Table of Contents

A Note from Kristen Painter

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EPILOGUE

A Note from Kristen Painter

Dear Reader,

Nocturne Falls has become a magical place for so many people, myself included. Over and over I’ve heard from you that it’s a town you’d love to visit and even live in! I can tell you that writing the books is just as much fun for me.

With your enthusiasm for the series in mind – and your many requests for more books – the Nocturne Falls Universe was born. It’s a project near and dear to my heart, and one I am very excited about.

I hope these new, guest-authored books will entertain and delight you. And best of all, I hope they allow you to discover some great new authors! (And if you like this book, be sure to check out the rest of the Nocturne Falls Universe offerings.)

For more information about the Nocturne Falls Universe, visit http://kristenpainter.com/sugar-skull-books/

In the meantime, happy reading!

Kristen Painter

THE NYMPH TIES THE KNOT

A Nocturne Falls Universe Story

Copyright © 2018 by J. L. Farey

Cover design by Rebecca Poole

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from the author.

This book is a work of fiction and was made possible by a special agreement with Sugar Skull Books, but hasn’t been reviewed or edited by Kristen Painter. All characters, events, scenes, plots and associated elements appearing in the original Nocturne Falls series remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Kristen Painter, Sugar Skull Books and their affiliates or licensors.

Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author or Sugar Skull Books.

Published in the United States of America.

––––––––

To Nic, my soulmate. 

1

“Laurel! Where do you want the potted palms?”

Pushing a stray hank of hair out of her eyes, Laurel Barker—owner of the Mount Olympus Nursery and Garden Center, which she’d opened at the edge of Nocturne Falls, but only after Marigold Williams, owner of the Enchanted Garden, had assured her there was plenty of business for both of them—looked up from her clipboard. “Over there.” She pointed with the non-business end of a ball-point pen.

Jason Raza grunted and returned to work. Laurel grunted back, then laughed at herself. Jason was an interesting fellow. A bit shy and prone to monosyllabic communication, she’d had her doubts about hiring him, but he’d turned out to be a hard worker and popular with the customers. But, when it came to customer favorites, no one ranked higher than Bailey. Laurel looked over at the black-and-white, pit-bull mix lounging on a colorful beach blanket beside the cashier station. He was in his element, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth and nose pointed in the air, while a young mother and her toddler crouched beside him, scratching behind his ears and treating him like the big deal he knew he was.

Knowing full well he could hear her, Laurel whispered in his direction. “You are such an attention hog.”

His response was to sigh, lower his head, and roll over so the now-giggling child could scratch his belly.

The mom looked up at Laurel. “I hope you don’t mind. Scotty just loves dogs. When we saw yours, we had to come in.”

“No problem at all. That’s why I bring Bailey with me. He complains if I leave him home.”

The woman nodded. “Barks till you do what he wants, huh?”

“Something like that.” More like reminding her, quite convincingly thanks to his British accent, that his presence brought in customers. If the woman was a supe, Laurel would have said that. But, she wasn’t. “How long are you visiting Nocturne Falls?”

An odd expression crossed the woman’s face, as if she’d thought of something unpleasant. “How did you know we were visiting?”

Laurel shrugged. “It’s a small town. Since I haven’t seen you before, you’re either moving in or visiting. I took a guess.”

“Good guess.” She hesitated, then added, “I’m Crystal, by the way.”

“Laurel Barker. I own the place.” She motioned with her hand like an overzealous model at a car show. “The nursery. Not the town.”

“I know.” Crystal’s eyes widened. “I mean, I know you didn’t mean you own the town. That’s just silly. Who owns a town?”

“The Ellinghams,” Laurel answered without thinking.

“What?”

“Never mind.” Time to move the conversation back to safer footing. “If you want a living souvenir to take along, I can recommend a few things. Succulents travel well. But if you decide to browse the cacti, be careful around the Angel Hair. They come off all soft and fluffy, but the needles are deceptively sharp.”

“Thanks for the warning, but we have to get going. I’ve got an appointment—”  Crystal seemed about to say more but shut her mouth abruptly. She ruffled Scotty’s wavy, golden-brown hair, then took his hand and stood up. “Come on, honey bear. Time to go.”

Scotty made an unhappy face. Bailey’s mournful wail didn’t help.

“Puppy’s sad,” Scotty said.

Crystal nodded patiently. “I know, but we’ll come back. Promise. Now tell the puppy goodbye.”

Bailey jumped up, and Scotty hugged him in a stranglehold. “Goodbye, puppy.”

“Before you go, I’ve got something for you.” Laurel took a square paper out of the top pocket of her utility vest and handed it to Crystal.

The round sticker featured a picture of Bailey’s head in all his doggy-smiling glory, surrounded by the words, I hugged Bailey at the Mount Olympus Nursery.

Crystal laughed. “This must happen fairly often.”

“He’s something of a local celebrity. I may have to start a fan club.”

Scotty tugged on the hem of his mom’s t-shirt. “What is it?”

She peeled the sticker from the paper and read the words to him as she put it on the chest of his shirt. “Now everybody will know you and Bailey are friends.”

The boy grinned and hugged Bailey again, this time with enough enthusiasm that Laurel was certain the dog’s eyes bugged out a bit. After a final thank you and another promise to return, Crystal and her son left the nursery.

Usually, Laurel enjoyed interacting with tourists. But for some reason, the exchange left her feeling uneasy. “Something about that was off.” She looked down at Bailey. “What do you think?”

“I think that’s one strong boy,” he said, scratching his neck with his back paw.

“But you didn’t think anything was weird?”

“I think all humans are weird.” With that, he flopped back down on his blanket, splayed out like a bearskin rug in front of a mountain lodge fireplace.

“Thanks for the input.” She reached over the counter and grabbed one of his favorite treats, then dropped it in front of his nose. “And thanks for helping with the customers.”

Bailey was happily chomping on his treat as Laurel walked through the nursery. She went past flats of bedding plants, containers of every color and kind of flower imaginable, and pots of bushes and ferns. The farther she went, the taller the plants got, until she was surrounded by young trees in huge, wooden tubs.

Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath and stretched out her arms. As she let the breath out, she became aware of a light movement in the air. It was as if all the trees where whispering their greetings and encouraging her. She couldn’t make out words, but she understood just the same. Head tilted back, she grinned up at the sky, lifting her arms and reaching for the sun like the branches around her.

“You’re beautiful when you’re communing with nature.”

The familiar sound of a deep male voice brought her arms down, palms slapping against her thighs, but the smile stayed on her face. Aiden Morris leaned against a decorative concrete pillar, arms crossed and head cocked to the side. His lips quirked into a grin that would have been downright lecherous coming from anyone else.

“And you,” she said, taking slow, measured steps toward him, “are incredibly sexy when you’re spying on people.”

“It’s my specialty. Around the station I’m known as the super-sexy-deputy-sheriff.”

Laurel put her arms around his waist and looked up into his honey-colored eyes. “I thought that was Wade,” she said, referring to his partner and good-natured competitor.

He frowned, and a growl rumbled in his throat. “I think you’re confused.”

“Oops.” She fluttered her eyelashes innocently. “Maybe you can help straighten me out.”

“My pleasure.”

One arm tightened around her as he pulled her close, while his other palm cradled the back of her head. Laurel melted into his kiss. She could have stayed there indefinitely in their own little bubble, but her customers had other plans.

“Yes, we have lots of trees! They’re in the back! I’ll show you!” Jason’s voice, overly-loud and with the emphasis in all the wrong places, broke in on her intimate moment.

Aiden took a step back and laughed. “No one will ever accuse him of being subtle.”

Laurel looped her arm through his. “And no one ever accused me of giving up.” She pulled him farther into her mini-forest.

“You miss it, don’t you?”

“Miss what?”

“Your tree.”

She glanced up at Aiden. “Between our home and this place, I’m surrounded. How can I miss them?”

Aiden stopped and turned to face her. “I mean Horatio. The tree you were soul-bound to.”

A bittersweet memory came with the mention of Horatio, the oak she’d rescued before it could be bulldozed to build a golf course. Horatio was the reason she’d come to Nocturne Falls in the first place. And it was in Nocturne Falls that a very bad man from her past had tracked her down and killed Horatio in a lighter-fluid-fed blaze. If Aiden hadn’t been there, if he hadn’t taken over the binding, Laurel would have died, too.

“Sure, I miss Horatio. What Dillon did to him was horrible.” She put her palm against Aiden’s chest. “But what you did, that was amazing.”

The lighthearted twinkle in his eyes was replaced with an unusual seriousness. “Then you’re happy with the way things are now? Between us?”

“Of course. Are you?”

“Absolutely. I just—” An old-school ping-pong sounded, signaling a text. Aiden pulled his cell from his back pocket and checked the screen. “It’s Wade.”

“I guess your break is over.”

Aiden nodded. “Duty calls.” He smiled and kissed her on the nose. It was adorable, and it was something Aiden had never done before. “I’ll see you at home.”

He was walking away when Laurel called after him. “I’ve got dinner tonight.”

Without missing a beat, he pivoted, pointed a finger in her direction, said, “Thanks for the warning,” then faced front and kept on going.

Laurel leaned against the edge of a wooden container and watched him walk away until he turned a corner and left her sight. Above her, skinny branches dotted with young, bright-green leaves swayed with the breeze. Aiden was right. She did miss Horatio. Being soul bound with a tree was quite different than sharing that bond with a human. With Horatio, it had been a mutual sharing of energy and support, as if their life forces fed each other. The connection she’d felt to her tree was convivial, like she’d feel for a close friend or one of her sisters. But her connection to Aiden was so much more. She’d been falling in love with him even before the binding, but after, it was more than romantic love. It was a completeness, a unity of heart and mind, of feelings and desires. He was, quite literally, her soul mate. 

Which is why that sweet little peck on her nose still bothered her. He was hiding something.

***

BY THE TIME SHE GOT home that evening, Laurel was exhausted. On a normal day, she’d dig a pizza out of the freezer and pop it in the oven. Instead, she searched the kitchen and came up with the ingredients for Aiden's favorite dinner. She tossed a package of steaks on the counter, followed by a broccoli crown, and two potatoes for baking. Because today wasn’t normal. Not the way she was feeling—like something bad lurked just around the corner, waiting to spring.

The front door burst open, slamming against the wall with a bang. “Hello!”

Laurel gasped and spun around, holding up the knife she’d been using on the broccoli. Surprise turned to annoyance when she saw her sister, Aurora, posing in the doorway as if she’d just received a standing ovation.

“What are you doing here?”

Aurora sashayed into the room. “Do I need a reason to visit my favorite sister?”

Laurel laid the knife on the cutting board and wiped her hands on a dish towel. “Yes. Especially after you left without saying goodbye.”

Six months earlier, Aurora had joined her and Aiden on a trip to Nashville, where they’d exonerated Aiden’s father in the murder of his former business partner and even caught the real culprit. You’d think an experience like that would forge a bond between sisters, but Aurora’s disappearing act proved otherwise.

“Oh, that.” Aurora wrinkled her nose. “I thought it was best to make a clean break.”

“From your sister?”

“What? No, not you. Wade. He was getting too attached. And you know me, when I decide to go, I go.” She sat on the couch beside Bailey, who immediately laid his head in her lap. “I thought you’d understand.”

Yeah, she understood. Her sister was selfish, impulsive, and single-minded. It would be one thing if any of it were caused by meanness. But Aurora was a free-spirited forest nymph who communed with nature and was generally the queen of all she surveyed. Laurel couldn’t stay mad at her for being who she was.

“Okay. You’re forgiven.”

“Oh good. What a relief that is.” Aurora let out an exaggerated sigh, then giggled as she scratched Bailey’s ears.

“You’re spoiling him,” Laurel said, returning to meal prep.

Aurora shook her head. “Impossible. A little love never spoiled anybody. I’m surprised his girlfriend hasn’t shown herself, though.” She looked around the room. “Where is Lola?”

Lola, a one hundred percent non-magical, non-talking, normal golden lab, had joined their family after she and Bailey bonded in Nashville. Laurel noted the little whine he made at the mention of her name. “Aiden took her to work with him. She’s helping out with the mentoring program.”

“Doing what?” Aurora gaped, obviously not expecting such news.

Laurel smiled with gratification. It wasn’t every day she was able to surprise her sister. “It turns out Lola is a great emotional support dog. The mentees love her.”

“Of course they do. What’s not to love? Right?” Aurora rubbed Bailey’s jowls and got a sloppy kiss in return. She laughed and wiped drool off her cheek with the back of her hand. “He agrees.”

“Are you staying for dinner?” Laurel asked, looking at the two steaks in front of her. “I think I can stretch this out for three of us.”

Before Aurora could answer, Lola ran in through the still-open front door with Aiden close behind.

“Why’s the door open? Any old varmint can run right in.” Aiden stopped in his tracks when he saw Aurora. “I rest my case.”

Aurora puckered her lips in an air kiss. “Always good to see you, too, Aiden.”

“Sorry. I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon.”

Laurel looked over her shoulder. “Soon? It’s been six months.”

“What? Oh, yeah. I meant I wasn’t expecting to see her at all.”

There it was again. The way he stammered and looked away, like there was something he should tell her but wasn’t. “Are you okay?”

“Great. Hey, I hope you don’t mind, but I invited Wade to dinner. He’s right behind me.”

“Literally.” Wade walked in, noticed Aurora, then did an about-face for the door.

Aiden grabbed his arm and turned him back around. “Oh no you don’t.”

Laurel bit her lip. Maybe this explained the weird vibe coming off Aiden. Aurora and Wade were like oil and vinegar. When they were mixed together, they could combine into something wonderful, but only temporarily. They could be in for a bumpy evening.

“Hey Wade,” Laurel waved in his direction as she turned and checked the fridge for more steak.

Aurora moved to Wade. “You don’t look very happy to see me. It’s all right. I don’t bite.”

He glared at her, his bright-blue cat eyes narrowing. “I do.”

“Promises, promises.” Her laugh popped in the room like champagne bubbles. Then she turned to Aiden. “Is your other cabin available for rent?”

“It is. Are you planning to stay for a while?”

“I am.”

The room was silent as they waited for more information. When she failed to provide any, Laurel motioned to the hooks by the door. “There’s a spare key right there.”

Aiden snatched it up. “I’ll take you over. Make sure you get settled.”

A minute later, they were gone.

“That was weird,” Wade said, confirming Laurel’s feelings before she could voice them.

“I’ve been feeling that way all day,” Laurel said. “Must be something in the air.”

“Must be.” Wade wandered into the kitchen and stood at the counter beside Laurel. “Can I ask you a question?”

It must be quite a question, because Wade had started peeling the potatoes, as if the distraction of a menial task would help. She didn’t have the heart to tell him she’d planned on baking them. “Of course.”

“It’s about Aurora.”

Laurel took the bag of Russets out of the pantry and plopped it down beside Wade. He’d probably need them. “Shoot.”

“Aurora is quite a...friendly woman. And we got pretty close the last time she was here. But then, she took off. So, I’m wondering...”

Leaning back against the counter, arms crossed over her chest, Laurel kept her expression serious. It was so cute when big, strong men tried to talk about embarrassing things like emotions. “You want to know if she’s like that with everyone?”

Wade stopped mid-peel, then resumed with so much vigor, strips of potato flew against the backsplash. “Yes.”

“Aurora is a complicated person. She’s got a lot of our father in her.”

“Your father?”

“Zeus.”

Wade dropped the potato and the peeler in the sink, his eyes darting to Laurel. “Seriously? I thought that was a gag.”

She laughed as she shook her head. It never ceased to amaze her how even supernaturals had a hard time grasping the concept of her father. There was Wade, a man who could shift into the form of a snow leopard and back again, but he thought Zeus was a joke.

“He’s real, all right.”

“That makes you, and Aurora...demi-gods?”

“Not exactly. The word god gets thrown around way too much. He’s just part of a group of powerful, immortal supernatural beings. And since he’s the most powerful one, he’s the leader. He’s more of a king, which makes my sisters and I more like princesses.”

“Huh. That’s a lot to process.”

Maybe she shouldn’t have mentioned Zeus. Poor Wade’s eyes were slightly glazed over, like a pond starting to freeze. She reached past him and turned off the water faucet, then picked up the potato he’d dropped and put it with the other half-dozen or so on the counter. Looked like there were mashed potatoes in her future, for sure.

“Why don’t we sit down?” She grabbed Wade’s wrist and dragged him to the couch. He dropped on one end, his back pressed into the corner. Laurel sat cross-legged on the other end, elbows on her knees, leaning toward him. “Do you want a drink?”

He shook his head sharply, which seemed to clear his mind. “No, I’m fine. So, when you say Aurora has a lot of your father in her, what does that mean?”

Making comparisons between the two of them was only going to confuse the issue. So Laurel went another way. “Aurora is a free spirit. She comes, she goes, she lives in the moment. She also feels deeply and honestly. I don’t think she has it in her to lie about her emotions. But she does run from them.”

Wade frowned. “What you’re saying is, I’m not the first, and I won’t be the last.”

“You’re definitely not the first, and I have no idea if you’ll be the last. What I do know is that, if you have feelings for Aurora that extend beyond just having fun in the moment, you need to talk to her. The sooner the better.”

After a moment of mulling it over, Wade gave a slow nod. “Thanks. You give good advice.” The sparkle came back to his eyes, and his lips curled into one of his trademark, make-most-women-turn-to-giggling-fools grins. “Have you ever thought about helping out with the mentoring program?”

“You know, I never have. Not even once. Although, I did hire Jason, so in a way, I guess I have helped.”

They were talking about Jason and the progress he’d made at the nursery, when Aiden and Aurora came back. The two were laughing about something, but stopped short as soon as Laurel looked at them.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Nothing,” Aiden said quickly.

At the same time, Aurora smiled warmly at him and said, “It’s a private joke.”

Really? Since when was anything private between Aiden and her sister? She’d just told Wade that Aurora was a free spirit who did as she pleased, but she’d never thought that would extend to making a move on Laurel’s soulmate.

Laurel stood up, her smile brittle. “I didn’t know you two had gotten so...close.”

Before either of them could respond, Wade jumped up and moved next to Aurora. “You know, I think it’s a little much having both of us drop in for dinner. Let’s go and give these two some privacy.”

Aurora shifted her gaze from Wade, to Laurel, to Aiden, and back to Wade again. “Howler’s?”

He nodded. “My treat.”

“You’re speaking my language.” Aurora stepped toward the door, then stopped. “Laurel, I—”

“It’s okay,” Aiden interrupted as he gently squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll take care of it.”

Laurel felt cold from the inside out. What was he going to take care of? She looked over at Lola and Bailey who were sitting by the fireplace, watching the humans. With a jerk of her head she motioned to the door. Bailey gave a grunt of disgust, then he and Lola scooted outside before Wade pulled the door closed behind him.

Aiden smiled. “Well, now that we’re alone—”

“You can do what? Let me down easy? Tell me you’re in love with my sister? My sister! Of all the people you could dump me for, it’s my sister? Have you lost your mind?”

The words exploded with such force, even Laurel was surprised. Worse yet, Aiden looked like she’d just slapped him with something gross and unexpected, like a large, spoiled cod.

Fists on his hips, he looked down at the floor and took a deep breath. Held it. Exhaled. When he looked back at her, she couldn’t read his expression. “If anybody in this room has lost their mind, it’s you. What brought that on?”

What an excellent question. All she had to go on were feelings, suspicions. Nothing concrete. Still, she had to try to explain. “The last few days, I’ve been feeling weird.”

“Weird?”

“Off. Like...like something is wrong between us. Like you’ve been hiding something. Keeping secrets.”

Aiden’s expression softened and he dropped his hands. “Wow. That soul-binding stuff is more powerful than I thought.”

Laurel’s stomach seemed to drop to her toes. “Then it’s true?”

“That I’ve been keeping a secret, yes. But it’s not what you think.” He took her hand and pulled her toward the door. “Come outside with me.”

Her feet felt heavy as she moved. What in the world was coming next? They went down the porch steps and around the house, Aiden talking the whole time, but she didn’t hear the words, just an annoying buzz in her ears. All she could think about was how he’d kept the truth from her. How could that be anything but bad?

“Here we are.”

He’d brought her around the side of the cabin and stopped facing a potted sapling.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“I’d expect the owner of Nocturne Falls’s newest nursery to know a tree when she sees one.”

“I know that. What does it have to do with your secret?”

“You didn’t hear a word I said, did you?” Aiden sighed and shook his head. “It was so dang eloquent, too. Now you get the condensed version. This,” he motioned proudly, “is your tree.”

Laurel cocked her head to the side. There was something about it that was familiar, even comforting, but she was still confused.

“Okay, obviously, that was too condensed.” Aiden frowned and started over. “This sapling is related to Horatio.”

Understanding came with more questions. “This is amazing. How did you find it?”

A proud grin lit Aiden’s face. “I remembered what you said about saving Horatio before he could be bulldozed for the golf course. That got me thinking about how there were more trees, and how trees spread their acorns or seeds or whatever, and there must be a little Horatio out there somewhere. Not that I knew how to find him. But your sister did.”

Laurel slapped her hand over her mouth. “Aurora found it.”

“Yes,” he said with a slow nod. “And that’s why she showed up today.”

“I’m amazed. When you asked me earlier about missing my tree, I thought you meant—” Uh oh. Maybe that was exactly what he meant. “Are you tired of being tied to me? Do you want to break the binding? Is that why you brought me a new tree?”

“See, this is what I was afraid of, except I thought it would go the other way.” Aiden put both hands on her shoulders and looked down into her eyes. “I love you, Laurel Barker. I want to be with you and no one else. But I knew if I asked you this without the tree, you’d think it was only because I felt obligated. I got the tree so that, when I asked you to marry me, you’d know it was because I want to.”

She got a little lost mid-ramble, but the last bit got through. “You want to marry me?”

“More than anything.” He leaned closer. “Why else would I voluntarily contact your sister?”

Laurel gulped down her embarrassment. “I thought you were interested in her.”

A look resembling fear contorted his features right before he burst out laughing. “Me? And Aurora? You’re joking, right?”

“Of course,” Laurel said quickly. There was no way she’d admit to the niggling worry that had toyed with her emotions. It was ridiculous, especially now that she knew the truth. “She’s just, you know, so...friendly. That’s what Wade and I were talking about, how she’s like that with everybody, and—”

Aiden grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to stop talking about your sister and get back to us.” He lowered his head so his forehead almost touched hers. “Is that all right with you?”

The warmth of his breath across her lips nearly made her forget how to speak. “Yes. Very all right.”

“Will you?” He brushed his lips across hers, teasing.

“What was the question?”

“Will you marry me?”

“Okay.”

He was enjoying the fog he’d put her into, but enough was enough. It was time to take matters into her own hands, so she grabbed the back of his neck and made him kiss her.

He pulled back with a chuckle. “That’s more like the reaction I was hoping for.”

As her shock wore off, giddy excitement took its place, along with the desire to tease him right back. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Aiden arched an eyebrow in question.

“Something else that goes along with a proposal.” Laurel raised her left hand and waggled her fingers in the air.

“Ah yes, the ring.” He pointed behind her. “He’s holding it for me.”

She turned and saw a small blue box balanced between the young tree’s trunk and a branch. With a squeal, she stepped closer, but Aiden hurried around her and snatched the box before she could.

“Let me at least do this part right.” He got on one knee and pulled back the lid, exposing a gorgeous stone that glowed in the fading daylight. “Laurel Barker, nymph of my heart, will you marry me?”

She giggled at his over-serious delivery, even as tears formed in her eyes. What a wonderful, crazy man he was. “Of course I will, silly old bear.”

One corner of his mouth rose in a sexy smile, and a growl rumbled in his throat. He took her hand and slid the ring on her finger. “Perfect.”

It really was. The white gold band was made of many delicate, intertwined bands made to look like branches, and leaves formed the setting for a teardrop cut emerald. “It’s gorgeous.”

He stood up, still holding her hand. “I designed it myself. With a little help from Willa.”

Owner of Illusions jewelry store, Willa Iscove had quite a way with precious metals and gems. “Fae jewelry, hmm? Are there any spells attached to this that I should know about?”

“Nope. We don’t need any.”

He had that right. From the moment they met, the attraction had been instantaneous and undeniable. She’d worried that the stories her sister had told her about human males being driven mad by their desire for nymphs had been true. But it turned out Aurora had, in her usually dramatic way, exaggerated the stories for effect. In the end, there was no explanation for the connection between her and Aiden other than the chemistry of soul mates.

His arm encircled her waist and pulled her close against him. “I have no objections if you want to charm me with your own personal spells.” Then he kissed her cheek and nuzzled her ear before nipping the lobe.

A zing went through her, and she gave him a playful push. “Not in front of the tree, dear.”

“Oh, fine.” He gave the sigh of a long-deprived man. “So what are you going to name him?”

“It’s not a him, it’s a her.” Laurel cocked her head to the side. “And why would I change her name?”

“She already has a name?”

“Sure. How else would the trees know who they were talking about?” she laughed. “You didn’t think I came up with Horatio on my own, did you?”

Laurel slipped away from Aiden and hunkered down beside the tree. She rested her palm against the pale, slim trunk and waited.

Behind her, Aiden cleared his throat. “If this is a private conversation, I—”

Laurel held up her hand, cutting him off. After a few more seconds, she stood and gave the tree trunk a gentle pat. “We’ll figure out a good place to plant you in the next day or so. Have a nice night.”

“Everything all right?” Aiden asked.

Laurel smiled and nodded. “Brittney’s quite happy here.”

“Brittney?” His voice rose in surprise. “Her name is Brittney?”

“Yeah. What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing’s wrong, it’s just, well, I expected something a little more...dignified. Like Elizabeth. Or Mariah.”

“No, that’s not a tree name.” Laurel struggled to keep a straight face. “They call the wind Mariah.”

“You’re dating yourself, you know,” he said with a playful scowl.

“I know. I remember when that song was released. I— Never mind.” Having lived a long, long time, it wasn’t hard for her to reminisce, but this was the wrong time for a trip down memory lane. With a firm shake of her head, she pushed the memories aside and concentrated on the present. “As Brittney and I get to know each other, I’m sure she’ll share the story behind her name. And then I’ll share it with you. But right now, I want to share something else with you.”

“Oh, you do?”

“Mm hm.” Taking his hand, Laurel pulled him back toward the front of the cabin. Once they came around the porch, she put her arms around his neck and gazed into his honeypot eyes. “I want you,” she purred, “to take me to dinner. I’m starving.”

His laugh rumbled from his chest through her arms. “Not in the mood to cook anymore?”

“Not even a little.” She kneaded the back of his neck with her fingertips. “Why don’t we go to Howler’s? I’d kill for a burger.”

“And if Wade and your sister are still there?”

“Then I can show off my ring.”

“You’ve got a deal.”

They sealed the deal with an intense kiss that almost swept them into the bedroom, but Laurel’s hunger for food won out. After a quick trip into the house to put the abandoned dinner fixings in the fridge and get Bailey and Lola caught up, they were back outside and headed for Aiden’s pickup.

As he drove them to the bar, Laurel gazed out the passenger-side window, not really watching as the landscape blurred past, absent-mindedly fiddling with her engagement ring. Why had she been jealous? Just the thought of Aiden and her sister together was ridiculous. Still, Aurora had never tried to hold back her feelings. She was a very sensual person in that she lived with abandon; if she wanted to do something, she did it, and the consequences really didn’t matter. Of course, even if her sister had thrown herself at Aiden, there was no way he’d reciprocate. Would he?

“Hey.”

Aiden squeezed her shoulder, bringing her out of her imaginings. “What? I didn’t hear what you said.”

“Obviously.” He laughed, but sounded more concerned than amused. “Is something bothering you?”

“Of course not!” She swatted a hand through the air. “How could anything bother me now? I think I just went too long without food. Once I get a burger in front of me, I’ll be fine.”

He glanced over at her and smiled, then squeezed her shoulder one more time before returning his attention to the road.

She almost started fiddling with her ring again, but stopped herself by clasping her hands together in her lap. Why was she feeling so odd? For the past few days, she’d been positive Aiden was keeping something from her, and now she knew what it was. His surprise for her had been sweet, thoughtful, and totally innocent. She shouldn’t be feeling anything but happy. But that buzz had returned, hovering in the background, warning her that something wasn’t right.

Laurel simply had to face the truth: There wasn’t anything wrong with Aiden. There was something wrong with her.

2

Howler’s was packed by the time they got there, but Aiden had no trouble spotting Aurora. She stood near the bar where she held the attention of several men, and a few women, as she told an animated tale. From the motions she was making, it involved a ferocious squirrel. Or a small, irritated bear. It was hard to tell. 

“See if you can snag a table, and I’ll order our food.” Laurel was halfway across the bar before she turned mid-stride and called back to Aiden. “You want your usual?”

He gave her a thumb’s up, then looked around. Not a single table was free. Thankfully, Wade occupied a nice-sized corner booth.

“Mind if we join you?” Without waiting for an answer, Aiden slid behind the table.

Wade’s blue-on-blue eyes, the one part of him that never changed when he shifted from human to snow leopard and back again, peered over his ever-present sunglasses. “We? Got a friend in your pocket?”

“Laurel’s over there.” He jerked his head in her direction.

At the moment, she was talking to Bridget, owner of Howler’s and sister of their boss, Sheriff Hank Merrow. They stood opposite each other, leaning across the bar with their elbows on the polished wood, foreheads almost touching, deep in conversation. Bridget’s wild, auburn hair fell forward, partially covering her face. Laurel shot a quick look in Aiden’s direction, then tapped her fingers on the bar. With a whoop of excitement, Bridget shot upright and hurried over to Laurel, who she crushed in a hug.

Aiden laughed. “She’s really excited about getting a burger.”

Wade chucked him in the ribs with his elbow. “Nice try. I saw that rock flashing. Congrats, man. It’s great.”

Bridget’s reaction had served as a kind of call to others in the joint that cared about things like love and marriage. Aurora, trailed by her newly formed entourage, made her way to Laurel, grabbed her hand, and did her own whooping and celebrating. Back in the booth, Wade sighed and took a swig of his half-empty beer.

“They’re nothing alike, you know,” Aiden said. When Wade looked at him questioningly, he went on “Laurel and Aurora. You’ll only drive yourself crazy if you’re thinking of having a future with her.”

“You’re way off, buddy,” Wade said with a derisive snort. “Aurora and I are just having fun.”

“Just fun, huh?”

“Absolutely.”

“Must be why you shredded that label.” Aiden pointed at the naked beer bottle in front of Wade and the tiny shreds of paper littering the table. “Because of all the fun you’re having.”

He frowned. “I keep forgetting you used to be a detective.”

“It doesn’t take a mastermind to see that you’re pining.”

Wade leaned against the back of the booth, letting his head fall against the cushion. “I’m not the type who gets attached to one woman, but I can’t stop thinking about her. How did this happen?”

Aiden reached for the bowl in the middle of the table, grabbed a pretzel, and snapped it in half. “Who knows? Maybe it’s that nymph love magic.”

“What?” Wade shot forward, almost knocking over the beer bottle. “What nymph love magic? She put a spell on me?”

“This is Nocturne Falls,” he said, popping a piece of pretzel in his mouth. “Spells are kind of a normal thing around here.”

“Not without consent they’re not.”

Even in the dim lighting of the bar, the flush in Wade’s cheeks was obvious, and Aiden knew he’d gone too far with the teasing.

“Wade, calm down. I’m joking.” Aiden flagged down a waitress, ordered another beer for Wade and a club soda with lime for himself, then clapped Wade on the shoulder. “Sorry. Consent isn’t something to kid about.”

“Got that right.” Wade’s shoulders lowered as he relaxed. He drained the last bit of beer, then started pinching up pieces of the label and stuffing them into the empty bottle. “But I remember you telling me that Laurel’s old boyfriend went crazy because of that nymph magic. What about that?”

The thought of Dillon made the back of Aiden’s neck tingle. “Turned out it had nothing to do with her being a nymph. He was mentally unstable, period.” That was an understatement. The man had tracked Laurel down, stalked her, and then tried to kill her. He’d managed to burn down her tree, but with Bailey’s help, Aiden had saved Laurel.

“Where did that guy end up?” Wade asked. “Prison or looney bin?”

“Psychiatric hospital. The way he was going on about nymphs being real, his lawyer went with an insanity plea.”

The waitress came back, pausing just long enough to set down their drinks, then hurried on with a half-full tray.

Wade took a swig of beer, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “So, I’m not under a spell. And I don’t think I’m crazy—”

“Not that you’d know if you were,” Aiden cut in.

Wade ignored him. “What then? Why can’t I stop thinking about her?”

“Maybe it’s love.”

A terror-stricken look took over Wade’s features, but before he could respond, Aurora and Laurel swooped up to the booth. Both held two baskets loaded with burgers and fries. They sat on either side of the bench seat, sandwiching the men between them. Laurel reached for the ketchup bottle as she slid one basket in front of Aiden. He laughed when he noticed she’d already taken a bite out of her burger.

“I told you I was starving,” she said as she poured ketchup over her fries.

Aurora pressed her shoulder against Wade’s, giving him a playful nudge. “Did you hear the good news? Aiden’s making an honest woman out of my sister.”

Wade pushed his dark glasses higher on the bridge of his nose, completely hiding his eyes. “Yep. He told me.”

Aiden took a bite of his burger, using his peripheral vision to observe his partner as unobtrusively as possible. Over the years, Wade had had his share of mutually casual relationships, so it made sense he’d be confused now about the strength of his feelings. But it also made sense, at least to Aiden, that Wade was tired of superficial connections. At some point, everyone needed more.

“There’s so much to do,” Aurora chattered on. “Lucky for you, I’ve planned more than one wedding. Just leave it to me, and everything will be ready by the 21st.”

Laurel froze mid-chew and looked at Aurora, then swallowed and shook her head. “We haven’t set a date yet. What are you talking about?”

Aurora’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me you forgot. June 21st is the perfect day.”

Her tone made it clear that particular date meant something special. Aiden just didn’t know what. “That’s only a little over two weeks from now. What’s the rush?”

“Why wait?” she countered. “I never have understood why some couples draw out their engagement. Once you decide to tie the knot, why not jump right in?”

Aiden plucked a fry from his basket. “But why June 21st?”

“It’s summer solstice,” Wade said. When they all turned to look at him with surprise, he shrugged his shoulders. “Hey, I’m not just a pretty face. I know stuff.”

Aurora pretended to swoon, her head falling against his shoulder. “Brains and brawn. What’s not to love about this guy, huh?”

Hoping to draw attention away from Wade before either of the women noticed how uncomfortable he looked, Aiden kept asking questions. “Is this a cultural thing? Some rule that all nymphs must get married on June 21st?”

“Not a rule,” Laurel answered. “It’s a tradition. And Aurora’s right. I forgot all about it.”

Aurora leaned in Aiden’s direction, bringing her even closer to Wade. With very little effort, she’d be sitting in the poor guy’s lap. “Sure, you can pick any day for your wedding, but there are so many good reasons for Summer Solstice.”

“Like?”

She ticked the points off on her fingers. “It’s the longest day of the year, which means more sun. That night, Sirius, the dog star, is visible.”

“Oh, Bailey will love that,” Laurel said, popping a French fry in her mouth.

Aiden laughed, but Aurora kept on talking. “Even better, a gathering of nymphs on the summer solstice increases your future happiness, prosperity, fertility—”

Laurel nearly choked. “It’s a little early to think about being fertile.”

“Honey,” Aurora said as she handed her a napkin, “it’s never too early to think about being fertile.”

Wade reached for his food, at the same time maneuvering Aurora so she wasn’t leaning on his chest anymore. “Just think, this time next year, you could be hearing the pitter-patter of little feet. Or would it be paws?” He tilted his head in thought. “How does that work with a nymph and a bear shifter? Do you end up with a flower child, or a bear cub?”

Still laughing at his own joke, Wade bit into his burger.

The manner in which his DNA and Laurel’s would mix to create children wasn’t something Aiden had thought about, and considering the look on her face, it was new to her, too. It was definitely something they needed to talk about, but he had no intention doing it in a noisy bar with Wade and Aurora looking on.

“Back to the wedding date,” Aiden said. “Laurel and I will let you know what we decide.”

Aurora frowned, but before she could argue her point, audio feedback squealed sharply over the bar’s speakers. Patrons cringed and cursed, and all eyes turned toward the small, raised platform across from the bar.

“Sorry ‘bout that, folks.” Bridget stood on the mini stage holding a mic. “We’re getting ready to kick off Karaoke Night, so if you haven’t already put your name on the list, now’s the time.”

“I didn’t know they had karaoke here,” Aurora said.

“It’s something new Bridget’s trying out,” Laurel said.

“Well, count me in.” Aurora started to scoot out of the booth, but Wade put his hand on her wrist and stopped her.

“Not you, Princess.”

She pursed her lips in a pout. “Why not?”

“Because there are normals here, and it would be hard to explain why your warbling attracted every animal in a one-mile radius.”

The pout turned to a simper, and she slid back against Wade again. “Maybe I’ll just sing to you.”

She reached for his sunglasses, but he caught her hand. “Darlin’, we’re way beyond the singing stage.”

It was getting a bit too intimate on that side of the table. Aiden cleared his throat and put his arm around Laurel. “Maybe we should give those two some privacy.”

Laurel’s eyes glimmered with mischief. “Or maybe we should give them some competition.”

Under the table, her hand slid from his knee up to his thigh and gave a playful squeeze. He jumped in surprise, then leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Forget them. Let’s get out of here.”

“That’s an excellent idea.”

Before they could move to leave, Bridget’s voice came across the sound system again. “Some of you know our resident songbird, Laurel Barker.” Bridget pointed at the booth, and most everyone in the place turned to look at her. “Maybe, with a little encouragement, she’ll start us out with a tune or two.”

Laurel sighed, but forced a smile as people started to clap and shout for her to sing. “Darn that YouTube video,” she muttered under her breath.

Aiden rubbed her back. “Rayne did warn you.”

When they’d gone to Nashville six months earlier to help his father prove his innocence in a murder case, Laurel had posed as a fledgling country singer making her debut at The Golden Bear Saloon. Aiden’s sister, Rayne, an actual country singer, had let Laurel sing two of her songs. Laurel had made a bigger splash than anyone expected, and Rayne predicted that, thanks to phone videos being posted to YouTube, Laurel was about to be a viral hit. While there hadn’t been any recording executives breaking down her door, no one in Nocturne Falls was about to forget Laurel’s fifteen minutes of fame.

“I wish Rayne was here now so she could sing.” Laurel slapped her palms on the table and sat up straighter. “Do you mind?”

“Of course not.” He squeezed the back of her neck and dropped a kiss on her cheek. “Go knock ‘em dead, Songbird.”

***

LAUREL DIDN’T THINK she’d ever get used to people clapping before she sang a single note. It was embarrassing, especially since she’d fallen into singing by accident. Still, she enjoyed it more than she cared to admit, and by the time she reached the platform and took the mic from Bridget, her smile was genuine.

“Thanks, everybody.” She waved to no one in particular and got several waves back. She turned to Gary, the man running the Karaoke program on a laptop off to the side. “Let’s do Ain’t Worried ‘bout Nothin’, okay?”

Gary nodded. While he pulled up the song, Laurel addressed the crowd again. “A big thanks goes to the talented artist who wrote this song, Rayne Randall.” Whispers rippled through the room, and Laurel nodded in response. “Yes, she’s the daughter of Country superstar Rye Randall, and the sister of Nocturne Falls’ very own deputy sheriff, Aiden Morris.”

As the opening notes of the song played, several folks turned to look at Aiden. Laurel bit back a giggle and waved her left hand in the air. “By the way, Deputy Morris asked me to be his wife, and I said yes.”

The place erupted in cheers and shouts. Aiden caught her eye, and mouthed something that looked like, “I’ll get you.” She winked, then began to sing.

Sassy lyrics set to an upbeat, catchy tune made Ain’t Worried ‘bout Nothin’ the kind of song that got stuck in your head.  Laurel hoped they’d stick with her longer than the three minutes she’d be on stage. She’d worried about way too many things over the last few weeks.

Laurel’s eyes swept the crowd, encouraging them to join in on the chorus. Everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves, except for that person in the corner. Wait a minute... Without missing a beat, Laurel focused on a woman standing against the wall, holding a glass of beer in both hands. She was staring straight ahead, but not at the stage, which gave Laurel a good view of her profile. There was something familiar about her. Where had Laurel seen her before?

Then it came to her. The nursery. It was Crystal.

A shiver zipped across Laurel’s shoulders and down her back. It wasn’t unusual for a tourist to end up at Howler’s, so why did seeing her make Laurel feel so uneasy?

Crystal seemed a bit uneasy, herself. She gulped down the rest of her beer and plunked the empty glass on a nearby table. Then, as if she felt Laurel watching her, she stopped and looked right at the stage. Laurel smiled, but Crystal froze like a deer about to be road kill, then turned and hurried out the front door.

What in the world? Laurel finished the song with a flourish, then motioned to Gary that she was done for the night.

Despite encouragement from the patrons for another song, Laurel stuck to her guns. “Sorry folks, that’s it for me. You all can take it from here.”

As she put the mic back on the stand, she looked to where Crystal had been standing, then followed her line of sight across the bar to figure out what she’d been looking at. It could be anything, but her gaze came to a screeching halt when it fell on Aiden.

A heaviness pulled on her as she walked back to the booth, like her shoes were made of concrete. Why had Crystal been so intent on Aiden? Did she know him? Or had she simply noticed him when Laurel pointed him out? If that was the case, then why did she panic when she realized Laurel had seen her? Crystal had no reason to be scared of her. They’d had a pleasant conversation at the nursery, and Bailey had bonded with Scotty.

Scotty. The little boy with the golden brown hair. What had his mother called him? Honey bear. And then she showed up tonight, staring at Aiden, the man with eyes like pots of honey who, oh, just happened to be a bear shifter.

Laurel tripped on her own feet, knocked into a passing waitress, and almost made her drop her carefully balanced tray of drinks. At the last minute, the nimble gal, who no doubt had a little supernatural help, steadied herself and saved the tray. Laurel, however, ended up in a heap on the floor.

“Are you okay?”

She looked up and there was Aiden, hunkered down beside her. “I’m fine. Just injured my pride a bit.”

He put one arm around her back and kissed the top of his head. “Think of it as a public service. Now, all these folks have a great story about a night they won’t forget.”

As he helped her stand up, Laurel couldn’t help but wonder if it was the night she’d always remember as finding out the thing she wished she could forget.

3

By the time they got home, Laurel had talked herself out of the idea that Aiden had a love child. For some reason, she was being emotionally volatile, finding problems where none existed. Maybe it was the nymph equivalent of a mid-life crisis, or menopause. She thought of asking Aurora about it, but changed her mind. Even though her sister was older and, technically, wiser in the ways of their kind, she was also prone to dramatics. No doubt, she’d blow up the story of Crystal and her son, making it an even bigger deal than Laurel had. So, she pushed the whole crazy notion aside, determined to stop worrying and enjoy her life.

Unfortunately, her brain didn’t seem to get the message. First, she couldn’t sleep because of the thoughts rolling around in her head. When she was finally so tired she dropped off, her dreams were strange and disjointed. In one, Aiden shifted into a bear and married a park ranger made of glass. In another, Laurel was walking in the woods when her fingers sprouted leaves and her feet took root in the ground. After the last dream, where Bailey was singing “Three Little Maids” from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Mikado, she gave up, went to the kitchen, and switched on the coffeepot. She was sitting at the kitchen table, hunched over her first mug, when Aiden shuffled into the room.

“You woke up early.” He scratched the back of his head and grabbed a mug from the cupboard.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

He grinned as he poured his coffee. “Excited about the wedding, huh?”

“Yeah,” she said, forcing herself to sound positive. “I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

“After what happened last night, I’m not surprised.”

Only a quick jab with a cattle prod could have made her sit up faster. “Last night?” Had he seen Crystal? Had she been right all along? Oh man...

“Yeah, when Aurora tried to set the date for us. Your sister really doesn’t care about boundaries, does she?”

Laurel relaxed and chuckled. “No, she doesn’t. But she means well. Usually.”

Aiden pushed back the lid on the breadbox and took out a bag of bagels. “You want one?”

“No thanks.”

He dropped two halves into the toaster and pushed down the lever. Then he turned and leaned against the counter, arms crossed. “When do you want to get married?”

She wanted to yell, Before anything weird happens to stop us! Instead, she shrugged. “I hadn’t really thought about it before, but I do like the idea of June 21st.”

“It’s not too fast to put things together?”

“I don’t think so. Besides, anything I don’t want to do, I’ll hand off to Aurora.”

Aiden laughed. “If you’re not careful, she’ll take over and do it all her way.”

“It would serve her right.”

She knew Aiden well enough that, even if his forehead hadn’t furrowed in that concerned way that almost gave him a unibrow, she would have known he’d picked up on her mood. But the bagel popped up in the toaster before he could say anything. Laurel watched Aiden as he slathered the bagel halves with butter, drizzled them with honey, then topped them off with a handful of fresh blueberries. Her stomach grumbled, and now she wished she’d had him make one for her.

Aiden settled in the seat beside her, picked up one half of the bagel, then slid the plate with the other half closer to her. “I know you want it.”

She smiled her thanks, telling herself it was ridiculous to doubt him. How bad could things be when her man shared his food with her?

Aiden waited until after they’d both eaten a few bites of breakfast before asking the question she expected. “What’s bothering you?”

To say, nothing, would be a bold-face lie, but she wasn’t ready to tackle the real answer. “What makes you think anything’s wrong?”

“Well, for a woman who’s getting married in two weeks, you’re pretty underwhelmed.”

“Or, am I overwhelmed? Maybe I’m short-circuiting under the pressure.”

“Are you short-circuiting?” His eyes softened with concern. “Because we can slow this whole thing down.”

“No,” she snapped, then went on more gently. “No, it’s not the wedding.”

One side of his mouth quirked up in an I-gotcha-grin. “But it is something. Should I keep asking questions, or do you want to cut to the chase?”

Laurel sighed. Why had she even tried to keep it from him? Not only were they soul-bound, he was a cop, for crying out loud. There was no way she could fool him.

“You can stop asking.” She put the last little piece of her bagel on the plate and paused to suck the honey from her thumb and forefinger. “Okay. I’ve been feeling like something’s been...off...for a few weeks.”

“Off how?”

She shrugged. “If I knew, I would have used a better word. I’ve been feeling weird, unsettled, and I have no idea why. Then yesterday—” She was interrupted by a knock on the door. Instead of a saved-by-the-bell feeling, a chill skittered across her shoulders and down both arms to her fingertips. “Are you expecting someone?”

“Nope.” Aiden wiped his hands, wadded up the napkin, and tossed it on the edge of the plate. “We’re not done talking.” He stood, and after dropping a kiss on top of her head, went for the door.

Wade was standing outside. “Hey,” said to his partner. Leaning through the doorway, he waved in Laurel’s direction. “Morning.”

“Morning, Wade,” she called back. “Are you here for Lola? I didn’t realize you had another mentor meeting today.”

He shook his head. “We don’t. I came for your husband.”

A surprised grunt rumbled through Aiden’s throat. “You couldn’t have waited until I got to the station? What’s the rush?”

Wade looked at Laurel, then back at Aiden. “Someone came looking for you at the station. It sounds important.”

That did it. Laurel stood up quickly, sending her chair squealing against the tile floor. She stalked across the room and stopped beside Aiden. Fists on her hips, she looked Wade right in his smoky glass lenses. “It’s Crystal, isn’t it?”

Wades chin lowered in surprise. “How did you know?”

Laurel looked up at Aiden. “She was at the nursery yesterday, and then I saw her at Howler’s. That’s what I was trying to tell you.”

From the look of genuine confusion on his face, Laurel knew he had no idea what was going on. Wade must have seen it, too, because he spoke up.

“She said she knew you in New York. When you were a detective.”

Aiden wasn’t confused anymore. At the mention of New York, recognition took over, followed by an expression of concern. “Why is she here? Did she say?”

“Not really.” Wade didn’t sound at all comfortable talking about it in front of Laurel, but he continued. “Just that there was something important she needed to tell you.”

The image of that little boy with the tousled hair and honeypot eyes danced through Laurel’s mind. At the same time, Aiden darted behind her and scooped up his keys and wallet from the table by the door.

“I’ll drive in with Wade.” He stepped out onto the porch, then turned and came back to Laurel. Wrapping his arms around her in a bear hug, he whispered in her ear. “I’ll explain everything tonight. Promise.” He hurried to the squad car where Wade was already waiting.

“But Aiden,” she called after him, “there’s something—”

“I’ll meet you at the nursery later,” he called back. “I love you!”

Before she knew it he was gone, leaving nothing behind but a thin cloud of dust from the car racing up the dirt road that led to the highway. Laurel bit her lip and blinked against the sudden stinging in her eyes. A weight pressed against the side of her leg, and she looked down to find Bailey gazing up at her.

“He does love you,” Bailey said. “Trust that.”

She wanted to. Oh, how she wanted to. If it was only an old girlfriend, trust wouldn’t be an issue. But the child... Did he know? She couldn’t imagine him abandoning his own flesh and blood. Which meant he didn’t know. What would happen when he found out?

Kneeling down, she put her arm around Bailey and pressed her cheek against the top of his head. “You’re right. And we’re soul-bound. Nothing’s stronger than that.”

At least, she hoped nothing was.

***

CRYSTAL WAS IN NOCTURNE Falls. The fact played over and over in Aiden’s head like a snippet of an old song that refused to shut up. How had she found him? Why had she even tried? What in the world could she want?

“Want to talk about it?” Wade broke the silence but kept his eyes on the road.

“No.”

They didn’t make it a minute before Wade was talking again. “I get it. This is a lousy situation, and I know you want your privacy. But if you do want to talk, you know, later, I’m available.”

The sincerity in his partner’s voice made Aiden sorry he’d snapped at him. “Thanks.”

“I know what you’re going through. It’s always awkward when an old girlfriend comes back into the picture.”

“A girlfriend? Is that what she told you?”

“No, but she didn’t have to.” Wade shrugged one shoulder. “It’s pretty obvious.”

This was getting worse and worse. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I was never involved with Crystal. She was only seventeen when I knew her.”

Wade frowned and shot a sideways look at Aiden. “Seventeen? That’s crossing a line, dude.”

His fingers curling into fists, Aiden growled back. “Yeah, it would be if I’d done anything, but I didn’t.”

“Then where’d the kid come from?”

“What kid?”

“She’s got a kid,” Wade said, his tone hard and cold. “He looks a lot like you. You don’t end up with a boy cub from being platonic friends.”

A growl rumbled in Aiden’s throat and he held back the urge to shift right there in the car’s bucket seat. There was zero chance he could be the father of that boy, but if the rest of the town was like Wade, it wouldn’t matter. Was that why Crystal tracked him down? To spread lies about him? Maybe she needed money and figured this was a good way to get it.

The two of them kept quiet until Wade slid the cruiser into a parking spot behind the station. “Is Crystal here?” Aiden asked.

Wade shook his head. “No. She went back to the hotel. I told her to come back here around noon.”

He checked the dash board time display just before Wade cut the engine. 9:26. He’d go nuts if he had to wait that long. “I’m going to talk to her now. Thanks for the lift.”

Aiden hopped out before Wade could make another unappreciated comment. That didn’t keep his partner from yelling after him.

“Good luck!”

Shoulders hunched and hands stuffed into his pants pockets, Aiden grunted at the idea of luck, good or otherwise. He’d always believed that his destiny was shaped by the choices he made. But nothing he’d done explained this current development. Maybe there was something to that luck thing, after all.

It was a short walk to the hotel, but it seemed like he passed everyone he knew in Nocturne Falls along the way. Maybe it was his imagination, but he felt sure they looked at him with either pity or judgment. His pace quickened. He was only steps away from the front door of the hotel when a hand grasped his shoulder.

Aiden spun around, then sighed in relief when he saw Jason Raza’s friendly, smiling face. “Jason. Hi.”

Jason returned the greeting with a nod. “Hey, man, what’s the rush? I was trying to get your attention for half a block.”

“Sorry. I’m on my way to meet someone. Guess I’m a little distracted.” A little. What an understatement that was.

With the slow nod of someone who knew exactly what was going on, Jason glanced at the hotel. “Well sure. Seeing your girlfriend might be kinda awkward.”

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Of course. I mean, Laurel’s your girlfriend, obviously. I meant she’s an old girlfriend.”

Aiden squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to breath slowly. Had the whole town lost their minds? Maybe this was just one of his nightmares. That would explain everything. But when he opened his eyes, Jason was still standing there with an unnecessarily understanding look on his face. Nope, it was real. “Where did you hear about it?”

“I don’t know,” Jason said sheepishly. “Around.”

Aiden knew right away he was protecting Wade. His partner was a bigger blabbermouth than an online gossip blogger. But he and Jason were good friends, so Aiden didn’t see the point in making things more awkward for the young man.

“It doesn’t matter how you heard,” Aiden said. “What matters is that you don’t keep the rumor going. Crystal is an old friend. That’s all.” Friend was pushing it, but it was the best description he could give at the moment.

Jason looked as if he were considering the possibilities. “In that case, you probably don’t want to meet in her hotel room.”

“Good point.” Why hadn’t he thought of that himself? He should have waited at the sheriff’s station instead of letting impatience get the best of him. “I guess I’ll go back to work.”

“Or, you could try plan B.”

“This was plan B.”

“Okay, plan C.”

“I don’t have a plan C.”

“I do,” Jason said with an easy smile. “Want to hear it?”

Aiden wasn’t sure he did, but it couldn’t hurt to listen. “Shoot.”

“You should meet her in the park.”

“The park? In the middle of town where everybody can see us?”

“Yes.” Crossing his arms, Jason’s expression became serious. “It’s the perfect spot. It’ll show everyone you have nothing to hide. And it’ll give the kid a chance to play and run around while the two of you talk. See? Perfect.”

Aiden was impressed. All the years of mentoring may not have helped Jason get any closer to figuring out what his supernatural ability was, but it had sure honed his counseling skills.

“Just one problem,” Aiden said. “How do I get Crystal to the park if I don’t go inside the hotel?”

Jason shooed the question away with a wave of his hand. “That’s easy. I’ll get her for you.”

“Good thinking.”

“You might even say junior deputy level thinking, hmm?”

Aiden laughed as Jason’s eyebrows raised in expectation. “That’s not even a real thing.”

“It should be. See how cutting edge I am? I just created a whole new position.”

“One thing at a time,” Aiden said, steering him back to the task at hand. “I’ll head to the park and wait for you there.”

After a mock salute, Jason ducked into the hotel, and Aiden walked in the opposite direction. He’d be getting his answers soon. Whether he liked them or not.

4

The day had started out lousy and it wasn’t getting any better.

After Aiden’s sudden departure, Laurel thought about going back to bed, burrowing under the covers, and not coming out until hunger or nature demanded. Instead, she made herself presentable, loaded Bailey and Lola in the SUV, and drove to work.

A busy day at the nursery should have been a welcome distraction. But the fact that Jason hadn’t shown up to work darkened her mood, especially after helping one customer load ten 25 pound bags of mulch into the back of her pickup truck.

“Hello, darling sister.” A voice sung out as Aurora breezed into the nursery.

“Hello,” Laurel said.

“Isn’t it a lovely day?”

“I guess.”

“What’s eating you?” Aurora asked with a frown.

“What’s eating me? I’ll tell you. It turns out my fiancé has a former girlfriend I didn’t know about who came to town yesterday—with their love child, by the way—and he’s with her right now doing who-knows-what while I’m here schlepping mulch and telling customers that, yes, there is a difference between nursery-grade fertilizer and dog poop.” Laurel gulped a breath which she then exhaled with a snort. “That’s what is eating me.”

Aurora tilted her head, silently accessing the situation. “Then I guess this isn’t a good time to talk about wedding plans, huh?”

Laurel glared at her sister. “Not really, no.”

“I see.” Lifting one hand in the air, Aurora trilled a series of notes. A moment later, a plump, brown and white sparrow perched on her finger. She lowered her hand so the bird was even with her nose. “Cancel the doves,” she said, then whistled a short tune. The bird bounced up and down, chirped back, and off it flew.

“Doves?”

“Yes, for the wedding. I wanted to fly an idea by you, but, now is not the time.” She stepped up to the low front counter and gracefully hopped up to sit beside the register. “Now is the time to straighten out Aiden.”

“What do you mean?”

Aurora wrinkled her nose and made a face as if she’d been slapped with a week-old dead fish. “Oh, come on. You’re not going to let him get away with this, are you?”

What could she do? There was no way to change the past, or the fact that it had shown up with a wide-eyed little boy in tow. The anger she’d felt a moment earlier melted into despondence, and her shoulders sagged under the weight. “I don’t have much choice.”  

“Of course you do! You have all the choices.” Aurora bent her fingers back as she rattled them off. “You can fight for him. You can tell that woman she’s not welcome in this town. You can tell Aiden you don’t need him. You can let me at him. You can call in the big guns—”

“No!” Laurel snapped. “Don’t you dare say a word to him.”

Aurora rolled her eyes. “What’s the point of having a daddy like Zeus if you can’t take advantage of the lighting bolts every now and then?”

“Absolutely not. He’d just make it worse, and you know it.”

“All right, no Zeus. But you’ve got to pull yourself together.” She hopped down from the counter and pulled Laurel to her in a side hug.

At the simple act of affection, Laurel almost came undone. Aurora was right. She wasn’t the kind of person to roll over and play dead when things got tough. She wasn’t an emotionally fragile flower. Why did she feel like the life had been sucked out of her?

“Something’s wrong,” Laurel said, her voice shaking. “Not just with Aiden. I’ve felt it for a few weeks. I’ve been seeing trouble where there isn’t any, and now that there is some, I feel like I can’t move. I don’t know what’s wrong.”

“I think I do.” Aurora grasped her shoulders and held her at arm’s length while staring into her eyes. “You need to be properly soul-bound.”

“I am. To Aiden.”

Aurora shook her head. “No. You’ve been soul-bound to a human for far too long. You need to be connected to a tree, and soon.”

“You can’t be serious. How can it make such a big difference?.”

“Think about it. You’ve been emotionally unbalanced. And when did it start?” Aurora was on a roll now, and didn’t wait for an answer. “After you were bound to Aiden. Because now, you feel his moods.”

Laurel shook her head, refusing to believe what her sister was saying. “That doesn’t make sense. Aiden isn’t overly emotional. If anything, he’s overly mellow.”

“It doesn’t matter. Look, it’s not Aiden, per se, it’s any human.”

“But Aiden’s not really human, he’s a shifter.”

“That’s even worse! And don’t think there’s something wrong with you. I doubt any nymph could hold up being bound to a human, but when you add the animal dynamic of a shifter...Wow.” Aurora pursed her lips as she considered what she’d said. “Except for our cousin Vesta, but then she’s a totally different kind of nymph. Which reminds me, I need to remember to let her know about the wedding. That is, if there still is a wedding.”

“Aurora!” Laurel snapped her fingers as if bringing her sister out of a trance. “Focus, will ya?”

“Sorry. Back to you. You’re a wood nymph. You need the stability, the roots, of a tree. It literally grounds you emotionally. Shifter emotions are mercurial. No matter how hard you try, a nymph/shifter binding will always create this kind of conflict.”

Feeling slightly dizzy from all the new information battling for  space in her brain, Laurel leaned against the counter in a sort of standing sit. “If you knew all this, why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“Hey, I’ve never known a wood nymph who wasn’t soul-bound to a tree. I was hoping I was wrong and it would work. I should have known better.” Aurora studied her perfect cuticles on one perfectly manicured hand. “It’s a burden being right all the time.”

“Yeah. Sucks to be you.”

“Sometimes,” Aurora agreed, not seeming to catch the sarcasm which dripped from Laurel’s words. “But good thing for you I helped Aiden find another tree. All you need to do now is break the bind with Aiden, bind with Brittney, and everything should be back to normal.”

“I hope it’s as easy as all that. Hey, wait a minute. Brittney told you her name?” Trees were normally quite particular about sharing personal information. Laurel wasn’t sure she wanted to bind with one that would open up to just anybody.

Aurora’s widened in surprise. “Of course. I couldn’t dig her up without exchanging some pleasantries, now could I?”

“Forgive me,” Laurel said with a chuckle. “I forgot my manners.”

“I blame the shifter influence.” Aurora patted her hand. “Until you break it, I suggest you hug as many trees as you can.”

Bailey and Lola came trotting back from wherever they’d been and headed for the front entrance. Expecting customers, Laurel turned to welcome them. To her surprise, it was Jason.

“Where have you been?”

Jason reached down to pet the dogs that had jumped up on either side of him. “At the park. Helping Aiden.”

Laurel’s heart jumped at the mention of his name. “Helping him do what?”

“Don’t answer that.” Aurora held up her hand like a crossing guard stopping traffic. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It kind of does.” Jason gave Laurel one of his signature goofy grins. “He wants you to meet him there. At the park.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know exactly,” he said with a shrug. “But he probably wants to introduce you to his friend.”

“His friend? Crystal?”

“Yeah, that’s her name. Nice lady. Cute little boy, too. They’re all at the park together.”

For the second time that day, Laurel thought she might dissolve into a puddle of tears. Unable to speak for fear the dam might burst, she looked to her sister.

Aurora didn’t need to be asked to take control. “Jason, you mind the nursery. And you two,” she addressed Bailey and Lola, “stay here and behave yourselves. We’re going to set that man straight.”

Grabbing Laurel by the wrist, Aurora pulled her along, out through the front gates and down the street. Laurel

“I don’t think I can do this.”

“Of course you can. And if you can’t, just leave it to me. Everything’s going to be fine.”

“Aiden’s probably about to dump me so he can be with his brand new family. How can it be fine?”

“Remember what Polly always says. No matter how dark the cloud, you can always find a silver lining.”

Laurel rolled her eyes as she struggled to match Aurora’s quick pace. Not only was their sister, Polly, irritatingly positive, she also loved timeworn platitudes. It was a nauseating combination. “And what might be the silver lining in this situation?”

Aurora thought for a second, then jabbed a finger in the air. “I know! If he dumps you, it will be so much easier to break the binding with him so you can get back to a tree. Problem solved.”

She didn’t bother responding. It was quite a shallow, self-loving bubble that Aurora lived in. Laurel had always wished that her sister had more empathy, but right now, a little emotional distance might not be so bad.

***

LAUREL HEARD THEM BEFORE she saw them. Standing at the edge of the park, peals of laughter floated to her like the fragrance of orange blossoms on a breeze. It was Scotty. There was no doubt in her mind. Hearing him somehow wiped away all the ideas and conjecture and worrying. The fact that she was steps away from Aiden and from the concrete truth gave her a weird sort of courage.

Pulling her shoulders back, she took a deep breath, then looked over at Aurora. “I’m okay. I can do this by myself.”

“Great. Then I’ll stay out of the way and watch.”

They found Aiden and Crystal sitting across from each other at a wooden picnic table. Before Laurel could call out a greeting, Aiden looked in her direction and smiled.

“Oh good, you’re here.” He jumped up, jogged over to Laurel, and grabbed her hand. “There’s someone here I want you to meet.”

First Aurora was dragging her around, now Aiden was doing it. But this was different. Her hand practically disappeared inside his. His fingers, warm and strong, wrapped around hers, making her feel safe and loved. It wasn’t at all what she’d expected coming there.

At the table, Crystal was already on her feet. Her eyes darted sideways in a look of discomfort. “We’ve met.”

“Yes, we have.” Laurel looked around for Scotty. “Where’s your son?”

Crystal pointed to a thick, old oak. “He’s playing hide and seek.”

A blond head of curls darted out from behind the tree trunk, then disappeared again, followed by uncontrolled giggles. A thrill went through Laurel as she felt the tree laugh in response. As much as she wanted to wish away the boy and his mother, it was hard not to feel affection for someone who shared a kinship with the trees.

Laurel looked back at Aiden. “No point putting this off any longer. What do you want to tell me?”

He squeezed the back of his neck, his expression becoming puzzled. “I’m not sure where to start.”

But Aurora was. She strode forward, hand extended to Crystal. “Hi there. I’m Laurel’s sister. How about you introduce me to your son, and we can give these two a little privacy.”

Crystal looked at Aiden. After he nodded his approval, she shook Aurora’s hand and the two walked off to chase Scotty.

Laurel pulled her hand away from Aiden’s. “Let me make this easy on both of us. I know what you want to say.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” She swallowed hard and forced herself to continue. “And I understand. I would never stand in the way of you and your son.”

Aiden groaned. “Not you, too.”

“Excuse me?” Did he have any idea how hard it had been for her to be the bigger person, to give him up for his family? What kind of a lame reaction was that?

Squeezing both of her hands in his, he leaned down, his face so close to hers their noses almost touched. “Please pay attention to what I’m about to say. Scotty is not my son. Crystal is not a former girlfriend. There never has been, nor ever will be, anything romantic between the two of us. Do you understand?”

All it took was a little nudge, just a tiny shift of her neck and jaw, and she was able to translate her understanding through a most satisfying, although slightly sloppy, kiss.

When they separated, Aiden chuckled as he wiped the corners of his mouth with his fingertips. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Yes, I understand. And I’m so relieved. But I’m also confused.” She looked in the direction Aurora and Crystal had gone. They were across the park, standing by the pond while Scotty lobbed pieces of bread to the ducks. “If you’re just friends, then why all the secrecy? Why didn’t she tell me who she was instead of sneaking around?”

He sat on the bench with his back to the table, and Laurel sat beside him. “Well, we’re not really friends, either. At least we weren’t. We might be now. I mean, I’d like to be, but it’s still kind of complicated.”

Laurel leaned against his side. “I’ve got all day.”

“You know those nightmares I used to have?”

How could she forget? “About the time when you were a detective. Of course. You haven’t had one for a while.”

He sighed. “Well, I might have one tonight.”

The pieces finally fell together. “Wait a minute. Crystal...she’s the girl in your dream?”

“Yep.” He nodded slowly. “When I was a detective in New York, I worked her case. She was abducted by a piece of human scum. My partner and I tracked him to a building under renovation. We needed to get him before he hurt Crystal any more than he already had, so we split up. I went to the roof.”

Sitting up straighter, Laurel put her hand on Aiden’s thigh. “Wait a minute. What you told me about your dream...chasing the man across the roof in the rain and trying to rescue the girl. That really happened?”

“It did. I found her tied up to a water pipe on the roof. I was trying to get her loose when he came up behind me. I was so angry. If you’d seen what he did to her.”

Laurel slid her arm around his back, but didn’t interrupt. For a long time he’d said he wanted to tell her about that night, but he never had. Now, she understood why.

“Hudgens had a gun on me, and he was taunting Crystal. Telling her he was going to shoot me and then finish her off. It was too much. I flew into a rage. I charged Hudgens, knocked the gun out of his hand. Then I chased him and he slipped and fell off the roof. I went back to get Crystal, and she was hysterical. That’s when I realized I’d shifted without knowing it.” Elbows to his knees, he hunched forward with a ragged sigh. “She saw the whole thing.”

“What did you do?”

“The wrong thing, probably. I ran out of sight, shifted back, then acted like her mind had played tricks on her.”

“You did the best you could. More importantly, you saved her life.”

“But I couldn’t trust myself. What if I lost control in a crowded area? What if I hurt some innocent bystander? I couldn’t take the chance. So I left.”

“What about Crystal? Why’d she come looking for you now?”

“Obviously, she had some emotional issues to deal with. She’s been working a twelve-step program. I’m part of the ‘make amends’ step.” He snorted in disgust. “Can you believe it? She came here so she could apologize to me.”

“For what?”

“She said some pretty unpleasant things about me, like accusing me of working with Hudgens. She thought that’s why I left the department. All this time, she’s been thinking she ruined my life.”

“Wow.” There was one more unanswered question. “Hudgens. Did he rape her?”

“Yes.”

“And Scotty...”

“The only good thing that came out of a horrifying experience. Her words.”

Tears stung Laurel’s eyes. Even with the darkest, stormiest cloud imaginable, Crystal had found a most perfect silver lining.

“Do you have a tissue?” Laurel asked with a sniff.

“I do not.”

“Ok.” She rubbed her nose with the back of her hand, then sighed. “I need to hug a tree.”

The day had been an emotional gauntlet and Laurel was exhausted. She shuffled to the big oak and wrapped her arms around it. “Thanks for the love,” she whispered, pressing her cheek against the rough bark.

Although the tree didn’t move, Laurel felt its response as if she was wrapped in its branches, hidden from the world. Strength flowed through her like warm sap, energizing and anchoring her at the same time. Aurora had been right. Again. The thought almost made her laugh. Instead, she smiled and took a few deep, steady breaths. Her world was finally making sense again.

“Are you okay?” Aiden looked at her from the other side of the trunk.

“I am now. We need to break our binding.”

She’d obviously shocked him. “Just because I didn’t have tissue?”

“No.” She let go of the tree long enough to swat at him. “I’ll explain it all later. Short version, I need to be bound to Brittney.”

“I see.”

“And then we can get married.”

Aiden put his hand on her shoulder and started to smile, but it faltered a second later. “We...as in you and me?”

“Of course you and me. I’m not going to marry a tree, silly.”

“Hey, you can’t blame me for wanted to make sure.” He slid his hand up her neck and cupped her cheek. “We’ve had a few too many misunderstandings lately.”

She pressed against his palm and almost purred. “Not anymore. You. Me. Forever. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“Good.” After a parting squeeze and thought of thanks, Laurel pushed away from the tree and took Aiden’s hand. “Come on,” she said, moving toward the lake. “Let’s go see your friend.”

5

By the time they reconnected with Crystal, Aurora had convinced her that she and Scotty had to stay with her in the cabin next door. It was one of the few times Aiden found himself agreeing with her. It took a bit of coordinating, but they finally decided who would check Scotty and his mom out of the hotel (Laurel and Aurora), who would take them to the cabin (Laurel, but Aurora would meet them there later), and who would pick up the dogs and tell Jason to close up the nursery (Aiden).

Once the rest of them were on their way, Aiden strolled back to the Sherriff station. On a whim, he stopped into the Hallowed Bean, hoping to find Wade. Sure enough, there he was, charming the barista as she handed him his coffee and a white paper bag. When he turned to leave, he saw Aiden waiting by the door, and jerked his chin in a sign of acknowledgement.

As they walked back to work, Aiden broke the ice. “What’s in the bag?”

“Couple of bear claws. Want one?”

“Na,” Aiden said, flexing his fingers, “I’ve got enough already.”

Wade gave him the side eye. “You’re in a good mood. I guess your meeting went well.”

“It went great.” It might be fun to drag out the reveal and keep Wade in suspense, but Aiden decided against it. Even though he’d been all wrong about who Crystal was, he’d still acted from genuine concern for a friend. Aiden couldn’t fault him for that. So he gave Wade the shortest, most condensed version he could while still making sense.

When Aiden was done, Wade let out a low, drawn out whistle. “That’s a lot of new information. Sorry about jumping to conclusions, especially about the boy.” Wade winced. “I hope everything’s all right with you and Laurel.”

“We’re great.” Aiden slapped Wade on the back. “So I’m afraid you’re not getting out of best man duty.”

“Do I have to wear a suit?”

“That’s up to Laurel. And Aurora, probably.”

“Aurora.” Wade growled out the name. “I’d almost forgotten about her. She’s still in town, huh?”

“Oh yeah. I don’t expect her to leave until after the wedding. You really should call a truce and get used to being in the same room with her.”

They’d reached the station. Wade stopped short of the entrance. “Why should I?”

With a grin, Aiden pulled the door open. “Because she’s the Maid of Honor, which means you’ll be walking up the aisle together.”

“You sure know how to hurt a guy.” Wade stalked into the building, swigging coffee as he went.

Aiden laughed and called after him. “Come over for dinner tonight. We can go for a run after.”

“Maybe.”

“By the way, I’m taking the day off.”

“That’s the first good news I’ve had all day!”

“See you later!”

Wade didn’t bother turning around, just raised the bag of bear claws in a silent goodbye.

Aiden left the station, crossed the street and headed for the nursery. He’d barely stepped through the gates before Lola ran up to greet him. From where he lay sprawled on a worn cushion by the counter, Bailey expended only enough energy to lift his eyes in acknowledgment.

“Careful, Bailey,” Aiden said as he walked by. “You might sprain something.”

He found Jason refilling the bird feeders in the perennial section. The young man put down the bag of seed mix and looked expectantly at Aiden. “How’d it go?”

“Very well, thanks to your excellent suggestion. I appreciate your help.”

“Glad to do it.” Jason looked past Aiden. “Is Laurel back?”

“No, she went home. She wants you to lock up whenever you’re ready to call it a day. And I’m taking the dogs...oh boy.” The fact that he’d driven in with Wade had slipped his mind, until now. “I don’t have my truck. How’d you like to help me out again?”

“Hmm...I don’t know,” Jason teased. “Driving you around sounds like something an assistant would do. Maybe a junior deputy.”

Jason was nothing if not persistent. “No can do. But I can offer you dinner.”

“Close enough. Give me fifteen minutes.”

As Jason hurried off to check for customers and go through shut down procedures, Aiden took his cell phone from his back pocket to call Laurel. She would probably want to know he was bringing two extra people to dinner.  

***

THINGS WERE CHAOTIC at the cabin, but it was a good kind of chaos. Crystal sat on the porch steps, smiling at the antics of her son. Scotty laughed and ran, ecstatic to have not one, but two puppies to play with. Lola chased the boy around, barking and jumping, while Bailey was happy to sit in the middle of it all and watch. Laurel was at the barbeque, getting the coals ready for the hamburgers and hotdogs she’d told Aiden to pick up after she found out they were hosting a dinner party. As soon as he and Jason arrived, she sent them inside to put together the condiments, plates, and various sundry picnic supplies. She was thinking there was time to visit Brittney before anyone else showed up, when there was a rustling in the bushes near the house.

“Psst!” Aurora’s upper body poked out of the greenery, and she motioned for Laurel to follow her.

Normally, Laurel would have thought twice before blindly following her sister, but Aurora had been unusually helpful lately. Feeling magnanimous, Laurel closed the barbeque lid, hung the giant tongs from a hook on the side, and made her way into the woods.

Even though Aurora had a head start, she wasn’t hard to track. All Laurel had to do was keep an eye out for birds, mice, rabbits, and other forest creatures that were headed in the same direction. Laurel found her in a small clearing, sitting on a large, gray rock.

Aurora motioned to the animals sitting around her. “Scat for now, guys. I need to talk to my sister.” They ran off as told, and Aurora patted the side of the rock. “Want to join me? I think we’ll both fit if we scrunch.”

“That’s okay. I don’t mind standing.”

From that spot they had a view of the lake. It glittered in the late afternoon sun, as if someone had strewn diamonds across the surface. Laurel sighed. “I love this spot. Did I tell you, this is where Brittney wants to be planted?”

“No, but I can see why. And speaking of Brittney,” Aurora said, making the words slide along in her sing-song way, “when are you going to do the binding?”

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 yet,” 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.

“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.

As she waited to walk down the aisle, Laurel thought of everything that had brought them to that day, in that place. The man beside her crooked his elbow and she slid her hand through. He was quite handsome, his salt and pepper hair short and neat, steel gray eyes full of affection, and his black suit crisp and fitted to perfection. Larry hadn’t been kidding when he said he knew how to fix things.

“I’m going to miss you,” she said.

Bailey smiled down at her. “And I you.”

There wasn’t much more to say. Bailey and Lola had decided it would be awkward to keep living in a place where people knew their history, so, with some financial assistance from Laurel and Aiden, they were moving to another state to start over. Their new home was a beautiful farm with lots of room to roam and wild rabbits that hopped through at will. Laurel told Bailey she wanted to visit, but they both knew she never would.

The music started. Their cue.

“Are you ready?” Bailey asked.

Laurel couldn’t hold back her smile if she tried. And she didn’t try. “Very ready.”

She’d come to Nocturne Falls with a simple goal: find a home for herself and her tree. A place she could put down roots of her own and not have to hide who she was. She’d never dreamed to find the love of her life, or to help him connect with his family, or to mend fences with her own brother and sisters. She’d made many new relationships, was saying goodbye to a most special friend, and was creating a whole new family.

Each step down the long, red fabric runner brought her closer to the man she loved. One step closer to the rest of her life. A life she intended to live to the fullest, each and every day.

––––––––

THE END

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J. L. Farey (Jennifer, to her friends) was born in Hollywood, California. For the first ten years of her life, home was an apartment above a mortuary one block away from Hollywood & Vine where she watched Dark Shadows on TV with her mother, and heard tales of her Hungarian violinist grandfather and his good friend, fellow-Hungarian, Bela Lugosi. It's no surprise she jumped at the chance to be part of the Nocturne Falls Universe. She now lives in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada, with her hottie British hubby, the best cabbie in town. When she’s not busy spinning tales, she enjoys playing tabletop games, attending live theater and movies, and singing at the top of her lungs to whatever happens to be playing on Pandora. Jennifer loves hearing from readers. You can contact her via Facebook or her website, www.JLFarey.com.