Page 22 of Must Love Scones and Secrets
“I…I hope Merry is okay, and I do appreciate your gracious hospitality. You’ve been very kind. Thank you,” he said, then gave me a polite bow.
Signaling to Smoke, he turned and went to the door.
“Good night, Rosalyn,” he said, pausing as his hand rested on the handle. His voice sounded uncertain.
“See you soon,” I replied, trying to sound chipper even though my stomach had formed into a knot of confusion.
With that, he turned and headed outside, leaving me wondering what had gone wrong. Was it Merry? Something I said? Something I did?
“Ugh.” I exhaled deeply, sinking onto one of the stools at the counter. “I will never, ever be able to figure out men. Speaking of which, where are you, Merry? Your cloud of flowers just made my dreams of a fairy tale romance dissipate like smoke. I know you’re a jealous boy, but really, Mer? Really?”
There was no reply from the cat.
Sighing again, I snapped my fingers, sending sparks around the room to extinguish the lights and lock the door.
“In the dark again, Rosalyn.” I sighed and then headed upstairs. “Fitting end to the night. Come on, Merry. I have ice cream upstairs. Let’s go drown our disappointment in sugar. Again.”
CHAPTER 8
BJORN
“Just go to Moonshine Hollow and tell a little white lie. No big deal. No one will ever know. No harm done,” I muttered to myself as I made my way back to Elder Thornberry’s estate. “I’m going to help with the unicorns anyway. I’m not going there to socialize. I’m not going to meet anyone. It will just be a small bend of the truth. No one will get hurt. Right? Right?”
Smoke whined and looked up at me.
“If it’s supposed to be so easy, why does lying to Rosalyn make me feel like I want to throw up?”
I exhaled heavily.
“I have no business getting close to her. If I can’t tell her who I am, I should steer clear of her. I just don’t get it. I lied to everyone I’ve met since leaving Frostfjord. It didn’t matter until I met her. With her, it’s different.”
Different was an understatement.
Lying to her made my chest ache. With each passing lie, I found it harder and harder to breathe. And then, when my runes began to glow in earnest… I had to get out. I had to go.
And I reallycould notgo back because one thing was becoming abundantly clear. Lying to Rosalyn was not an option.It made me feel horrible in every way possible, whereas being near her made me feel…likeme. I felt likemyself. Sitting in her little bakery, listening to her talk, watching her work, her beautiful magic—and her beautiful body—had gripped me with an unseen force I couldn’t understand. When she stood close to me, I smelled the sweet scent of vanilla clinging to her hair and skin. She smelled divine. She was so lovely. And she seemed to likeme.
I shook my head.
“We can’t go back, Smoke. It’s not fair to her.”
Smoke looked up at me, his expression questioning.
“Sorry, Bud. It has to be that way. I’ll turn my focus onto the unicorns. That’s why I’m here anyway. I’m finally away from everything. For the first time, I can see what I like to do, how I like to spend my time, where I like to go, like to eat…”
Memories of Rosalyn’s delicious dishes came to my mind again, the soft, creamy flavor of the soup, the umami of the pie, and…her sweetness.
I sighed heavily. I hadn’t come here for love. “The unicorns. That’s my focus,” I said again, trying to steel myself again. Trying and failing.
I had come to Moonshine Hollow to prove many things to myself. While I had lied about my identity to make that happen, the one thing I had not expected was to find someone so wonderful. Someone who only saw me as myself and was endlessly kind to me. No doubt, I had probably ruined her good opinion of me. My hasty retreat probably appeared rude at best and unkind at worst. I just… I couldn’t lie to her anymore.
And my runes…
I was grateful when I finally arrived at the elder’s door again. My head ached, and I didn’t want to think anymore.
“Ah, Mister Runeson, right this way. The elder had a room readied for you. Do you need anything to eat? I’m afraid theelder and his wife eat early. Truth be told, Lady Petunia scolded him for not asking you to dinner,” the woman said with a laugh. “I was sworn to ensure you joined the elder and his wife for breakfast.”
“I would be honored,” I said.
