A Fae to Remember Read online

“I’d like to walk around the grounds and get a feel for the place now, if you don’t mind.”

  “That would be great.” Stacy beamed at him. “I had to fire our last gardener for selling Dianna’s underwear on the Internet, and I haven’t had time to tend to things myself.”

  “It’ll be very well cared for.” Again, the hint of secrets lingered in his eyes.

  “Thank you.”

  “Thank you.”

  That smile. Again.

  Stacy left, her emotions torn. This new gardener appeared to have an honest appreciation for the gardens, yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Or was it his thanks and the way he’d acted—as if she’d handed him the world on a plate and tossed in the moon, too?

  She’d have to keep an eye on him for the next few days—not an altogether unpleasant chore. Grinning, she hurried back toward the house.

  Nic watched Stacy return to the house, unable to believe his good luck. A gardener? He could have been anything she expected him to be, but a gardener was perfect. For once, luck was on his side. What better job could there be for a member of the Fae?

  Now he would be here daily, able to see his Anna...Dianna. In a short time, she would be his again.

  He toured the small cottage in moments, using magic to give the appearance of settling in: toiletries in the bathroom, a book—on gardening, of course—on the table in the main room, and a few clothes in the dresser and closet. There, he was unpacked.

  With a grin, Nic sprinted into the vast gardens, inhaling the crisp spring air, unable to keep the joy from his step.

  After all this time, he’d finally found Anna. And all he was required to do in the meantime was care for the trees, bushes, and flowers.

  He paused to survey the expansive grounds. Magic would take care of most of it, but he could use some pillywiggins’ help on the flowers. Scanning the blossoms, he watched and waited.

  Soon, his patience was rewarded with a flicker of color and light, barely noticeable to the human eye. But then, he wasn’t human.

  “Columbine,” he called. “Come here.”

  The dancing flicker paused, then rose to hover before his face. The tiny flower faery was clearly visible now, her long hair encircled in tiny columbines, her short gown glowing with translucent color.

  “Nic?” She flew closer. “What are you doing here? I thought you were in our world painting Titania’s portrait.”

  “I finished that. I’m living here now.” He couldn’t stop his broad smile. “I found Anna.”

  “Anna? Your wife?” A sudden breeze caught Columbine, and she drifted away only to circle back and perch on a nearby tree limb. “But I thought...I thought...” Her voice lowered. “I thought she died.”

  “She did.” Nic’s smile fell. Anna had died because of his stupidity. “But she’s been reborn as an immortal, so now we can be together forever.”

  Columbine flew to his forehead and placed her tiny palm against it. “Have you been eating hollyhocks?”

  “No.” He shook his head and the pillywiggin zipped back to the safety of the tree. “I loved Anna so much, I couldn’t bear the thought of losing her, so I asked Titania to make her immortal.”

  Columbine’s bright blue eyes widened. “And she agreed?” She abruptly tumbled from her perch, and Nic caught her, even before she had a chance to stop her fall. Replacing Columbine on her seat, Nic grimaced. “Provided I paint her portrait.” Titania never did anything without a price. “She claimed none of the mortal artists could get it right, so that left me.”

  Columbine glanced up from straightening her gown. “You are an acclaimed artist, Nic.”

  “That was decades ago. I’ve been gone from the mortal realm for years. That life is over now. It ended when Anna...left me.” His words emerged with a shudder, the pain still too near the surface. “I should have known it was too easy. When Titania agreed to perform the spell, she neglected to tell me everything.”

  He paused, waiting for the constriction in his throat to ease. “I didn’t know Anna would have to die until I was holding her body in my arms. Titania never told me Anna would have to be reborn.”

  “But you said she’s alive, that you’d found her.”

  “I have.” Knowing that helped push away the threatening grief. “It took me twenty-five mortal years to paint Titania’s portrait to her satisfaction, but I’ve been searching for Anna since I returned to this world. I knew she was here in the mortal world, somewhere between twenty and twenty-five years old, and I finally found her.”

  “How?” Columbine’s gaze grew dreamy. “I bet you knew her on first sight.”

  “Absolutely.” Nic would never forget seeing Anna—now known as Dianna Fielding—on the television screen. He’d searched everywhere, only to have her appear before him when he least expected it. She looked the same: her straight white-blonde hair long, her blue eyes vibrant, her skin tanned and smooth, her lips wide and full. He had no doubt she was his Anna. “She’s a singer now. A pop star. And she lives here.” He waved his hand toward the main house. “I should have expected it. Other than her gardens, Anna always loved to sing.”

  “How wonderful.” The faery clapped her hands. “Oh, Nic, all you have to do is introduce yourself, and she’ll be yours again.”

  Nic sighed. “It’s not that easy. Titania said she won’t remember our life together.”

  “But you can win her.” Columbine performed a dizzying twirl in the air. “You’re Fae. No mortal woman can resist you if you so decide.”

  That was true. But with luck, some part of Anna would remember him, something deep in her soul would recall the love they shared. He hadn’t used magic to win her love the first time, and he didn’t intend to use it now. Magic was for more concrete things...like tending a garden.

  “And you can help, Columbine.”

  “Certainly.” She hovered before him.

  “I need you and some of the pillywiggins to make this the best garden on earth, so it appears I’m doing my job as a gardener.”

  “You’re the gardener?” Her soft giggle drifted on the air. “We’ll be glad to do it. What fun.” She soared away as she called to the others. “Pansy, Tulip, I need to talk to you. Nic is here, and we can help him.”

  Nic grinned. With their help, he’d have lots of time to woo Dianna. Provided the sister didn’t get in the way.

  The feeling of being watched made Nic turn, and he spied Stacy in a large window of the house, her gaze aimed in his direction. Probably wondering who he was talking to all by himself in the midst of the flowers. No doubt she’d suspect him of being loony.

  Off to a good start I am.

  With a cocky grin, he raised his hand in greeting, and she immediately disappeared from sight.

  Odd one, that sister. She presented a cool, organized exterior, yet she had to have been the one he’d kissed last night. And he’d found definite, hot passion...plus a foot in the gut. Which, come to think of it, was a lot like Anna.

  Yet Stacy Fielding looked nothing like Anna except perhaps for the nose: long, slender, turned up slightly at the end. Stacy’s hair was more a honey blonde, darker than Anna’s, and short, in tight curls all over her head. And her eyes were more gray than blue, almost frosty, in fact, when she’d warned him away from her sister. But her mouth was generous. She could be attractive if she smiled. Though he didn’t think she did that often.

  A study of contrasts was Stacy Fielding. She could make it difficult for him to get near Dianna, but not impossible. Not for him. Nic smiled again and sauntered deeper onto the estate grounds.

  With magic, nothing was impossible.

  Chapter Two

  “What else can go wrong?” Stacy hung up the phone, then shook her head. “I didn’t say that.” With her luck, something worse would happen.

  With Dianna due home at the end of the week, Stacy needed to have everything ready to start rehearsals for the summer tour. She could make do with two costumes not being ready in time, but ha
ving a labor dispute threaten the completion of the scenery was too much. She’d insisted on having the sets delivered as is. With luck, she could find some painters in this area to finish them.

  She stood and stretched the kinks from her back, pushing her arms toward the ceiling. What a horrible day. Thank goodness it was almost over.

  A gentle breeze wafted in through the partially open window, carrying the scent of spring, drawing her gaze outside. Yes, the gardens. She always felt revived after spending some time there.

  And she could check up on the new gardener. She’d barely seen him in the past two days and still wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Just thinking about him triggered an extra beat in her pulse.

  Stop it, Stacy.

  The last thing she needed—or wanted—was a man in her life. Besides, Nic Stone would undoubtedly be like every other man she’d ever met—with eyes only for Dianna, not her. She grimaced as unwanted memories surfaced. After this many years, she should be used to it, yet remembering Anthony’s betrayal still hurt. And made her feel stupid.

  Well, she was older and wiser now.

  She emerged into the back gardens, reveling in the new blossoms on the apple trees, the jonquils lining the path, and the overall fresh scent of nature returning to life after a cold, hard winter. No other season held such magic as spring.

  Already her headache was fading, her weariness dissipating. Now she felt only an eagerness to work in the soil. But where? The new gardener was obviously doing an excellent job. She couldn’t find anywhere that needed tending. In fact, the entire area looked revitalized, alive with energy, better than she’d ever seen it.

  She paused finally beside a bed of daffodils and knelt down to run her fingers through the soil. Not a sign of a weed or a fading blossom. Amazing.

  A gentle breeze tousled the branches of a nearby lilac bush, the emerging buds capturing Stacy’s attention. Soon the bush would burst open with color and scent that she could bring inside to help her through her long days.

  But for now, the perfect daffodil blossoms would do. Stacy snapped several flowers, then froze, sensing a presence behind her. She glanced up over her shoulder to find Nic watching her, his expression unreadable.

  A short shiver of guilt ran through her, as if she shouldn’t be taking the flowers. But Stacy dismissed it. This was her garden. These were her flowers. She stood and faced him, lifting her chin. “I wanted some flowers to brighten my office.”

  He nodded but said nothing.

  “They make the day more bearable,” she added, explaining even as she told herself she shouldn’t have to. “If I can’t be out here, at least I can have some of it inside the house with me.”

  “Do you draw energy from nature?” His intense gaze made her feel her answer was important. With the towering mountains behind him, he appeared almost one with them, stalwart, imposing, a part of nature himself.

  “I guess I do.” Now that she thought about it, she did feel better when surrounded by plants and flowers. “I’ve always loved growing things.” She smiled slightly. “If I hadn’t gone to work for Dianna, I probably would have gone into botany or something similar.”

  Nic gave her a slow smile that caused her pulse to skip a beat. Damn, why did he have to look so devastating? “I understand. The daffodils will bring the sunshine inside for you.”

  “Exactly.” He did understand. “They keep me going through the chaos.”

  He arched one eyebrow. “Chaos?”

  “Arranging Dianna’s schedule, her tour, her music.”

  “You do all of that?”

  “I try.” Most often she succeeded, though lately the pressure weighed heavy on her. If she could just get this tour off smoothly, then Kevin could take over, and she’d have her first break in years.

  She glanced at Nic to find him studying her, as if he could read her thoughts. Searching to change the subject, she motioned toward the budding lilac bush. “How much longer before the lilacs bloom? They’re my favorite.”

  As she’d hoped, Nic glanced toward the bush. “Two, three days, perhaps. Lilacs?” he asked. “Not roses?”

  “No.” Roses were more Dianna’s type. “I prefer lilacs, even if they are short-lived. They give all they have in one burst—a fantastic scent and glorious color. Roses take so long to bloom, to reach perfection, then fade away after barely allowing a glimpse of that beauty.”

  That brought Nic’s attention back to her, a quick tingle of excitement racing through her blood. His gaze locked on hers, warm and thoughtful. He raised his hand as if he intended to touch her, then dropped it again.

  “You’re a most unusual woman, Stacy Fielding.” He sounded amused.

  Stacy blinked in surprise. She’d never been told that before. Heck, she’d hardly been noticed before except as a means of getting to Dianna. “You only say that because you haven’t met Dianna.”

  “I imagine she has her own unique qualities, too.”

  His sincerity reached deep inside her, stirring a new awareness. For a brief moment, tears pricked Stacy’s eyes, but she blinked them quickly away. He acted as if he honestly appreciated her, as if he saw her for her, not as Dianna’s sister.

  She turned away, afraid of this longing he awakened. “I need to get these in water.” She took only a couple of steps, then paused, words emerging before she thought them through. “Want to join me for dinner?”

  Oh, jeez. Why had she said that? Already she knew it was dangerous to spend much time around this gardener. She rushed on with an explanation. “I’m ordering Chinese, and they won’t deliver if I only order enough for myself.”

  She waited for his answer, her chest tight. Maybe he’d refuse.

  Maybe he wouldn’t.

  “Are you sure I wouldn’t be imposing?”

  “No.” She didn’t want to be alone in that house, not tonight. Even if she was being foolish. “I’d enjoy the company.” Perhaps too much so.

  “Then I accept. Thank you.” Nic smiled again, and Stacy couldn’t help but return it, inordinately pleased at his acceptance. “Let me clean up, and I’ll join you at the house,” he added.

  He didn’t look all that dirty to her, but Stacy nodded. “See you soon then.” She rushed away, unwilling to listen to the voice of warning in her mind.

  What was she doing, inviting him to join her for dinner? She’d never done anything like this before. Not with a gardener. Not with any man.

  Especially with someone who was a stranger.

  Yet something about Nic Stone intrigued her, attracted her, made her curious to know more.

  She put the flowers in water and placed them on the desk in her office, then grabbed the menu for a local Chinese place, perusing it as she headed for the back door. Cashew chicken for herself, of course, with fried rice, and—“Oh!”.

  Opening the door, she found Nic there, his hand poised to knock, and he stumbled forward, wrapping his arm around her waist to stop himself.

  Which brought his lean, muscular form tight against her body.

  Stacy stared at him, her eyes wide, unable to speak. She’d never been so aware of a man’s presence in her entire life.

  For a moment, time seemed to freeze as Nic returned her stare, heat flickering in his own eyes. Abruptly, he released her and stepped back. “I’m sorry. Clumsy of me.”

  “That...that’s all right.” Stacy stepped back, the air around her cool in comparison to the previous heat. “I...the kitchen is this way. I need to set the table.” She hurried inside, not daring to look at him, her cheeks burning.

  How could something so wrong feel so right?

  The phrase from a song she’d written for Dianna flickered through Stacy’s mind. How appropriate. She’d vowed never to get involved with another man, and that applied even to one as sexy as Nic. Especially to one as sexy as Nic.

  “What should I order for you?” she asked, not daring to look back at him.

  “I like it all.” His voice was quiet, the hint of an ac
cent teasing her senses. “Something spicy, perhaps?”

  Yes, that fit him. Definitely spicy. “General Tso’s chicken?”

  “That’s fine.”

  Stacy set the menu on the counter next to the phone, and Nic came to stand beside her, not touching her, yet very much a presence, long, lanky, and very, very male. “And hot and sour soup,” he added.

  “Okay.” She placed their order and received a confirmation. Hanging up the phone, she looked at Nic. “Thirty-five minutes.”

  He still stood close, far too close for her rapid pulse, but good humor danced in his eyes. “Great. I’m starved. How much do I owe?”

  “Nothing. I invited you.”

  “I insist. I wouldn’t feel right otherwise.”

  Interesting. Most men were glad to let her pay. After all, her sister was wealthy, so therefore Stacy must have tons of money as well. “If you insist. Half is eight dollars.”

  Nodding, he touched his back pocket, hesitated a moment, then produced a slim wallet. Removing some bills, he handed them to her. “Here.”

  His fingers brushed hers as Stacy took the money, and she barely kept herself from jerking away. Something about this man, about his touch, affected her like a perfectly played sonata. Goose bumps ran up her arms, and she looked away, taking her time to put the money together with hers to pay the delivery person.

  “I like this room.”

  At Nic’s announcement, she turned back to him. He stood in the middle of the kitchen, surveying the light wood cabinets and countertops, the island in the center, the pans hanging on hooks, and the philodendrons spreading their leaves along the macramé plant hangers. “So do I.”

  She enjoyed the soft warmth of this room. It felt like home and reminded her of the happy times spent with her parents in their smaller but equally loving kitchen.

  “Whose house is this?”

  His question startled her. Why should that matter?

  Her unease must have shown, for he gave her a broad smile. “It makes me think of you, at least this room does. Did you decorate it?”

  “Most of it.” Stacy paused, then plunged ahead. What did it matter if he knew what everyone in town could tell him? “The house is in my name, as Dianna wasn’t of legal age when we bought it, but it belongs to both of us. Once she became famous, we needed a place like this with more protection, with the space to have a studio on site.”