Page 53 of Pocket Full Of Posies

The thought makes my heart catch in my throat and a hot chill run down my spine. That familiar panic of not fitting in and being unaccepted makes my previous state of elation vanish. The easy conversation and familiarity with his siblings is smothered under the evidence of my obvious deficiency.

My spiraling emotions are brought to an abrupt halt when I feel Kai’s warm presence surround me. His strong arms holding me close while his breath heats my exposed throat, a sensation that eases my nerves and calms my doubt.

“Are you alright, Blossom? Do you need to go?” Kai’s voice is a balm and I want to lather myself in it.

“I’m fine. I don’t mind, really.”

“Okay. If you say so.”

Turning away from Kai and back to his mother and the others, I catch them all watching us very intently. It brings me up short and I trip over my thoughts trying to get our conversation back on track.

I want his family to like me for some reason. I’ve never had a boyfriend, and I always imagined what it would be like to meet the family of the male I’m with and be greeted with smiles and open arms. What it would feel like to be accepted and fit in for once.

“You’re a local, correct?” Naomi asks conversationally. I’m thankful for the somewhat normal topic and shake off the lingering nervousness. I came here to get to know his family and that’s what I’m going to do.

“Yes. I actually live on the east border of your property. We have a flower nursery there.”

“Is that so? Going for convenience Kai, or lack of options? Small towns can have a diminished dating pool to pick from.” Nysa’s sharp words are delivered with such flatness, I would think she was being impartial except for the bitterness in her tone only a nymph could hear, and she knows it.

Kai bristles at my side as I internally wither and die. So much for fitting in. This female doesn’t even know about my human heritage and still I don’t belong. I’m still the odd one out. I think I bit off more than I could chew coming here. I blame the endorphins I experienced on my outing toSticky Buns.It made me feel capable and brave to the point where I ignored who would be in attendance.

Even if they don’t know about my human half, I’m still considered lower than these people because of where I live, how much money I don’t have, that my last name can’t be tracked back dozens of generations, and that I don’t have an ivy league education. No matter what, they will always find fault with me. I’ll never measure up and I’ll never be enough, and that thought makes me question everything Kai and I have together.

There’s no way a male like him, from a world like his, would give it all up for me and my lame flower garden. Kai is an extroverted world traveler and so completely different from me, the introverted homebody. I was stupid to believe this could work.

I open my mouth to begin to give some kind of excuse to leave but Kai beats me to it.

“I’d argue the dating pool among people who isolate themselves from the rest of the world is more diminished than the low population of Snowberry. There’s so much muddled blood among your circles, how can you tell if the male you’re sleeping with isn’t your half-brother or cousin?”

Endo bursts out laughing, not even caring about the affronted look on Nysa’s face or the clenched jaw of his mother. Even Keiko covers her mouth with her hand to conceal her giggle and smile. I’m so shocked by Kai’s words I can’t decide what I should do. I don’t think this is about me anymore, and although I’m grateful to no longer be the center of attention I don’t like where this conversation is heading.

“You weren’t complaining while you were in my bed,” Nysa retorts, trying to regain the upper hand over Kai.

Looking up at him at my side, I want to pull on his elbow and urge him to leave. This is only making a scene and I can see his mother’s patience dwindling by the second. He was right we shouldn’t have come.

“That’s because you were too busy staring at your own reflection in the mirror to realize I wasn’t even looking at you. You could have been anyone, it didn’t matter.”

“Oh, and it matters now?”

“Yes! Because when I’m with Daisy I don’t feel like I’m being smothered by overbearing, demanding, greedy, self-centered people who care more about what I can do for them than how I feel. She makes me smile, laugh, and feel more like myself than I have in decades. Being with her isn’t a chore that eats away at my soul.” Kai looks down at me and although he’s speaking to Nysa, his words are meant for me. “Daisy is sweet, considerate, beautiful, and secretly funny even if she doesn’t realize it. She cares about her family and friends, treating them with respect and love. Spending every day doing what makes her happy.” He turns back to face his mother and Nysa not at all withering under their glares like I did. His words brand themselves onto my heart and I nearly melt into a puddle at his feet as he keeps reprimanding the two females. “I’d rather spend every day watching her tend to her flowers than spend one more minute attending pointless parties only orchestrated to fulfill your own self-importance.”

Kai concludes his speech, and no one makes a sound. Endo, Keiko and I remain silent bystanders, observing and waiting. The atmosphere shifting drastically in the wake of his declaration. My own heart stutters and trips and I want to wrap my arms around Kai and kiss him. Kiss away the deep hurt in his heart and be everything he thinks I am. We may come from completely different worlds and families, but we’re both misfits that don’t fit quite right in the world around us. Yet we fit together.

“Come on Daisy, I think it’s time to go. Endo, I’ll talk to you later. Goodnight Keiko.” Kai focuses on both his siblings before turning his attention back to his mother and Nysa. “Thank you for another unforgettable evening, mother. I’d almost forgotten why I avoid such gatherings. Nysa, I hope whatever she promised you was worth it.”

With his strong and sure hand in mine, Kai directs us out of the house and away from his family.

Chapter 19: Daisy

“I am so sorry about all that. I had no idea she was going to do something so juvenile.” Kai mutters and continuously apologizes as if what just happened was any of his fault.

“It’s okay, Kai. I knew about your past already. It really doesn’t bother me to know you had lovers in the past.”

Kai abruptly stops and whips around to face me. We’re halfway down the driveway to where he parked the sports car we arrived in, blissfully alone and far away from the muffled sounds of the party within the house.

“You knew?”

“Yes. More than one person warned me of your flirtatious and promiscuous ways.”

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