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Mentioning how it seems impolite to dump this off on anyone—much less a member of Cael’s nobility—feels somewhat unnecessary. If I’ve learned anything from my conversations with Ollie it’s that impolite is an incredibly relative concept.
In fae terms, taking offense is quite rude if it has not directly been given.
So…I do as I’m told, and get ready for my first date in Faerie.
Chapter 23
~~~~~~~~~~~~
OTP: me and my social-be-gone crystal.
Aspen is blindingly beautiful with a deeper shade to her skin than Pila, long braided hair, and dark brown eyes. Her smile almost blinds me as she hugs Ollie in my backyard.
I might be jealous.
I should not be jealous.
Being jealous doesn’t help Ollie feel better about his past relationships.
If this woman even was a past relationship. Because I think he mentioned at some point that dryads don’t have mates…
That doesn’t mean they don’t have relationships, though.
She plays with his hair, and I clench my fists behind my back. I am wearing my cutest dress—a knee-length two-tone blue skirt and white top with short off-shoulder sleeves. I put on a dusting of lip gloss and have a little white heart-shape purse, which I have never used before even though I’m certain I impulse-bought it for fifty dollars years ago. I tied my hair back with a ribbon. Thirteen times. Because I couldn’t get the bow perfect enough in the first twelve.
I feel like a four-year-old in Aspen’s presence.
She’s tall, with long toned legs and bare feet. A string of red berries rests around her left ankle. Her white dress flows in stark contrast against her skin. The slit in the fabric runs all the way up to her hip.
I shift in my flats.
I had thought I was tall.
This woman is like a tree.
Which totally makes sense. Because she’s a dryad.
Ollie didn’t introduce me, because that’s not how the faeries do things unless they’re before royalty, I think. Ollie might have mentioned that briefly during his info-dump of culture and customs and warnings and a real underlying message of watch what you say all the time forever.
Which, ha ha, you know isn’t a problem, because I’ve already been doing that…
Maybe it’s the human in me that feels neglected. I wonder if it’s the human in me that is so painfully insecure, too. Then again, Ollie isn’t exactly a beacon of security, either.
Maybe that’s part of the person in us.
Darn.
It sucks to be a person sometimes, even when you’re a little bit of a creature, too.
Aspen’s eyes flick to me, and she smiles bright and wide, revealing a little gap between her two front teeth.
Ollie says, “Just don’t touch the things in the living room. I really appreciate this.”
“Don’t touch the things in the living room. Got it. Don’t worry and enjoy your time together.”
Ollie casts a look back at me, and the pale slashes of his cheeks tint red.
I shift my weight, hesitating when Ollie extends his hand. Going to him is the only thing that feels natural. So I unwind my fingers from behind my back and cross the yard, settling myself at his side. His heat soaks into my skin when my hand meets his, and I can breathe again.
