“Okay. Is there a decent coffee shop around here?” She changed the subject. Her cousin’s obsession with fresh coffee was a family joke. Cass could get downright mean if her coffee wasn’t just so.
“No,” was the mournful reply. “I have to make my own.”
The chief of police strode in, now wearing casual clothing. He waved at the people who called out greetings, and dropped a paper-wrapped package on the bar. Declan said something to him that made him smile. The package was traded for a dark beer. Shiloh turned and leaned against the bar. His gaze seemed to survey the inhabitants as he took a slow drink.
He was just as huge as she remembered, but more approachable without his uniform. Wide, powerfully built arms and chest gave way to a trim waist and thighs the size of tree trunks. Rienne took another drink to wet her suddenly dry throat. She focused on those thighs for another moment or two. They stretched the tight denim encasing them in a rather intriguing manner.
“Hmmm,” her cousin hummed beside her. “Methinks you are in the mood for some sausage.” Cass drew the Ss out until she was almost hissing them.
Rienne blushed when he glanced at them with amusement, almost as if he’d heard her cousin. He tipped his glass in greeting. She waved hesitantly back.
“Think he’s looking forward to eating clams?” Cass asked innocently. A little too innocently.
Rienne glared at her cousin. “You’re terrible.”
Cass snickered.
“I like clams too!” The boy was back.
Cass bit her lip.
Rienne closed her eyes in dismay and smothered a chuckle.
He took her hand. “Aren’t you looking forward to them?”
She smiled and nodded, reaching out to tuck a wayward curl behind his ear. “Yes, I am. Are you having fun? Did you get something to drink?”
The child smiled sweetly up at her. “I would like a root beer. My name is Foster.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Foster. I’m Rienne. This is my cousin Cass.” Cass burbled a cheerful hello and grinned at the boy. “Stay here, and I’ll get your drink.” Rienne slid off her stool.
He immediately took her place on the stool and started chattering at Cass.
She made her way to the bar, slipping between people without touching them. Declan was busy at the other end. She folded her hands on the edge of the bar and patiently waited for him to make his way back in her direction.
Shiloh scooted over to her. “Hello again, Miss Rienne.”
She stared down at her fingers. “Hello, Chief.”
“How’s our town treating you so far?”
“It’s been very nice.” She picked at a hangnail and peeked at him from the corner of her eye. The buttery yellow shirt he was wearing was rolled up to his elbows and accented the tanned skin of his arms nicely.
“How long are you planning to stay?” he asked casually, taking another drink of his beer.
“Um. Well, I’m hoping to stay for the summer if I can find a job and maybe a house for rent.” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and traced a knot in the bar’s wood grain. Well, no time like the present to announce I’m staying. Maybe he has a few ideas.
“I’m sure we can find a couple of houses for you to look at. I’ll check around about jobs.” He turned and folded his arms across the bar next to her. “Since you’ll be here for a bit, would you be interested in dinner sometime?”
She froze while her mind tried to process that. It was the last thing she had expected when he had struck up a conversation with her, and she had no idea how to respond. If she said no, would he make things uncomfortable for her? She wasn’t sure she wanted to go on a date at all. Actually, the thought of dating and sex sent a bolt of sheer panic racing through her. “Perhaps after I’ve had time to settle in, Chief.” There, that was diplomatic! She mentally patted herself on the back.
“All right, I’ll ask again later,” he replied easily. He winked flirtatiously at her, a small smile teasing the edges of his lips. “You can call me Shiloh, by the way.”
She smiled with relief when Declan suddenly materialized in front of her.
“Needing another cider already? I like a woman who can drink.” He was reaching for a clean glass before she could reply.
“No, sir, I would like a glass of root beer, please.” Her smile wobbled when he glared at her.
“What you be wanting with root beer?” His gaze lanced her.
“Um, Foster asked for a glass?” She smiled weakly, wondering what she had done wrong.
“Hrm.” Declan peered around her. “Oh. Foster.” He filled the glass and waved off the money she offered. “Foster doesn’t get charged.”
She thanked him and nodded politely at Shiloh before making her escape. A squeak of surprise escaped as she turned around and almost ran into one of the short men who had come in just before Shiloh.
He quickly steadied her when the glass threatened to spill. “Hi, I’m Dandy.” His huge lavender-blue eyes were bright with curiosity. A braid of hair too yellow to be blond lay over his shoulder.
“H-hello,” she stammered uncertainly.
“I’m Thistle.” Another of the men appeared at her side, making her jump. He had rich brown hair and dark blue eyes.
She nodded in greeting, trying to edge around them. A gasp escaped as yet another of them popped up.
“Foxglove, a pleasure to meet you, Miss.” His eyes were grass green and the long curly mass of his hair was the reddish-purple of the flower he named. The rest of the men who had come in with first three were crowding around them. She found it hard to break eye contact with Foxglove though. The naked admiration and shy smile of welcome on his full lips captivated her. She felt like she could stare into his eyes for the rest of her life. Something inside her stirred and stretched awake. Perfect. Mine.
Her fingers clenched around the glass in her hands. “Nice to meet you.” Blinking her gaze away from his, she looked around her. The way the men were staring at her made her stomach churn with nerves. Then her nipples stiffened in reaction to all the sexual interest she sensed being directed toward her. Maybe it’s the water, but damn, this island is full of some compelling men. She stole a glance at her cousin, who wasn’t paying the slightest attention to her. No help from that direction. “Excuse me,” she murmured, trying to get around them. It had been so long since a man had looked at her with anything but contempt or pity she didn’t know how to react.
They followed her to the table her cousin and Foster waited at.
“Hi, guys,” Foster piped, taking the glass from Rienne. His greeting was returned in a subdued manner as Rienne sidled close to her cousin and gave her a slightly desperate glance.
Cass grinned. “Who are these fine gentlemen, Bumblebee?” She slid a comforting arm around Rienne’s shoulders.
“Um, Dandy, Thistle, and Foxglove. I’m sorry, I don’t know the rest of your names,” she said smiling nervously at the rest of the men. They quickly told the women their names. Her eyes widened as each name rolled out. Maple, Elderberry, Clover, Thorn, and Bramble. Four more showed up a few minutes later. They were Mint, Current, Mullein, and Nettle respectively.
They stayed and chatted for a few minutes, then slowly drifted away until it was just the original three who had introduced themselves. Foster finished his soda with a happy sigh and hugged Cass and Rienne before he too melted into the crowd.
Cass grinned at the men and told them to pull up stools. They assured her they would after they got their drinks and offered to get refills for Cass and Rienne as well. As soon as they were out of earshot, Cass leaned over and whispered, “So the flowers come to the bees here, huh?”
She laughed softly. “Interesting names.” Relaxing now that it was just the two of them she sat down on her stool and sipped her drink.
Her cousin nodded. “Yep. Not as interesting as how fast they glommed on to you, though. In less than a day you’ve gotten more people to talk to you than I have in months!” She smiled up at
her husband as he approached them with a plate of fried clams. “Decided to come say hi?” she asked with just a touch of acid.
He blushed and leaned down to kiss Cass. “Sorry, I suck.” He circled the table to hug Rienne. “I’m sorry I was an ass. Please forgive me?”
Rienne smiled and returned the hug. “It’s okay, Dar, everyone has bad days.”
He nodded and claimed the seat on the other side of his wife.
Rienne decided to wait till the stampede at the buffet table had calmed down. She wasn’t very hungry, in spite of the tempting scents wafting through the air. Also, there seemed to be a lot of elbowing going on as people tried to get at the food. Potlucks seemed to be a full-contact sport around here. A quick glance at her cousin showed Dar attempting to schmooze his way back into her good graces. He was whispering something in her ear that made Cass’s eyes half close.
Dandy, Thistle, and Foxglove returned, each carrying a tray. One held full glasses, and the other two had plates heaped with food. They set them carefully down. “We didn’t think you ladies would want to fight the crowd, so we got a little of everything to share.”
Thistle set a plate filled with honey rolls reverently in the center of the table. “I don’t know who brought these, but they smell amazing,” he said in an awed tone. “They are made with honey instead of sugar. I didn’t think we’d get any if we waited. The tray is almost half-empty already.” He slid onto the stool next to Rienne.
Rienne frowned. “There should have been two trays.”
Dar reached over his wife and placed a clam on Rienne’s plate. “Declan put the other tray in the back until the first is empty. We needed a little more room on the table.”
Cass placed a slice of unbuttered bread next to it. “Eat the bread at least, Bumblebee,” she said softly. The whole family knew how Rienne’s appetite suffered when she was stressed.
Rienne nodded and slowly chewed on it. It was excellent bread, obviously homemade, and the best she’d had since she left Iowa. She gingerly cut a piece of clam off with the side of her fork and savored the salty-sweet flavor and crisp, buttery, coating.
Declan joined them, followed shortly by Shiloh. “Ahhh, this is quite a spread. What is this stuff you brought, Cass?” He poked at it a bit with his fork and then leaned down to sniff it.
“Pepper slaw. It’s coleslaw with minced jalapeno peppers.” Cass forked up a bite and chewed with obvious enjoyment.
“Why does she call you Bumblebee?” Thistle leaned close to asked her.
“Oh, because I keep bees,” Rienne said easily. It wasn’t really a lie, just not the whole truth. She stole another glance at Shiloh and then Foxglove. She thought Foxglove might be interested, but he kept his head down and wasn’t saying much. Every once in a while she caught him peeking at her, the same way she was peeking at him.
“Really? We kept bees as well.” Thistle waved a hand to include the other winged men who were joining them at the far end of the table. “But, we lost all our hives. Must have been that colony collapse thing we’ve been hearing about. Do you have any hives with you?”
“Just one established hive right now,” Rienne replied. “It should swarm this spring or summer.” She wondered how she was going to explain the sudden increase in her bees if anyone asked. Hopefully, no one would be paying much attention. “I should have more coming in a few weeks if I can put together more hive boxes.”
“Ahhh, excellent. Did I hear you tell Shiloh you are planning to stay with us for the summer? We have some empty boxes you can have.”
Rienne glanced at him before she answered. Something about the set of his face and the intensity of his gaze made her a bit nervous. What sounded like casual conversation seemed to be much more important to him than he wanted to let on. “Yes. I plan on staying here if everything works out. I want to be closer to my family.”
“That’s good. We would be honored to assist with your bees or in any other way we can.” He picked up her hand and pressed a tingling kiss against her knuckles, his gaze never leaving hers.
She looked down at her plate, flustered as a hot blush heated her cheeks. “Thank you.”
FOXGLOVE CONCENTRATED ON eating, not looking up or trying to join the conversation any longer. The most interesting woman I’ve met in years, and half the town is already sniffing around her. If Thistle tries any harder to charm her, he’s going to start oozing! He sighed to himself as he finished his food and reached for a honey roll. The plate was empty. Figures. Eyeing the sticky pools of cinnamon and honey remaining on the plate, he wondered how horrified people would be if he dipped his fingers in them and licked them clean.
Another plate edged into his vision. It barely held enough food to keep a bird alive. And a honey roll. He looked up, his gaze locked with Rienne’s. Her eyes were a dark, dark blue and deep enough to drown in.
“You can have mine,” she offered shyly.
He smiled slowly. “We could share it,” he replied softly. He tore off a piece and held it out to her.
She blushed a little as she leaned forward to take the offering delicately in her teeth.
He felt a little embarrassed as well when he noticed every male at the table staring at them. Trying for nonchalance, he took a piece of the roll for himself and nibbled on it. He wasn’t going to bow out of the running this time. Rienne seemed to return his interest, and he was going to see if he could keep it. Something told him she was worth fighting for and if he missed this opportunity, he would always regret it and wonder what could have been.
FOSTER SMILED SECRETLY to himself as he watched the antics at the far table. Ahhh, one point to Foxglove. Shiloh, Dandy, and Thistle were staring at the other man like they had never seen him before, but Foster had been paying closer attention. He’d seen the shy glances Foxglove and Rienne had been exchanging when they didn’t think anyone would notice. He had also seen the stunned looks that had come over both their faces the first time they had looked into each other’s eyes. Yes, our Foxglove is the dark horse in this race, gentlemen.
It looked like his careful saving of magical scraps had born fruit. He had spent years layering and completing his spell before he had added it to the island protections. It was a simple spell in theory, but so much more difficult to enact. The spell would be affected by how much the people desired the outcome. So many wishes of the heart withered before they could blossom.
He was weary of watching his people fade a little more each year. For thousands of years he had cared for them, guided them, and nurtured them. Only Shiloh came close to his age, and he knew the Green Man was as lonely and weary as Foster was. The last few centuries had been the hardest. So many slept or were gone now he often wondered why he kept trying. He was so tired, and it was would be a relief to give in and let himself fade away too. But, something always held him back from making that last decision.
He had not counted on so many yearnings being linked to one small female though. How would this work out? Somehow, this one woman would bring a change greater than even he had imagined.
First Cassia had come, brought by Dar. And now her cousin was here. They were cinnamon and honey, spicy and sweet, just like the desserts his people were so greedily consuming. Whether either had noticed, they drew every gaze. Something about them was so alive. The moment his eyes met Rienne’s in the park, the invisible strands of his spell had converged upon her so bright he had barely seen her under them before they faded away.
He knew the inhabitants of the island would start to warm up to the newcomers now that he had given his approval. Foster had hoped it wouldn’t be needed, but watching Cass and Rienne walk into the pub and seeing the complete lack of reception had made it clear something needed to be done. He was pleased with the way the two women had reacted to the rejection. Instead of forcing themselves into conversations or wilting, they had giggled together and made a place for themselves away from everyone else. Their closeness was as obvious as their determination to support each other.
; It’s too bad Rienne thinks I am a child, he mused. Perhaps she will learn later. He felt the same glow of arousal and interest Shiloh and the small fey felt. After living with the same people so long, it was hard to be attracted to any of them. He knew them too well, or had helped raise them. Being stuck in a child’s body didn’t help either.
He pinched off another bite of the pull-apart Rienne had made and sighed blissfully. It practically melted on his tongue. Gods, that woman could bake.
He would explain his spell to his people tonight, after the newcomers left. It was time for Oracle Island to grow again.
He grinned. It was a simple spell, but so powerful.
Bring us what we need.
FOXGLOVE WAS STANDING in a dark corner of the deck when Rienne slipped out of the pub a bit later. Most of the food was gone, and several people were wrapping up the leftovers. A few residents had pulled out instruments and began playing while others swept onto the small area that was left clear of tables for dancing.
The crowd had become a bit much for him, and he had escaped outside for a little solitude. It was hard to watch the men flirting with Rienne. He wanted her attention and knew it would be hard to compete with everyone else. So often people forgot about him and he didn’t know what he would do if Rienne was one of them.
Maybe this was an opportunity to put himself forward without the others distracting her.
He took another sip of his ale as she leaned back against the railing and rubbed her stomach. Golden hair hid her face from view as she hunched over slightly. A slow sigh eased past her lips as her shoulders tightened briefly in pain. Her hand clenched against her stomach and trembled for a moment before relaxing. He’d noticed her making the same movements several times during the evening.
“Are you all right?” he asked quietly, stepping from the shadows.
She gasped and jerked before looking up. A flash of fear crossed her expressive face for a moment. “I didn’t see you there.” It was almost an accusation.
Foxglove leaned against the railing beside her. “That’s pretty common,” he said, feeling just a little resentful of that truth. He offered her his glass.
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