Taking her seat at the table, Aubrey smiled at Landon. “I see you’ve brought me to an enchanted garden.”
“And you fit right in,” Landon said with an appreciative glance.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” When she had her blush under control, she took another good look around the garden. “Maybe I should just drink some morning dew for lunch.”
“I’d expect nothing less from a fay.” His tone was light, but the heat in his gaze made her shiver with awareness.
Then her stomach rumbled uproariously as though sayingShe is no ethereal fairy, mister.
“My tummy disagrees with the whole dew-for-lunch idea.”
“We’ll have to find you something more substantial.”
Her rich salmon bisque and the brightly flavored lamb curry burrito were definitely more substantial and satisfying than morning dew. While she’d never drunk morning dew, she assumed it tasted pretty much like condensation on a glass of a cold drink.
The bite she snagged from Landon’s lobster enchiladas wasalso amazing. The generous bites of lobster were chewy without being rubbery, and the enchilada sauce had a smoky kick to it to prevent the dish from becoming too rich.
“This trip was a great idea. I don’t think I’ll forget it anytime soon.” Sitting with a full stomach in the sun-warmed garden turned Aubrey into a happy Buddha.
“Well, it’s not over yet. You still haven’t tried the olallie-berry pie.”
“Don’t tell anyone I said this, but there’s no way I could fit pie into my stomach right now.”
“Okay, then. Let’s make like tourists and check out downtown Cambria. I’m sure we can burn off our lunch and make room for pie.”
“Could we take a nap first?”
“Up you go, lazy buns.” Landon lifted her by her arms, and happy Buddha had no choice but to waddle along beside him.
Downtown Cambria reminded Aubrey of Weldon, but it had a slightly more laid-back, beach-town feel to it. Fewer diners and more cafés with outdoor seating. She’d forgotten how fun it was to be a tourist. The streets were studded with stores full of local art, wines, and olive oils and everything else Cambria. She was particularly drawn to a quaint shop with delicate handblown glassware. As she browsed the shop, soaking in all the lovely globes, jars, and bottles, Landon gestured to her that he’d be outside to take a call.
She was roaming down the aisles when a row of graceful glass bottles caught her eye. The teardrop-shaped bottles had oversize globe stoppers that gave them a bold, startling look. They felt kind ofoff—just enough to draw her attention—but notwrong.The odd proportion and balance of the bottles gave them a unique beauty that entranced her. She gasped a little at the price tag, but she just couldn’t walk away from them.They’d be perfect for her moonstones, and she wanted to give one to Landon for the wonderful day trip.
Well, you only live once.Aubrey picked out a green bottle for Landon and a light blue one for herself. She marched with determination to the cashier but had to take a deep breath before she could actually put the bottles down for her to scan and wrap.
“I didn’t mean to neglect you for so long. We might actually start shooting as scheduled if the stars line up for us.” The bottles were safely packaged and stored in a sturdy shopping bag when Landon walked in with an apologetic smile. “Been shopping? What did you get?”
“Oh, just a small souvenir.”
Landon cocked his head at her but didn’t pry. He took the shopping bag and linked his fingers through hers. They strolled hand in hand, glancing at the shops lining the street. Aubrey couldn’t help her heart from fluttering from the simple pleasure. He’d been incredibly attentive and sweet the entire day and found ways to touch her every chance he got—holding her hand, guiding her by the small of her back, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. All the while, Aubrey’s heart beat—more, more, and more.
“So are you ready for your olallieberry pie?”
“Yes, please.” Anything to stop this day from ending.
He chuckled softly while his eyes lingered on her face and his thumb traced a circle on the palm of her hand. She exhaled a quiet sigh. He wanted time to slow down, too.
The famous olallieberry pie was famous for a reason. The bakery was housed in a converted two-story cottage that was bursting with cozy charm and pie-hungry customers. Their tablewas on the second floor, overlooking a trinket shop that Aubrey wanted to clean out. It was cuteness overload.
“There you go,” their server said, placing two picture-perfect slices of pie in front of them, then bustling off to serve the other slices of pie balanced on her arm.
“Wow,” Aubrey said. “Their definition of a slice is a quarter of the pie?”
“Trust me. It’s the perfect size. A wimpy one-eighth slice would leave you licking the plate, consoling your stomach’s unfulfilled need for more pie.”
Aubrey laughed and broke the golden, flaky crust to scoop up her first bite. She stopped laughing. She stopped talking. It was all about the pie as she savored the intensity of the tart and sweet filling and the richness of the buttery, short crust. Olallie-berries looked similar to a blackberry but had the soft skin and delicate seeds of raspberries, so the deep, royal-purple filling had a fun, slightly chewy texture.
When she finally glanced up from her plate, Landon was watching her with the Smile. Of course she smiled back. She couldn’t stop herself even though she suspected her teeth were tainted purple and dotted with olallieberry seeds.
