren't dating, but just having a wee flirt.

I was having fun.

Something I hadn't given much thought to in my life between work and trying to make ends meet. But flirting with Finlay was fun. And every night, while I watched Goldie play with her new ship, I tried to remind myself that I deserved to have fun. I was allowed to ease back here and there, wasn't I? Take a break. Leave work early. Have a holiday.

None of which I'd done yet, but I was working myself up to it.

Sweaty, and covered in sawdust, I finished cutting a beam for a door frame, and straightened, dusting my gloved hands on my overalls.

"Orla."

"Bloody hell." I whirled, shaking my head at Fin. The man had me so distracted on the job that I was daydreaming now. Usually I wasn't so jumpy when people approached me as the way of construction sites was constant interruption.

"Sorry. I waited until you were done with the big, violent scary tool thing."

My lips quirked. Fin liked to pretend that he didn't know any of the tools on-site and hated getting his posh clothes dirty, but I'd learned this was just an act. Even if he didn't know how to use a tool, it never stopped him from getting down and dirty or lending a hand when needed. The crew respected him, as did I, and I could see why Munroe had brought him in to manage the buildout.

"Smart choice. I wouldn't want to slice an appendage off."

"Particularly a useful one." Fin wiggled his eyebrows at my look. "What? I find my hands to be quite useful."

"Mm-hmm." We both knew what appendage he was referring to.

"I've come to formally ask you on a date for tomorrow afternoon in Shona's garden. We'll be picking raspberries, eating homemade jam, and enjoying a proper picnic. The weather forecast promises no rain and it would be a shame to use the first proper sunny day for work. Plus, it's a Saturday, so you shouldn't be at work. You're allowed to have a life."

I opened my mouth to automatically tell him "no" but caught a glimpse of the Green Lady drifting over Fin's shoulder. She'd been more active of late, coming around to scold me on my choices, more vocal in her opinions of the decisions I was making. It appeared she was a big fan of Fin, and I couldn't help but wonder if she'd loved someone like Fin back in her time. She certainly fancied his looks.

It was hard not to. Today he wore dark denim trousers and a chambray shirt rolled at the sleeves, showcasing his muscular arms. I wanted to unbutton his shirt and lick my way down his chest. He was driving me crazy with all these wee kisses, leaving me breathless and wanting more, but refusing to have a casual hookup with me either. I was certain we just needed to scratch an itch, work it out of our systems, and both move on with our lives. He'd be going back to Edinburgh and I'd carry on with life here. I was a small-town girl. He was a big-city boy. Tale as old as time and all that.

You deserve a proper date. He's taking care with you. Let him.

I did my best not to glare at the Green Lady behind Fin's back because he didn't need to think that I was strange for seeing apparitions. That was another thing I worried about. What would Fin think if I ever told him that, apparently, I was a house witch that could see ghosts and help trapped spirits move to the next realm? It wasn't something one just brought up over a casual cup of tea.

"You're relentless, aren't you?"

"Come on, darling. Live a little. It's just a wee picnic on a bonnie day in Scotland. What say you?"

"Aye."

I grinned as Fin's mouth dropped open in surprise. He glanced quickly around, making sure none of my crew were near, before stalking toward me until I was backed against a wall. Surprising me, he pinned both of my hands against the wall and slid his leg between mine before dipping his head to take my mouth in a hungry kiss.

It shocked me, this need I had for him. It had come out of nowhere, blossoming on the night of the gala, and I'd been doing my best to ignore it over the past few weeks. Yet it was like the more I tried to pretend it wasn't happening, that I wasn't falling for Fin, the more my attraction seemed to grow. Which was why I just wanted to get this whole thing out of my system. We could have some fun together as adults and move on. Whatever this dance he was doing with me was not what I had in my plans.

And still .

Still my heart swelled when he deepened the kiss. Still my blood thundered in my veins when he shifted his thigh, brushing against me. Still desire pooled low as I squirmed against him, delicious friction warming between my legs.

When he broke the kiss, we were both gasping for air, and he reached down to subtly adjust himself.

"Don't blame me for that." I pointed to his trousers. "You brought that on yourself."

"I was just so excited you finally said yes to a date. I couldn't help myself."

"Well, now you have to walk it off before one of the crew sees you." I slid my eyes down to the admirable bulge in his trousers. I couldn't help it, I licked my lips and he groaned.

"That's not helping the situation, Orla."

"Sorry. It's just that you're very well endowed."

"Gee, thanks. Only you would say it all prim and proper like that."

"Would you prefer I say something crass like I admire your thick schlong? Your bulging cock makes me want to?—"

He had me pinned back against the wall before I could say more, his mouth on mine, wet and hot, and I moaned as he licked inside. My body trembled at his touch, and I wanted to wrap my legs around him and ride him until neither of us could think straight anymore. When he finally broke the kiss, I mewled in distress, and he hovered over me, his arms still caging me.

"You're doing my head in, Orla."

"Which one?" I asked cheekily, and he laughed.

"Both. And as much as I want to bend you over that sawhorse and peel off those overalls to reveal every delicious inch of your body, I'm afraid the crew would be a touch distressed if I did so."

"Mmm, likely so," I agreed, though the image of him bending me over, anything, really, was making my legs shake.

"Tomorrow. Two at Shona's. Can you meet me there? I have to stop somewhere first."

"No problem." I liked driving to my dates anyway. That way if I needed an easy out, I didn't have to rely on anyone else. Typical for me, never wanting to rely on anyone. It wasn't even whether I wanted to or not. I'd just learned to fend for myself at a young age. That being said, it would give me time to get to know Shona a bit better and I might even get to meet one of those gnomes of hers.

Which, of course, I'd have to hide from Fin. Maybe I'd go a touch early then just to have a wee private chat with her.

"Boss?" A call from the other side of the work site came and I ducked under Finlay's arms, patting him on the shoulder.

"Gotta run. Best to take a moment here if needed."

"Or an ice bath," Fin said.

"A quick dip in the loch might sort you out."

"I'll keep that in mind. See you tomorrow for our first official date. Should I start calling you my girlfriend?"

I whirled in the doorway, my mouth dropping open. Finlay gave me a shit-eating grin.

"We are not in a relationship."

"Aren't we though?"

"I don't have time for this." I left before he could tie my thoughts up again, or we'd get stuck in one of his ridiculous loops of banter.

By the time the next afternoon rolled around, my stomach was a bundle of nerves.

I changed my outfit three times before getting fed up with myself and leaving the house in a flurry of annoyed outbursts. It wasn't even like I owned that many clothes, let alone date-night type clothes, so I was a touch annoyed with myself for changing so many times. I'd finally settled on jeans and a dark blue scoop-neck long-sleeved top. I didn't really know how to use makeup, let alone owned any, so I just plaited my hair back as usual and left before I got in my head about having to try out different hairstyles for Fin.

He'd told me he liked me just as I was—in my overalls and covered in sawdust, hadn't he? The man had seen me at my most glamorous and had told me he preferred me just as I was. I was going to take his word on that, because I truly didn't have any fancy or flirty date outfits. Maybe I'd speak to Willow about gently introducing a few into my rotation, as my budget allowed, so long as they were serviceable and could be worn for other things.

Pulling up at Shona's gardens, I grinned. She stood outside, cradling a hedgehog in her arms and looking beautiful in jean overalls and a button-down shirt, with a sun hat clamped firmly on her head. She was all earthy goddess, and I could see why Owen had fallen for her. I'd met her partner recently, a filmmaker, before he'd jetted off to work on some project or another. He basically doted on Shona and it was sweet to see.

"Who is this cutie?" I asked, peering close at the wee hedgie. He poked his head out from where it was buried in the crook of Shona's arm and gave me a lopsided grin before burrowing his way back into the folds of her shirt.

"This is Eugene and he's very annoyed by that hot ball of light in the middle of the sky. I was just off to tuck him into his wee nest before you arrived. Come with?"

"This place is grand, Shona. I can't believe how big it is."

"Aye, we've expanded back quite a bit and have plans for more. We'll see how it goes along. I'm working on asking for more help, but that's a challenge in its own right. It used to be just me and a few part-time helpers, but I'm beginning to grow into a full-time operation. Thank God I cut back on the weddings."

"Did you supply for catering?"

"Nope, wedding flowers." Shona nodded toward one of two greenhouses set behind her pretty stone cottage. "That second one is all flowers. My gran loved flowers, and I couldn't help but follow suit. But I think I got in over my head with weddings. I'll still do some here and there, but I much prefer selling bunches of flowers and herbs at the market than the stress of wedding planning."

"I don't blame you. It sounds like it would be intense. I wouldn't even know where to start with all the color coordinating and matching dresses and so on."

"And I wouldn't know how to build a house, so I'm equally as impressed."

"You start at the foundation." I held the door to the greenhouse open so Shona could slip inside, cradling Eugene in her arms.

"Isn't that the way of it for most things in life?"

There wasn't much I could say to that, as I had to agree, even if my own personal "life" foundation had been shaky at best. But that was the good thing about knowing how to build things. I could always shore up a foundation, fix it, make it stronger. Which was exactly what I was doing here, in Loren Brae, by joining the Order of Caledonia. I supposed I was building a house of sorts, built on friendships and trust, that would enable a stable future for me.

"She's good, Gnorman. One of us."

I whirled my head around from admiring Shona's expansive and healthy greenhouse, all bright light and humid air, greenery crawling every which way, to see a gnome statue on the table.

"For flower's sake, Shona. Warn us. I was about to have a picnic with Gnora."

My mouth dropped open as the statue shifted, morphing into a living, breathing thing. He wore a kilt, had tattoos lining his muscular arms, and a tiny leather biker vest buttoned to his beard.

"I did warn you. Earlier today when I said I had friends coming over. At which point Gnora reminded you that you never take her on picnics, and you got in a huff about it, and now, apparently, you're taking her on a picnic and you've forgotten that we have guests coming."

"How dare you suggest that I never take Gnora on picnics. I always?—"

Gnorman trailed off as another gnome sauntered out of the bushes, this one dressed in a figure-hugging pencil skirt in leopard print, with a leather bustier that enhanced her curves. Spying me, she blew me a kiss before crossing her arms over her ample chest and giving Gnorman a look .

"You always what, Gnorman? When was the last time you took me on a picnic?"

"But…but…it's been raining for weeks now. It's spring. You said you didn't like the wet grass getting on your skirt."

"So you put down a blanket, don't you then?"

"Gnora, darling, you know I'd do anything for you." Based on his imploring tone and begging eyes, I suspected what the wee gnome was saying was true.

"Anything?" Gnora purred, a gleam in her eye.

"Anything," Gnorman promised, stepping closer to her. Gnora leaned over and whispered something in his ear, and the gnome's eyes widened, his cheeks pinkening. Turning, she sauntered off, a healthy swing in her step making every curve move, and then she disappeared back into the greenery.

"Right, well, I've just got to…" Gnorman cleared his throat, glancing between me and where Gnora had disappeared into the plants. "Sorry to run, but…erm, well. My name's Gnorman, with a silent G."

"Orla," I said, biting back a grin.

"Enjoy your picnic and all. Don't mess up my plants or I'll send my army after you." Gnorman raised a warning finger up at me before turning and running into the bushes after Gnora.

"And those are my gnomes," Shona said, with a laugh. Bending, she tucked the sleeping hedgehog into a nest of blankets in a box under the table, and he burrowed right in, nuzzling in next to another hedgie.

"Och, they're pretty incredible, no? I don't even rightly know what to think. Every time I think I'm growing comfortable with all this magick stuff, something new comes to basically show me that I know nothing about it at all. I mean, I would have bet money he was a statue when I came in. Not a live being. He looked just, completely fake."

"It's his resting gnome face. He does it well. They all do. There's quite a network of them, from what I can determine. They each have their own wee territories, based on our different gardens, and occasionally I drive them around to meet up with the others since they can't travel far on their wee legs."

"You facilitate clandestine gnome meetings?" I grinned at Shona's laugh.

"Something like that. Nothing much happens except they moan about how we're all ruining their gardens and that cats are the bane of their existence."

"Cats? Not dogs?"

"Dogs, yes, because they'll run up and pee on them sometimes, which I can imagine is pretty disgusting."

I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand. I would so not want to get peed on.

"I know, right? I don't blame the gnomes for being grumpy all the time." Shona laughed and leaned back against the table. "But the cats…they are cunning. Even when the gnomes freeze, they seem to sense there's something more. So they mess with them, toy with them, you know?"

"Yeah, I could see that." A car door slammed outside.

"Sounds like Finlay is here. I've got a nice spot all set up for you two in the back." Shona's eyes gleamed. "How's that all going then?"

I opened my mouth to say this was just a nothing, a no big deal thing, but I stopped. I shouldn't brush it off, not when Finlay was making a concerted effort, and when I knew in my heart of hearts that this was something more. Something was building between Finlay and me, a something that I couldn't ignore, and if I wanted to build friendships with these women who I now shared magick with, then I needed to open myself more even if it felt at odds with what I was used to doing.

"I don't know what to think of it all. He's a bit overwhelming, if I'm to be honest with you. He's…" I bit my lip as I thought about Finlay. "Confident. Sure of himself in ways that I wish I could be. He navigates different worlds with ease where I would stumble, you know?"

"I get it. Owen's kind of like that. He just expects things to work out for him and they do."

"Yes! That's it."

"Annoying, isn't it?" Shona laughed.

"Totally. And now I feel like I'm kind of one of those things, you know? Just something he'll expect to work out. And I'm scared, I guess." I brought a hand to my heart, tapping my chest. "Like, scared it's going to leave a hole that I can't patch back up." And I don't know if I can lose another person I care about.

"Och, I so get that." Shona stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. I stiffened before relenting and hugging back. She pulled back, her hands on my arms, her blue eyes warm and friendly. "But from the little you've shared, it sounds like you've had a rough go of it growing up, right?"

"I have."

"So if you can get through all that, and still remain standing, nae, flourishing…I mean, you can get through this, right? Even if he ends up hurting your heart?"

"I guess I could. But why put myself through it if I'll just get hurt?"

"Because what if you don't?" Shona peered at me, and her words hit home. I was so used to anticipating disaster and shielding myself from it that I rarely considered what would happen if things worked out well. It was easier to prepare myself for the worst and be surprised at a happy outcome than the other way around, and I'd spent my life building nice thick walls to cushion my fall.

"Then…we'd just be together?" Saying it out loud honestly shocked me. I'd never truly considered the possibility of Fin and me as an actual couple existing in the world. At best I'd thought we'd have a few weeks of fun while he was on the project, but now Shona had me thinking about having a real relationship with him. "He does keep asking me to be his girlfriend."

"See?" Shona pounced, her eyes lighting up. She poked my arm. "Listen to him. The man is telling you he's interested."

"Interested and being in a relationship are two different things, Shona. I just…" I shook my head, trying to keep my voice clear as I said the next part. "Everyone leaves, Shona. It's the only thing that I know."

"Oh, Orla." Shona pulled me in for another hug and I was surprised I didn't jump out of my skin at all this affection. It was far past what I was used to receiving. "Nothing in life is permanent, you know? You gotta just grab on to the good and hold it close while you can. It's the best anyone can do, really. "

Shona's words resonated with me as I left the greenhouse to meet Finlay at his truck. He was speaking to someone that I couldn't see, the passenger door open, and my heartbeat sped up at the sight of him.

Finlay was a good man. And Shona did say I needed to grab on to the good while I could. Turning, Fin saw me, and a grin split his face.

My stomach twisted as my heart cracked open a bit.

"There's a bonnie lass on a pretty spring day. I figured instead of flowers I'd bring you something better." Fin turned and spoke down to the truck again, and then I gasped as a furry beast jumped onto the ground and raced for me.

"Harris!"

"I sprung him from the shelter for an afternoon activity. He'd told me how much he'd miss you visiting him today, so I invited him along on our picnic."

"Oh buddy, it's so good to see you."

Yup, I was toast. This man knew what I'd needed even before I had. Having Harris there would ease my nerves on our first date, plus, it was damn sweet of him to bring my favorite shelter dog along for the picnic. I bent to accept Harris's delighted licks, scratching his ears and taking the lead that Fin handed me. He hurried around the truck and grabbed a cooler and a shopping bag. Hands full, he came up beside me, a grin on his face.

"I can't decide who is happier to see you—me or him."

I mean, what was I supposed to say when he said things like that? He just kept chipping away at my walls, ever determined. Sighing, I leaned up on my tippy-toes and planted a kiss on his lips. His surprised gasp made me smile, and I laughed a little against his lips.

"Damn it, Orla, I picked the wrong time to carry all the stuff from the car."

"Nope, this is just right." Desire threaded through me as I deepened the kiss, enjoying having the control, letting the moment linger between us as we stood in the gardens, a dog lead wrapped around my legs, his hands full of picnic stuff. As kisses went, it was perfect.

Now, I just needed to figure out if I was cut out for this whole falling in love thing. It seemed I was heading that way, even if I wasn't fully ready to admit it. And because I had no blueprint to follow, that alone made me nervous.

"Woman, you'd better stop now before I drop this on our feet and haul you into the back seat."

I laughed against his lips and pulled back, looking into his smiling eyes.

"Nope, I was promised a proper date. Let's see if you've nailed it."

"Challenge accepted."