“What rumors?”
“That ice-cold Ash is taken with our pretty new summer pixie.”
That doesn’t help with the glowing situation.
“I can tell when I’m about to be a third wheel.” Ryder walks down my garden path. “I’ll see you at the meeting. Don’t forget you promised to sit by me—you’re not getting out of that.”
The elf pauses at the gate to talk to Ash, but the brief conversation is too quiet for me to hear. Whatever Ryder says chases the scowl from Ash’s face.
Ryder drives down the lane just as Ash reaches me at the front step.
“Hi,” I say, my arms suddenly feeling awkward, like I’m not sure what to do with them.
“Good evening.”
Ash is dressed in a gray waistcoat this time, and his blond hair is back as usual. He looks fussy.
Hot fussy.
“Hudson mentioned you went to Albany today,” he says. “Did you have a good drive?”
“I did.”
He smiles, but his eyes are slightly narrowed. “I trust your tea shop will be ready to open by the festival?”
I beckon him forward, inviting him in. “That’s a polite way to call me a slacker.”
“It was an unrelated question.”
“Sure.” I lead him into the kitchen, noting that Rowan is already gone. “Do you want tea? We still have some time before we need to leave for town, and I owe you today’s cup.”
“Tea would be fine.” He sits at the table. “Would you like to accompany me to the meeting?”
“I was hoping you’d ask since you chased off my ride.” I fill the kettle with water. “What did Ryder say to you before he left?”
Ash looks down at the table, hiding a smirk. “Nothing important.”
Pretty sure they were talking about me, I walk over to him. “No answer, no tea.”
I smile so he knows I’m joking.
Ash looks up at me, his dark brown eyes studying my face. “He said you started glowing when you saw me.”
“Oh.” I avert my eyes, sighing because this is far more of a problem than it ever was back home.
And then I spot the rollers on the buffet and remember I look like Medusa.
I turn away from the councilman. Quickly, I run my fingers through my hair, hoping to soften the curls.
“What’s the matter?” Ash asks.
I can feel his eyes on me even though I’m not looking at him. “Nothing. I was just in the middle of doing my hair when Ryder came to the door, and I need to comb through the curls.”
Ash rises. “With your fingers?”
“You make do with what you have.”
He steps close, towering over me, and then runs his hands through my hair.
