by J. L. Farey
Laurel chuckled. “What’s the rush?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I thought you might want to do it before you have a complete emotional breakdown. But if you want to wait –”
“All right, I get your point. But I have to break the bind with Aiden, first. As soon as that’s done, then I’ll move on to the next step.”
“Good.” Aurora jumped up, rubbing her palms together. “Let’s get started.”
“Whoa, hold on. We need Aiden.”
“For what? We can do the whole thing without him.”
“We can?”
“Sure.”
“We don’t need to, though. It’ll just take a minute to get him back here.”
“Good luck dragging him away from the house without anybody noticing. What if Crystal and her son want to come along? Are you ready to explain what a nymph is and why your tree is so important?”
She had a good point. Arms crossed, Laurel shifted her weight, leaning back on one hip. “I don’t know. It doesn’t seem right.”
Aurora rolled her eyes in frustration. “I’m so glad I don’t have to worry about this kind of thing. No ties, no binding, just me, myself, and whoever I fancy at the moment.”
“Sounds lonely,” Laurel said.
“Well, of course it sounds that way to you. You’re a tree hugger.” Aurora smiled and her tone changed to one of sisterly teasing. “I won’t try to make you do anything you’re not ready for. I just want you to be happy.”
Laurel wanted that, too. She loved Aiden and she trusted him. Despite that, she’d doubted him and jumped to conclusions, all because her emotions were out of balance. The only way she could settle into her happiness and enjoy her life was to go through with a proper binding.
“Will it hurt Aiden, physically, if I break the bind without him there?”
Aurora shook her head. “He won’t know the difference.”
Laurel didn’t hesitate. “All right, let’s do it.” She turned and headed for Brittney with Aurora right behind.
If they hurried, she’d be back to normal in time to grill the burgers.
INSTEAD OF TRYING TO cram everyone inside the cabin, Aiden dug a few old blankets from the back of the closet and took them outside. He was in the process of spreading them around the front yard when Wade showed up.
“I knew you couldn’t turn down a free meal,” Aiden called.
“Not if Laurel’s cooking. Where is she?” He looked around and frowned. “If you’re cooking, I’m out of here.”
“Don’t worry. She and Aurora are communing with nature. She’ll be back.” Aiden turned to the woman sitting on the porch steps. “Crystal, come meet Wade.”
Crystal came over, her expression shy but interested. “We’ve already met. It’s nice to see you again, though.”
Wade gave her a smile that would put Tom Cruise to shame. “Now that I know you didn’t come here to break up my partner and his fiancé, I’m very glad to see you again, too.” He nodded his head in the direction of the boy and the dogs. “Is that your son?”
She nodded. “That’s my Scotty. Want to meet him?”
“I doubt he’ll find me as interesting as Lola and Bailey, but let’s give it a try.”
As they walked away, Aiden mumbled to himself, “Don’t mind me. I’ll just hang out here by myself.”
“Watch out, boss.” Jason came out the cabin carrying a loaded tray. “You know what they say about talking to yourself.”
“I have no idea.”
“Talking to yourself isn’t so bad. It’s when you answer back that you have to worry.”
“Jason, you’re a font of wisdom. And no,” he said before Jason could make a suggestion, “I wouldn’t say that’s a good trait for a junior deputy.”
“Sure, you say that now, but wait till you need a good proverb. Then you’ll appreciate me.” Jason laughed and went back inside for the rest of the plates, cups, and cutlery.
The fact was, Jason would be good at anything he put his mind to. But his preoccupation with whether or not he had a supernatural ability kept him from giving his all to anything. It was why he’d never been able to stick with a job for very long. He either needed to discover his ability, or embrace the fact that he was a regular human. That’s what the mentor program was all about. It might take a while, but Aiden believed he’d get there.
“Aiden!” Laurel came around the side of the cabin and ran up to him. She threw her arms around his neck, almost knocking him over and kissing him so hard he was afraid he’d chipped a tooth.
“Good to see you, too,” Aiden said when she pulled back for a breath. He was about to make a joke about spontaneous dinner parties putting her in a good mood, but the look in her eyes stopped him. It wasn’t something new. Rather, it was something that until that moment, he hadn’t realized was missing. “What happened?”
Laurel linked her fingers at the base of his neck and smiled up at him. “I’m myself again.”
Now he understood. “You’re bound to your tree, aren’t you?”
She nodded.
“Which means you and I aren’t soul-bound anymore.”
“No, we’re not. But that doesn’t change things between us. It actually makes it better. I can explain it all later, but...” She bit her lip and frowned. “I hope you’re not upset.”
“Are you happy?”
“Yes.”
“Do you love me?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Then how can I be upset?” Truthfully, he was relieved. It was a lot of pressure being a person’s life line. Now he was free to be her husband, not her savior.
Aurora chose that moment to swoop by and offer her two cents. “Get a room, you two. Seriously.” She pointed at the cabin. “Your room’s right there. Go.”
Laurel wiggled her eyebrows playfully. “What do you think? Should we?”
A growl rumbled up from his chest. “It’s tempting. But I’m afraid if you don’t man the grill, we may have an uprising. Wade’s already threatened to walk.”
With an exaggerated sigh, she took a step back from Aiden. “Duty calls, then. But don’t think you’re off the hook. I’ll get you later.”
“I’m counting on it.”
LAUREL COULDN’T REMEMBER the last time she’d had so much fun grilling. In fact, she couldn’t remember when she’d had so much fun doing anything that involved a bunch of friends. Being a wood nymph had it perks, one of which was an extremely long lifespan. She wasn’t immortal, but as long as nothing actually ended her life, she’d keep on going just like that pink bunny in the battery commercials. While she usually thought of that as a good thing, it had its drawbacks, too. It was hard to make friends when you knew you’d not only outlive them, but you’d never look like you were more than thirty years old. It was one thing to lose a friend because nature ran its course. It was something else to walk away from a friend in order to keep a secret. After the first few times she’d done it, Laurel decided the pain was too much and she swore off getting too close to anyone. But now, there she was in Nocturne Falls, surrounded by people who knew who and what she was, people who loved her not in spite of it, but because of it, and who might be alive as long as she was. It was beyond anything she could have hoped for.
Sitting on one of the blankets, she leaned against Aiden and finished eating her burger. Across from them, Aurora and Crystal were having an animated conversation with Wade and Jason. Laurel was fairly certain both men had a thing for Crystal, and Crystal seemed smitten with Wade, which was probably why Aurora looked miffed, despite her earlier declaration that she liked being free and single. On the last blanket, Bailey, Lola, and Scotty were curled up in a puppy pile, exhausted from all the playing. The whole thing was an idyllic snapshot of a beautiful life.
Laurel swallowed the last bit of her hamburger, took a sip of soda, then looked up at Aiden. “I’m having a thought.”
He sat up a little straighter. “Really? Is it time to adjourn to our room?”
“Not y
et,” she said with a giggle. “I was thinking, this wouldn’t be a terrible place to get married.”
“Right here?”
“Well, maybe not right here on these blankets. But over in the clearing, by the lake. It’s a beautiful spot. And there’s so much room.”
Aiden nodded thoughtfully. “And it’s one less thing for your sister to decide. I like it.”
“So do I!” A male voice boomed from somewhere above them.
“What in the world?” Aiden looked up. So did Laurel.
Aurora jumped up from her blanket. “Come on, Crystal,” she said loudly as she held out her hand. “We need dessert, and I think I saw a chocolate cake in the fridge.”
Once Crystal was safely inside, Laurel called out to whoever might be there. “Show yourself.”
Nothing happened at first. Aiden whispered in her ear. “It’s not your father, is it?”
“No. He wouldn’t... No.” Would he?
“Of course he wouldn’t.” The voice came from a different spot, and a moment later, the voice’s owner stepped out from behind a tree.
“Larry.”
So much for her perfect, family gathering. Larry, the black-sheep-brother who’d made Bailey talk even though Bailey never wanted to, was heading her way. And all she wanted to do was slap him.
“What are you doing here?” Laurel asked.
Larry slapped his palm over his heart. “Owe, that hurts. Is that any way to great your baby brother?”
Baby was right. Larry was the most immature of her many siblings, and the only brother. He was always playing jokes, always making mischief, and always an unwelcome guest at family events. Nothing good could come of him showing up.
“I’m still mad at you for what you did to Bailey.”
She probably shouldn’t have brought attention to the dog, but when Larry saw him, a look of genuine remorse crossed his face.
“Yeah, that was a major screw-up on my part.” He smiled, his face brightening. “You know, I’ve gotten a lot of practice since then. I could probably change him back, make it so he doesn’t talk, just barks.”
“No.” Laurel was firm. She’d already had a talk with Bailey about his ability, and he’d decided to stay the way he was. “You just leave him alone.”
“Okay.” He held up his hands in defeat.
“You didn’t answer my question. What are you doing here?”
“What do you think? I’m here for the wedding.”
“AURORA!”
Laurel stalked into the house, ready for battle. Aurora was in the kitchen with Crystal, watching the coffeemaker with more interest than it deserved.
Sensing the tension, Crystal spoke up. “I think it’s time I got Scotty over to the other cabin. Thanks for a great time, Laurel.”
Crystal hurried past her and out the door. When the two sisters were alone, Laurel let loose.
“What possessed you to invite Larry, of all people, to the wedding? You know what he did to Bailey. And remember cousin Louisa? It never did grow back right!”
“I’m sorry he’s here, but it’s not my fault. Not really.” Aurora became more animated as she tried to explain. We have so many relatives, I didn’t want to miss anyone. When I sent the birds off, I didn’t even think about Larry. I don’t know how they found him.” She made a sound something like a shrill, desperate laugh. “My birds should work for the authorities. I bet they would’ve found Jimmy Hoffa!”
“That’s not funny.”
“You’re right. I really am sorry. But it’s been a long time. For all we know, he’s changed. I mean, when did he ever willingly go to a family celebration?” Aurora adopted a wise expression and waved one finger in the air. “You know, I think the fact that he made the effort to be here says a lot. I bet he’s a whole new Larry.”
“I sure hope so.”
The front door opened and Laurel turned to see Aiden standing in the doorway. He did not look pleased.
“We have a problem,” Aiden said.
Aurora covered her face with her hands and muttered something unintelligible that was certainly obscene.
Every muscle in Laurel’s body tensed. “What did Larry do? So help me, if he so much as looked at Bailey—”
“No,” Aiden cut in. “It’s not Bailey.” He reached behind him. “Come on. It’s okay.”
He stepped into the room, gently pulling a young woman along with him. She wore a pale, yellow dress and placed her bare feet carefully on the wooden floor. Her silky, blond hair swung from side to side as she looked around the room, her big, brown eyes taking everything in.
Laurel’s mouth went dry. “Who is this?”
“This,” Aiden said slowly, “is Lola.”
“What?” Aurora and Laurel yelped out the word in unison, scaring Lola, who pulled back from Aiden.
“Do you want to go back outside?” Aiden asked.
Lola nodded, and as soon as Aiden let go of her hand, she hurried out the door.
“What in the hell was he thinking?” Laurel seethed. “Couldn’t you stop him?”
“By the time I knew what he was doing, it was too late.”
Laurel headed for the door. “I’m gonna kill him.”
“You’ll have to get in line,” Aiden said, stopping her. “The last I saw him, he was running into the woods with Bailey and Wade on his tail.”
“Did Wade shift?”
“Oh yeah.”
“Good.” Laurel turned to Aurora. “You were right. Larry has changed. It’s not enough for him to make animals talk, now he’s altering entire DNA strands!”
Aurora shook her head. “That doesn’t make any sense. Why would he do such a thing?”
“I think I know,” Aiden said. “He kept saying that he wanted to fix Bailey, but Laurel made him promise not to touch him. Then he said something about at least Lola and Bailey should be able to talk to each other. Next thing I knew, there was human Lola. Thank God he put her in a dress.”
“Wait a minute, he wanted them to be able to talk?” Aurora finally left the kitchen and came up to Aiden and Laurel. “What if he was trying to make Lola talk the same way Bailey can, but it went wrong. Again.”
“Oh, that’s peachy,” Laurel snapped. “Makes everything all better.”
“You don’t have to be so churlish.”
Laurel had never hit another person, but she was considering making an exception. First Aurora, then Larry, and then maybe she’d start all over again. “I’m going outside to talk to Lola and hopefully Bailey, unless Larry’s turned him into a spider monkey by now.”
Standing on the porch, Laurel scanned the area in front of the house. The blankets were strewn about, probably from the commotion when Bailey and Wade chased after Larry. She didn’t see Lola anywhere. As she went down the stairs, a snuffle caught her attention. She looked to the left, and there was Lola. As a dog, she would have been under the porch, but now, she sat with her back against it, arms wrapped around her knees which were drawn to her chest.
Not knowing what else to do, Laurel sat on the ground beside her. Lola lay on her side, put her head in Laurel’s lap, and cried.
THE NEXT FEW DAYS WERE a surreal blur. Crystal and Scotty left Nocturne Falls and went home to New York. Lola moved into the cabin with Aurora. Bailey stayed at the cabin with Laurel and Aiden. Laurel went back and forth between Bailey, the dog who could talk to her, and Lola, the human who so far hadn’t spoken a single word, trying to figure out how to help them. At the same time, there was still a wedding to plan, a nursery to run, and a town to keep safe. Laurel and Aiden were so busy, neither one of them gave much thought to Larry. They certainly didn’t expect him to show his face anytime soon. Which is why it was such a shock when he showed up at the nursery.
Lucky for Larry, Bailey hadn’t felt like doing much of anything lately, so he wasn’t there. Jason, on the other hand, hovered nearby holding an intimidatingly large, three prong pitchfork.
“Does he have to do that?” Larry asked.
&n
bsp; “Yes.” Laurel glared at him. “Why did you come here?”
“To explain. I feel terrible about what happened.”
As mad as she’d been, the fact that Larry was there to take responsibility for his actions cracked her hard veneer. She was ready to give him a chance. “I’m listening.”
“I was trying to give her human speech, the same way I did with Bailey. I thought it would be a good thing for them to be able to communicate. I don’t know how it went so wrong. I used the same words I did with Bailey, did it the same way. Next thing I know, she’s a person.”
He looked miserable. Larry had always been a joker, but never much of an actor. Despite everything she knew about his past, Laurel believed he was sincere now.
“Did you try to undo it?”
“Yes, right away. Three times.” He shuddered as if having a bad memory. “Then that guy shifted into a snow leopard, and he and Bailey chased me.”
“You’re lucky they didn’t catch you.”
Larry just nodded. “I can’t undo what I did to Lola, but I think I know a way to make the situation better. But I need your help.”
“With what?” she asked, once again suspicious of his motives.
“I need to talk to Bailey.”
EPILOGUE
The wedding of Laurel Barker and Aiden Morris was one of the biggest private weddings in Nocturne Falls history.
Held in the woods behind the cabin they called home, attendees included over two dozen of the bride’s sisters (the rest of her sisters had previous engagements), her brother, Larry, and several cousins. Also in attendance were country music legend Rye Randall and his daughter, Rayne—father and sister of the groom—who sang a moving duet they’d written for the couple.
The groom and his best man wore simple, navy blue suits (although the best man tried to convince the bride that jeans were appropriate for any occasion). The bride wore a simple, tea-length white gown with organza accents, while her Maid of Honor wore a silk dress printed with large, pastel blossoms.
