Page 40 of Time to Stirrup Love
She went back to her work and saw a report on a sample that had come back, and it made her heart sink.
It wasn’t good.
There was a decline in microorganisms needed for a robust and sustainable fish population. She hated the idea of shutting Finn’s business down. What would he think of her then?
“Want to meet for coffee at Cool Beans?--Finn”
It was a simple text, but it made her stomach knot. It was too early to jump to conclusions. Right now, she just had to live day by day and come up with a proposal.
“Sure. Be there in five.”
Margaid cleaned herself up, grabbed her purse and walked to the coffee shop which wasn’t far away. Walking the streets, she was greeted by humans and monster kind alike.
Dazy was strolling in the direction of the botanical gardens. Arman, the blue genie, floated by with a simple “good day.”
She’d only been here two weeks and she felt like she belonged. She didn’t want to leave this.
Finn was waiting outside the coffee shop, pacing. He looked a bit agitated. He was focused on Roarke the vet and Liana the chicken homesteader, across the street. It made her giggle.
“Hi,” she said brightly. “What’s up with the frown?”
“Chickens.”
“Liana doesn’t carry them around with her,” Margaid teased. “I promise you’ll be fine.”
Finn didn’t look convinced. They wandered to the coffee shop, ordered their drinks and took a seat in a corner booth. It was nice to be snuggled up against him, even though the temperature was rising the closer they got to summer, but she didn’t care, she just loved being around him. He made her feel so safe.
“It was nice to get a text from you. I thought you had a big boat rental today?”
“Yes. They rented a pontoon and wanted to go to Sandbar Island.”
“I love that island.” The day after they made love, that’s where they went to collect more samples. Phineas had met them and helped for a bit, until he made an excuse and left.
It was then Finn surprised her with a blanket and a picnic on a beach. And a picnic wasn’t the only thing he ate out there. Just thinking about that made her body sizzle. A delightful pull of anticipation in her stomach, her nipples hardening, thinking about his hands on her breasts.
“What’re you thinking about?” he asked, his voice low with a dark promise.
“Oh nothing.” She kissed him then, in public, which caught him off guard as they’d been keeping their little romance secret.
Although, people in the coffee shop really weren’t paying attention to anything.
“How is work going?” he asked.
“Curious or curious because of your business?”
Finn grinned. “Both.”
“It’s coming.” She fiddled with her mug, spinning it around. “I can’t really say.”
“I get it.”
But she knew that he wanted to ask her more about it. And she understood that, because it was his business and she hated that this came between them. On the flip side, she knew he cared about the lake too.
It was all about balance.
And she hoped she could find that, because she could really see herself making a life here and settling down. And settling down with him.
“You’ve gone a bit quiet,” Finn remarked. “That’s not usual for you.”
