Dreagan
Lily dusted off her knees and stood from restocking the twelve-year-old Scotch, Dreagan’s bestseller. She rotated her left wrist that still ached. It had been three months since the break had healed, but she feared it would always pain her.
The bones that had been snapped in half throbbed agonizingly a few hours before the rain came. It was like an early warning sign.
She glanced at the clock with the Dreagan logo of two dragons back-to-back, announcing it was well past time to end her shift. It was an early closing day for Dreagan, which meant she had the rest of the afternoon to herself. She grabbed the empty box and brought it behind the counter so Rhys or one of the others could take it to have it filled again.
There was very little wasted on Dreagan, and Lily found she liked the concept. It also helped that she could relax there. Relaxing hadn’t been something she’d thought she would ever do again.
With all the tourists gone for the day, she filled a pail with water and headed through the open door outside to water the rosebushes set in huge clay pots on either side of the door.
Lily watered the first bush and leaned in to smell the fragrant creamy orange blossom. She turned to the second pot when she stilled as she caught sight of Rhys.
He was dressed in black jeans that looked light gray on the thigh as if they had been sanded. His button-down shirt was white and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. The back of the shirt had black wings embroidered and spread across his wide shoulders. The ensemble was completed with black boots, a black leather cuff at his right wrist, and a watch on his left.
Lily couldn’t take her eyes off him. His dark brown hair was left loose, the long waves falling to brush his shoulders. From the distance she couldn’t see his eyes, but she knew the color by heart—aqua ringed by navy.
He was smiling, his steps purposeful. Lily was about to call out a hello when he jerked to a stop and whipped his head around as someone said his name.
As soon as Lily saw Constantine she knew she should go back inside the shop, but she wanted just a few more minutes to gaze at Rhys with no one watching her. She lifted the pail to water the second bush when Con’s voice reached her.
“Wanted to let you know that I heard from Kiril.”
Rhys’s smile widened. “I’m guessing it’s good news, then?”
“Aye. He’ll be home soon. I gave him until noon, but I suspect he’s wanting a last farewell with his woman.”
Rhys’s smile vanished as he looked at his watch. “You spoke with him at dawn, aye?”
Con slapped him on the arm, his eyes crinkling in the corners from smiling. “Be happy, Rhys. Kiril is coming home. He’s no’ reckless as you are. If he says he’s going to do something, he’ll do it. Besides, I’m giving him another hour before I contact him again.”
“You’re right,” Rhys said grudgingly.
Lily felt something wet hit her toe in her sandals. She looked down to discover she had overflowed the pot. “Oh, dang,” she mumbled and quickly stepped back.
When she looked up, Rhys was no longer in the same spot. She let her gaze quickly roam, but she didn’t see him. With a sigh, she began to turn to enter the shop when she heard his voice filled with merriment.
“Ladies!” he shouted.
She gradually turned her head to find two women leaning on Rhys’s red convertible Jaguar F-type. The women were drop-dead gorgeous, both tall, with long legs, slender bodies, and plump breasts. Both were blondes and had long, full hair. They stood, all smiles, as Rhys walked up.
Suddenly conscious of her dour, plain clothes that were several sizes too big, Lily glanced down at herself. She pulled on the oversized top and grimaced.
Rhys put an arm around the women before kissing each of them fully on the lips. He then walked them around to the passenger side of the car and opened the door. “Buckle up,” he said with a grin as he closed the door and strode to the driver’s side.
Lily swallowed hard as Cassie walked up beside her, her head shaking from side to side in displeasure. “That car only fits two. He can’t have two women in one seat,” she said in her American accent.
“He’s gorgeous. It’s no wonder he always has such beautiful women on his arms.”
Cassie snorted derisively. “Puh-leeze, Lily. If you look up the word skank, you’ll find a picture of those women beside it.”
Lily found herself chuckling, but it didn’t make her feel any better. Rhys was so far out of her league he wasn’t even a speck on the horizon.
“He’s charming. Always has been,” Cassie continued. “But I wouldn’t set my sights on him, if I were you.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Lily said and walked back into the shop.