The Florida Everglades were beautiful but not enough to keep my mind off Blaise. Through work and screening my calls from Cherry, I’d managed to cut him completely out of my life. I didn’t see him, no one I saw knew him, and Cherry didn’t mention him after the first couple of times that I hung up on her. I should’ve been okay. It’d been almost two weeks. Looong weeks with nothing to do but work and enjoy southern Florida. I should’ve been having the time of my life, planting and working on making magic happen with my seedlings.

I was a stone’s throw away from the beach. I was within five minutes of a beautiful bar. I was surrounded by scientists and beautiful surfers. Yet, all I could think about was Blaise. I didn’t need help thinking of him, but when I saw a large crane take to the air, my mind thought of him. When I saw a couple walking down the street, I thought of him. When I got back to my hotel room at night and saw that the cleaning people had been there, I thought of him.

It was crazy. The only thing I could compare to the pain I felt was what I’d felt when Cherry and I had lost our mother. It was offensive to think that losing a man could compare to losing my mother, but my heart didn’t care. I’d done my best to keep Blaise at arm’s length while we were together those couple weeks, but he’d crept in. I’d barely allowed us to talk, but it had happened, of course.

The tiny conversations we’d had while stripping or getting dressed after had snuck into my brain, and I kept hearing his voice. He’d tell me I was beautiful or comment on how he could tell I’d had a good day because I’d been more excited. He’d been paying so much attention to me the whole time that I’d ended up feeling special and cared for. Knowing what he was feeling when he gazed down at me before we both orgasmed together, knowing that he’d looked at me with so much love and care, it was my undoing in the silent hours I spent alone at night. When I should’ve slept, I stared at the popcorn ceiling of my room and listened to cars go by on the highway outside the hotel, thinking of Blaise and what he was doing.

He was always around. He didn’t think I knew that he flew above me when I insisted I find my own way home at night, but I did. I could feel him making sure I got home safe. He’d hang out for a few minutes while I got ready for bed, and then he’d go back to his place. He kept watch over me. He threatened my neighbor for me. It was sick to say that I didn’t want him to be controlling and then find all those things charming, but I did. I knew he wasn’t trying to control me when he did those things. He was just…caring for me.

I couldn’t feel him since I left home. I’d been out at night. I’d walked the beach alone. I’d even been to a bar and had a man hit on me, but there was no sign of him. I hadn’t felt his jealousy or hurt. Nothing. He’d let me leave. It was what I’d said that I wanted, but having it didn’t feel good at all.

Instead of staying in and feeling like bashing my head against a wall all the time, I’d been working overtime and treating the plants I was trying to grow like my own children. I hung around them and did all the things I normally did with my plants. I talked to them, I sang to them, I even read to them. I did it so much that I was pretty sure my coworkers were convinced that I was crazy. I was also sure that the plants even thought I was overbearing. They weren’t doing as well as they should’ve been, even if someone with my reputation had been growing them.

It was like they could feel my mood. No matter how many times I sang upbeat songs to them, they remained droopy and slowly died in the wet soil they were in. It was one of the worst jobs I’d ever done. I wasn’t surprised when the team who’d brought me on lightly explained that they weren’t in need of my services anymore.

It was fine. I’d have other jobs. One failed experiment wouldn’t tarnish the reputation I’d gotten. It made me feel even worse, though. I felt like a failure in every aspect of my life.

I was stuck in that mindset and didn’t want to go home to kill my own plants, so I stayed in my hotel for another few days. There was no point in going home. I knew that I’d just run back to Blaise, and I still hoped there was some way that time would erase him from me.

I was really feeling sorry for myself when Cherry called.

“Your nephew is kicking the shit out of me.”

A little of the ice around my heart melted. “How are you doing?”

“I’m miserable. I’m so tired that all I want to do is sleep. Lately, I keep noticing the children at the library. Not when they’re good. I notice when there are temper tantrums being thrown and pages being torn out of books and sassy backtalk being hurled at parents. What if my kid is a terrible little hellion? What if my kid is the kid who screams in the library?”

“I don’t think that you and Cezar could make a hellion baby. You’re both too sweet and nice.” I sat back against my headboard and laughed. “Although, I can see it now. You chasing your own kid around that big place for a change.”

“Don’t jinx me.”

“So, you don’t think it’d be funny?”

Cherry fake laughed. “No. And you won’t either when you’re the one watching him all the time.”

“Or her. I didn’t correct you earlier, but I could have a niece.”

“You’re out of luck, sis. I think Cezar willed it into being, but our little egglet is a boy.”

I sat up, the dark feelings fading for a bit. “What? You found out? Why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you let me know when the appointment was?”

“I didn’t go to an appointment. Dragons and they’re magical noses can tell.” She hesitated. “And I didn’t say anything sooner because I didn’t think you’d care.”

“Cherry, of course, I’d care!”

“You say that, Chyna, but you’ve been so angry lately. You snap at everyone, and I can tell you’re sad. I can feel it. We’re not dragons or mates, but we’re twins, Chyna. I can feel how sad you are. I didn’t want to say anything…”

I looked up and met my reflection’s stare. Deep bags darkened my lower lids. I’d lost weight, and even my hair seemed dry, frizzy, and brittle. I looked like hell. More importantly, I felt like hell. No wonder everyone could tell.

Tears filled my eyes as I thought of my sister keeping something so exciting from me because she thought I’d be too negative for it. “I’m sorry, Cherry.”

“Stop it.” With her own voice watery, Cherry admonished me. “Don’t apologize to me. You didn’t do anything too awful. You need to come home. I know you’re working, but you’re making a mistake. I think you know it.”

I wiped my eyes and cleared my throat. “Um, actually, my job just finished up. I was going to head back home soon.”

“Like tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Good. I miss you.”

I stood up and pulled my suitcase out of the closet. “I miss you, too. I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“And we’ll talk more then?” She pushed on. “About Blaise?”

I didn’t want to promise anything. I didn’t know what I was doing. “Maybe.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”