6
Ifelta hundred percent better once I was dressed. I was still sore as all get out so I dressed in a pair of cotton drawstring pants, flip flops, and a soft blue t-shirt. I tossed a cap over my offensive hair after I'd blow dried it and slapped on some lip gloss and mascara just to make me look a little more human. Dark circles were pronounced on my face and exhaustion made me look about ten years older. I made a vow right then never to over exert myselfagain.
When I stepped out of the room, Margo was there to greet me. I headed to the kitchen only to see that Hank had cleaned up the breakfast mess and left Margo out a bowl of food. I sighed. For a hair snob, Hank was a pretty thoughtful guy. I peeked out of the kitchen window only to see him out by my slab. I grabbed a light sweater I had hanging by the door and stepped out. I was moving slower than I would have liked but I no longer felt at death's door so that wasprogress.
Hank was moving around the slab at a slow pace, stopping every few seconds to examine something closer. Sunlight glinted off his dark hair and his skin was beginning to show a hint of tan. The temperature was starting to heat up a little more so soon enough, Hank would be a dark golden brown. Every summer when I went into his nursery, I noticed it, but I was beginning to realize that I never really noticedhim. Not until we were thrown together in closerproximity.
"Find anything of substance?" I asked once I'd made my wayover.
He shook his head. "I'm not really expecting to either. I don't possess inherent magic. Not like you. I have certain abilities, but those aren't magical. Speed, strength." He shrugged. "It serves me well for lugging bags of soil and rock around, but it doesn't help me with stuff like this." He looked up and smirked when he saw my hat. "You're looking a little more chipper. Think you're up for awalk?"
"Should be. I'm curious to know what youfound."
He straightened and wiped his hands on his blue jeans. "You won't likeit."
"I haven't liked much of anything the last few days," Isaid.
"Followme."
I let Hank lead the way. Most of the land had paths cleared, otherwise I never would have been able to walk most of it, but as we made our way farther back, deep brush slowed us down. Hank took a sharp left turn and kept going, doing his best to keep most of the brush out of my way. We walked for several minutes more when he stopped abruptly. Right in front of us was a structure made out of rock. From what I could tell it appeared to be a natural formation. I shrugged and looked at Hank. "Acave?"
He nodded, but he stared at it like it was going to bitehim.
"Did you goin?"
He noddedagain.
"I'm not really following. If it's a natural cave, it's been here for years. I'm not sure what the big dealis."
Hank chuckled, but it wasn't in amusement. "Do you know who owns thistown?"
I gave him a curious stare. "Rumor is the founder is the one who owns the DeadicationAgency."
He nodded. "Portia Kadish." He ventured closer to the cave. "She founded the town and the agency. It's an odd thing, don't you think? All of the people who live here finding perfect soul mates and never having toleave?"
I guess I'd never thought about it that way, but I was a romantic at heart. "You're a cynic. You don't believe in soulmates?"
Hank gave a dismissive huff of breath. "It's not being a cynic to know that love isn't quite the hearts and flowery notion we believe it tobe."
"I disagree. Relationships aren't all hearts and flowers, but love can be. Especially at the beginning. Once you've known someone for awhile, it deepens. Morphs into something stronger." I stepped closer to him. "You've never had that?" I didn't know what I was talking about. I hadn't had it either. The closest I'd come to love was my high school boyfriend who only dated me so he could talk to his deceased sister. I had flings, but they were outside the town. I didn't really believe in sowing my wild oats where my homewas.
Hank's gaze darkened. "Love isn't all it's cracked up to be," hemumbled.
"No, but the falling certainly can be fun, don't youthink?"
Our gazes crashed into each other. His fell to my lips. I stood there like a hunted deer. Thoughts swirled in my head a hundred miles an hour. I thought Hank might be attracted to me. I knew you didn't have to like someone to find them physically attractive, but the truth was...I kind of liked him. Even though I annoyed him, the heat in his eyes wasn't anger. It wasdifferent.
He stepped closer to me, filling my personal space up. His thumb reached out and stroked the bottom of my lip. Heat poured through me at histouch.
"Falling is never fun," hewhispered.
I tilted my face up and stared into his caramel eyes. "You don't like that feeling when your stomach drops out from under you and all you can think about is thatperson?"
He shook his head. "I have other things to think about. Plants. Dirt. Growingseasons."
"Why, Hank, that sounds awfullyboring."
A smile quirked his lips. "Why do I find you so distracting?" he murmured more to himself thanme.
