It Is Thyme For Courage

 

AFTER BREAKFAST, BECKETT AND STACY rinsed their plates and put them in the dishwasher. The mundane task gave him great satisfaction. It was almost like they really were a married couple.

When they started the machine, he leaned against the counter and folded his arms. “Would you like to see what wedding gifts we got?”

Her eyes widened. “We got gifts?”

“This town loves Lifemates. We got lots of gifts.” He dropped his arms and said, “Come on. I’ll show you.”

She laughed. “It’s like Christmas.”

“Only if you married Santa Claus.”

She grinned. “Didn’t I?”

“Well, I am good at putting little bicycles together. I did it for my nieces.” Why did he keep bringing up his family while around her? It was like she was a trigger reminding him of home and hearth and family. His family. The one he hadn’t let see him as a vampire yet.

He pushed back the thought and opened the door to the spare bedroom where Michael and Dixie and Cara and Isaac had delivered the gifts that people had brought and sent.

“Wow,” she said, surveying the gifts covering the queen-sized bed, as well as the top of the dresser. “You must have a lot of friends in this town. And you’ve only been here two years. That’s amazing.”

He carried in two folding chairs and set them up. “Your throne, my queen,” he teased.

After they sat, he reached out and took one of the larger gifts off the pile. “You open the first one.”

She set it down on the floor and ripped the wrapping paper off.

He laughed. “You’re messy with wrapping paper. My mother always pulls it off, refolds it, and saves it.” Another thought of his family.

“I’m sorry but I can’t do that.”

“I’m going to try that method when it’s my turn.”

She stared at the box in front of her. “A case of Merl-O?”

“Some of the best wine ever, though perhaps we can find another drink you prefer...?” He wasn’t sure a human would care for the Merlot mixed with Blood Type O.

“Actually, I prefer ginger ale.”

“Oh. I’ll get some for you.”

“Your turn,” she said, handing him a tiny box.

He took it and quirked an eyebrow at her. “Any guesses?”

“Are all the gifts going to be supernatural themed? Do the shops here sell anything not monster themed?”

“Pretty much not.” He ripped off the paper as best he could while holding the tiny box in one hand. He threw the minuscule scrap of paper in the air, and she laughed. Taking the lid off, he peered down into the box. “It’s a gift card.”

“To Target? Amazon? Walmart? Kohls?”

“To Fangs Restaurant and Bar.”

“Of course it is.” She leaned over and lifted a medium-sized box. “So I’m guessing this one is going to be...” She paused and hefted it. “Two T-shirts with Bela Lugosi on them.”

He was glad she was getting into the spirit of the town, even if she didn’t believe it yet.

She opened it and pulled out a cutting board with their names and their wedding date burnt in. “This is at least a little more traditional.”

The next gift he opened was a kitchen set with a unicorn theme: salt and pepper shakers, mugs, and some kabob sticks. “Back to the theme.”

“I don’t know if unicorns can be considered monsters. They’d be too cute, if they were real.”

“I’ll have to take you to the unicorn ranch.”

“Wait. There really is a unicorn ranch here?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, I definitely want to go there.”

“Luke and Julia’s wedding is going to be there next week.”

“I’m invited to Julia’s bridal shower this afternoon.”

He frowned. “That might not be such a good idea.” Not if she didn’t believe yet.

Ignoring that comment, she reached for another gift. It contained an engraved card with a year’s subscription to the Blood Bank of the Month Club. “A gag gift. That’s wonderful. Where would we even regift something like this? I guess for a white-elephant drawing, maybe. Maybe we should do red punch on Halloween and pretend like we’re drinking blood.”

“Maybe,” he said. She still seemed to be in denial. After all, he’d bitten her neck last night, yet the marks had faded by morning. He just had to hope she’d see soon. Really see.

Many gifts later, the room was littered with gifts and crumpled wrapping paper. A set of beautiful flowered dishes. Gift cards to town shops, as well as traditional chain stores. A quilt with subtle woodland sprites woven into the squares. Genuine 1000 thread count spider-silk sheets. Three toasters. Two cookie sheets. And a garden gargoyle in a gilded cage.

He glanced over to find his bride smiling. His own smile widened. “What’s your favorite gift?”

“Though I liked the Lifemate Body Lotions scented like vampires, werewolves, etc—” She surveyed the room’s contents. “I hate to admit it, but I think it’s the unicorn salt and pepper shakers. How about you?”

“The spice rack with the potion ingredients.”

“Your omelets will taste extra good with a pinch of eye of newt.”

“It was my mother’s favorite spice.”

She pulled a face — and then they both started laughing.

 

 

“You don’t really have to come to the Murphy house, do you? I mean, it’s going to be all ladies at this bridal shower.” Stacy didn’t really mind having this big, strong guy tagging along. She thought she’d mind, but was surprised to find she liked spending time with him.

Good thing, since she’d married him. Not that she planned on staying with someone who bit people, but he was still legally her husband. She supposed she ought to call her mother and father and tell them she was married — but at this point she thought she’d better see how things shook out first. After all, she was just staying in his house until this Yolanda person was caught. Then she could decide what she was going to do.

She had the job at the studio. So now she just had to find a place to stay, and she knew Dixie would let her have a room for a month or so until she found a place of her own.

“I’ll shoot the breeze with Michael.”

“If he’s home. Dixie said he works a lot.”

“Relax. The party is not at Michael’s house, but at his parents’ home. I’ll find something to do while I wait.” He glanced over at her in the passenger seat of his Tesla. His gaze was admiring, so he must like what she’d changed into: a lightweight sweater over a flowery dress and strappy sandals. Her toenails flashed the same bright red as her lipstick. “You sure look pretty.”

He glanced back at the road.

Her heart fluttered at his words. He thought she was pretty. She thought he was the most handsome man she’d ever freaking seen. But she didn’t want to say that, so she teased, “I still think you should let me drive your car again. I was too upset to really enjoy all this power when I drove it before.”

He chuckled. “I think I’ll keep the keys safely in my pockets for a few days. Not that I don’t trust you or anything.”

“But you don’t.”

“Not with my car, I don’t.”

There were a lot of cars parked around the home.

“See, there are going to be a lot of ladies here. That should make you very uncomfortable.”

“It does.”

“And, unless this Yolanda person is one of the guests, I think I’m safe enough.”

“Don’t even joke about her.” His tone was gruff. “And the ladies here don’t want to hear about her, either.”

They didn’t? Which meant she might have to test that theory.

He opened her door and gave her a hand out. The touch of just his fingers against hers shot lightning up her arms and exploding in her chest.

When he threaded his fingers through hers, she nearly stopped breathing. No wonder she’d up and married him yesterday — she’d never felt this much attraction to anyone. This affinity for another person. This longing to be with someone, regardless of how ridiculous it might sound.

Which was why she hadn’t called her parents yet and told them. Hello Mom, Dad. I just met someone yesterday and, oh, by the way, I married him. Yeah, she’d wait to pass the news along.

Beckett knocked on the door. A moment later, an older man answered the door. He looked about sixty, give or take five years.

“Welcome,” he said.

“Hi, Mr. Lawrence. This is my new wife, Stacy. Stacy, this is the Murphy’s butler, Stewart Lawrence.”

She took the older man’s hand warmly. “It is so good to meet you.”

“Likewise,” the old man beamed. “The party is in the drawing room, on the left.”

“Thank you,” Stacy said, and stepped inside the large home.

Mr. Lawrence said, “There is a deputy in the kitchen in case of any troubles with Ms. Yates.” He gave a shudder of distaste. “Horrid woman.”

Did everyone feel that way about Yolanda?

Still holding Beckett’s hand, she headed for the laughter in the other room.

 

 

Beckett should have felt awkward coming into this room with all of these women, but he didn’t. The energy flowing from Stacy to him stabilized his emotions. He felt whole for the first time.

He’d been engaged before he came to Moonchuckle Bay, but he’d ended the engagement for the same reason he hadn’t been to see his parents. Because, hey, newbie vampire. He didn’t want to hurt anyone. Now he could control himself so he supposed he could contact them, but that would be awkward, as well.

The ladies called out greetings to Stacy.

Isaac’s wife Cara.

The snow cone lady, Jingle Belle Noel.

Mrs. Beth Murphy, and her daughter-in-law, Dixie Murphy.

The bride-to-be, Julia Murphy, who was the daughter of his mentor, Jack Murphy.

And on her lap sat the cutest little girl ever, the daughter of Julia’s cowboy fiancé, Luke Bridges, Ella. She was dressed in a pink princess dress, complete with crown and magic wand. And wings.

The little girl had some serious chops where magic was concerned, and her honorary grandma, the witch Marigold Connolly, was also there with her daughter, Chicory; the two looked like sisters rather than mother and daughter. They were schooling the little girl in the ways of witches, but there was still a halo of little confetti-type stars around her head most days. It was, however, getting smaller all the time, so the little girl was learning. She was clearly excited that her dad and her new mom were getting married.

Jack Murphy came into the room and motioned to Beckett. He followed Jack from the room. His mentor turned and smiled. “Stewart told me you were here. Come join the men in the other room for a friendly game of poker.”

“I’ve played your friendly games before. It’s why I’m no longer wealthy.”

“Sad story, Robertson. Sad story.”

He opened the door to the kitchen. Deputy Knight, a werewolf, Stewart Lawrence, and Michael Murphy sat around the table. Jack took one of the two remaining chairs.

Beckett dropped into the other. “Who’s winning so far?”

They all pointed to the butler, who grinned. “Bring your money to the table, sonny.”

Beckett groaned. “I’m going to lose, aren’t I?”

“As always,” Michael said.

 

 

“Congratulations, Stacy,” Jingle Belle Noel said. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for your wedding, but I had a large specialty order of snow cones that I had to make.”

“You make snow cones? That’s awesome.”

“I do, and there’s a party tonight. You ought to come with us. I’ll make you one from my cart.”

“I’d love that.” Stacy looked around the room. All of the women looked friendly. And normal. There wasn’t a vampire or werewolf among them. Just one pixie, if Dixie could be believed — but Stacy didn’t believe her. She didn’t know why her best friend would have told her what she did, but she hoped Dixie would tell her the truth soon. “So you’re all going to this party?”

“All of us,” Cara said.

“Where is it?” Stacy asked.

“It’s being hosted right here,” Julia said with a laugh. “So you just need to hang around long enough to have the caterers show up, which should be any time.”

“Who fixed all the treats for the shower?” Dixie asked.

“Mom decided to take up baking.” Julia motioned for her mother, Beth, to sit down beside her. “Come here, Mom. It’s time for me to open presents, and I need you to write down what people got me.”

Dixie had told her that she could go in on the gift that she and Cara had gotten Julia, and Stacy was grateful, because she wouldn’t have had time to buy a gift, what with getting married and bitten and running away and all. Dixie had told her it was an Instant Pot, and Stacy had been glad to add some cash toward that and get her name on the card.

As she watched Ella hand Julia gifts to open, and Julia opening them, she felt like Julia was doing it in the right order. Like in the nursery rhyme, first comes love, then comes marriage. For Stacy and Beckett, it had been first comes marriage, then comes ... well, in their case, a love bite of epic proportions. It remained to be seen if love came next.

But whatever she felt for Beckett, she knew her life would never be the same. Because she wanted to be with him. She should be resistant to that, with everything that had happened, but the thought of her hand in his, the memory of him fixing her breakfast, his smile that left her knees weak, all combined to make her want to stick around long enough to see if love really would be there for them.

Beckett poked his head in the room, and the ladies catcalled to him. His eyes went to hers, and her heart caught. She was twitterpated. She couldn’t believe he was hers.

 

 

The transformation in the Murphy’s back yard was amazing.

Through the windows during the bridal shower, it had looked like a beautiful, lush, green patio area surrounding a blue pool.

Now, four hours later, lights were strung through the trees, and music was pulsing into the night, and it looks like a party palace. This was apparently a party celebrating the wedding next week.

Down one side of the pool, long tables were covered with white tablecloths and laden with a cornucopia of food and drinks.

Stacy turned to find Beckett behind her, looking down at her with warm eyes and a tender smile.

Now just how was she supposed to resist that?

“Want to dance?” he asked, tipping his head toward the large patio where couples were moving.

She hesitated. It was a slow dance.

Without another word, he held out a hand. She took it and he led her out among the dancers, pulling her close and wrapping an arm about her waist. But he didn’t pull her so close that she felt uncomfortable. Instead, he seemed to be giving her the space she needed, even in a slow dance. She could have put the proverbial book between their bodies.

He began to move, leading expertly, and she found herself following almost effortlessly. Though other couples were moving back and forth, he spun her around, weaving them between the other couples. She couldn’t help but smile. “You’re very good.”

“Mom insisted I take lessons.”

“I’m glad she did.” And then he began to move her around again.

When the song ended, he held her hand until the next song begun. This one was faster. “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins. Not just toe-tapping, but entire body-tapping music. He got a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Ready for this one?”

“I’m not sure.”

And then they were off. He swung her out and around and back and twirled with her and they separated and danced, then he pulled her close again.

The little girl, Ella, who was about seven, came out with her father, the future groom, and he swung her around while she laughed. Confetti stars fell around her, and she didn’t know how they’d done that special effect. Julia joined the twosome, and they did a three-way dance that touched Stacy’s heart. It was obvious the pair was crazy about each other, and about the little girl.

By the time the song ended, Stacy was out of breath and laughing.

They danced through several more songs, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much fun.

Finally, she said, “Uncle! I can’t keep up with you. I’m warmed up now. Too warm.”

He pointed across the lawn. “Jingle has set up her Craved Ice mobile cart. Let’s go get a snow cone.”

“That sounds great.”

They walked across the lawn holding hands. She could hear people murmuring about “the lovebirds” and “the newlyweds” and she didn’t think they all meant Julia and Luke. Her face flushed warm.

Jingle’s cart was painted brightly and she looked cute in her apron. “Hi, Stacy. You came for your snow cone.”

“I did. Where is the list of flavors to choose from?”

“Actually,” Beckett said, “Jingle chooses the flavor for you.”

“Really?” Stacy was intrigued. “Okay. What flavor for me?”

Jingle tipped her head and studied her for a moment, then nodded. “For you, my new friend Stacy, it is Thyme for Courage, which has thyme and rosemary mixed with some other flavors.”

“Courage, huh?” Stacy chuckled. “Okay.”

“And for your groom,” Jingle said, turning to study Beckett, “It’s got to be Rose-Colored Glasses, which is made from hyssop, dried organic rose petals, and fresh basil leaves, and brings healing and forgiveness to the heart.”

Beckett grunted. “Stop psychoanalyzing me, Jingle.”

“Stop being so easy to see through, Beckett.”

He shook his head. “Okay, work your magic.”

Stacy watched as Jingle ground the ice finely, then pulled out flavoring bottles and added colors and flavors. A moment later, there was a flash of light from one and then the other. “There,” Jingle said, handing them over. “Enjoy.”

Beckett set some bills on the counter.

“It’s on the house. The Murphys are picking up the tab tonight.” She pushed at the bills. “Seriously, take your money back.”

He did, and said, “Thanks.”

Jingle turned to another couple, and Stacy and Beckett took seats nearby.

Stacy took a bite of the snow cone — and gasped.

“What?” Beckett asked, a concerned note in his voice.

“This is delicious.”

“Oh. Yeah, it is.” He took another bite of his.

Courage, huh? Why would she need courage?