I came out from the corner and smiled. “Hey, Simone. I have something for you.”
She gasped. “My plants? Already?” Her eyes lit up.
The strange wolf gave her a weird look.
Caelan held a hand up. “Let’s discuss other business first, Simone.”
I swallowed hard. This didn’t sound good. “Sure!” I chirped. “How can I help?”
“Can we speak in your office?” Caelan’s expression was unreadable. My magic flared in response to the question. The surrounding plants didn’t feel anger from him, which was good to know, but I still felt unnerved.
The bell rang again, announcing another customer. Moira gave me a warning look before turning to greet the newcomer.
“Sure.” I sent a whisper of power to the office. Poe would feel it and hopefully hide the egg. With Tess’s silencing spell, Caelan and the other shifters shouldn’t feel anything strange.
I led them to the back. Simone smiled when she walked in, her gaze skimming over the room, eyes alight with pleasure. The other wolf gave it a once-over for threats, but green things did not seem to impress him. Caelan was all business, though. He went straight to the table and opened the book of samples.
“We’re having a Pack gathering and would like to hire you for the floral arrangements.” Caelan gestured for Simone. “Come and look through this. I’d like the focal piece to have crimson flowers.”
Simone hurried over to flip through the book.
The Shifter Lord turned to me. “This is my Beta, Garrett.”
I nodded to the shifter.
“Garrett, this is Evie Quinn. She’s the owner of this shop and a talented…” Caelan paused. “Plant mage.”
My lips twitched. “Floromancer, actually,” I corrected.
Garrett’s teeth pulled away from his lips. “Your magic is flowers?” The way he said it pissed me off. Like flowers were beneath him. Magic rumbled in the room. My magic. And not my Floromancy. There was a beat of silence before I spoke.
“Nature is the most powerful force on earth,” I said evenly.
Garrett’s eyes narrowed on me.
Caelan’s eyes flared gold. “Don’t be rude, Garrett.” His voice came out in a raspy growl. “Evie is the most talented florist in town.”
My nostrils flared. I was far more than a florist. Was this insult Evie day? I cleared my throat. “What day is your event?”
Simone answered. “Two weeks from today.”
I had zero desire to work for Caelan again. He’d paid quickly when the funeral flowers were delivered, but I had a rare opening on the books, and I was trying my best to stay on good terms and get him out of my shop. But I didn’t want him coming around all the time.
I winced. “I’m so sorry. I don’t have any availability for at least the next sixty days.”
Garrett’s eyes widened. Simone turned away from the book and stared at me. Caelan’s fists clenched at his side. I slapped a polite smile on my face. “I was able to accommodate your last request due to a last-minute cancellation, but I normally have a three-month waiting list.”
“You refuse the Shifter Lord?” Garrett growled.
“I’m a private business. I have the right to refuse service to anyone.” I gave him a tight smile and walked to the shelf behindmy desk. I’d put almost a dozen starter pots in a box lid for easy carrying.
Since Simone seemed so excited about the possibility of having a piece of all of my plants, I took cuttings of the ones that were easiest to grow and had been nurturing them to stay strong and hardy. She’d be hard pressed to kill anything I gave her.
I took the box down and tested the soil in a few of the pots with the tip of my index finger. “These won’t need any water for at least the next few days,” I said as I put the box down beside Simone.
Her eyes lit up. “Thank you?—”
“Omega!” Garrett barked. “Do not accept gifts from this...this…”
