Page 15 of Bidding on the Orc Outcast

“Why not?”

He shrugged uncomfortably. “I’m not sure everyone in town would appreciate the source. The distillation process varies from plant to plant,” he added, changing the subject. “Some oils come from the flowers, others from roots or leaves. And distillation takes time. I have to be careful with the temperature and the timing.”

“Fascinating,” she murmured as she followed him back into the workshop section of the greenhouse.

“I dry some of the herbs as well.” He pointed to a rack of drying herbs above them, filling the air with their mixed fragrances. He’d built the system himself, ensuring proper airflow to prevent mold. “Different plants need different drying times. Too fast, they lose potency. Too slow, they spoil.”

“This is really impressive, Varek.” She picked up a bottle of lavender oil and took an appreciative sniff, then gave him a thoughtful look. “Have you ever considered using some of the oils to create scented candles? I think they’d sell really well in my shop.”

His first instinct was to dismiss the idea - it would mean more interaction with the town - but the idea had merit. Candles were a natural extension of his work with oils.

“I don’t know anything about candle making.”

“It’s not hard. I used to make them with my grandmother at Christmas every year. Believe me, if you can cultivate all these plants, you can make candles. I could even help if you wanted me too.”

He liked the idea of working with her a little too much, but the thought of his products sitting in her shop window, drawing attention…

He shook his head. “I don’t think the town would want-”

“I think the town would love them.” She touched his arm, her small hand warm through his flannel shirt. “Your oils already help so many people. Why not let them enjoy them in other ways?”

“I suppose I could do a test batch,” he conceded.

Her smile hit him like summer sunshine.

“We could try different combinations. Lavender for relaxation, citrus for energy…” She gestured at his herb collection. “You have so many options.”

He nodded slowly, already considering the possibilities. And the thought of working with her made his chest tighten in a way that wasn’t exactly uncomfortable.

His other local clients - Gladys and the doctors - picked up their orders from a box on his porch. But he could deliver these to her. He could easily imagine dropping off fresh batches of candles and seeing her face light up as she arranged them in her shop window.

“I could deliver them myself.” The words slipped out before he could stop them. “To your shop, I mean.”

Her eyes widened. “You’d do that?”

The tips of his ears heated. “I’d need to make sure they were displayed properly. They’d be temperature sensitive.” A weak excuse, but she didn’t call him on it.

He moved to a shelf of dried herbs, brushing his fingers over the leaves to hide his nervousness. The scents helped ground him - rosemary, sage, lavender.

“I could add some of the dried herbs as well, to reinforce the scent.”

“And make them prettier.” She came over to join him, looking over the dried herbs. “You could do a whole line of relaxation scents, maybe themed to the seasons.”

He nodded slowly. “I have some wintergreen and fir needles I could add to a pine-scented candle. And I could make a springtime one with lemon and lilac, maybe a touch of rosemary.”

Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.

“I love it. We could even do a small launch, a little party for people to check out the candles.”

“A party?”

“You know. Some snacks, some music, some wine…”

He shook his head, even though under other circumstances, he thought he would enjoy attending such a gathering with her. “I don’t do parties.”

“You don’t have to. This would be a business event. You’d just need to drop off the candles. I can handle everything else.”

He hesitated, not sure how to explain his reluctance, but she didn’t pressure him.

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