My dog had an operation on Tuesday and I had a bit of a freak out about it so didn't get much editing done, therefore I've split this chapter into 2 parts and I'll post the other in a couple days. Didn't want to leave yous with nothing!

Flùr - flower (flOOr)

Chapter 4: An Off Note

A soft breeze cooled the already warm morning air, causing flowers to bob their colourful heads along to our conversation. Mum was busy trying to convince Laura to let her buy something for her to wear tomorrow, and Laura was attempting to adamantly refuse to no avail. Maybe I should have tried to help her, but my mind was otherwise occupied, even as I robotically ate a slice of toast and lifted a glass of orange juice to my mouth.

"Will this lad of yours be joining us any time soon?" My father pointedly lifted his gaze from his morning newspaper.

'This lad of mine' had yet to make an appearance. Whether he was still asleep, or awake and avoiding having to eat a human breakfast in the sun, I wasn't sure. "Soon. He uh, had a work call."

The statement came out more like a question but Dad didn't seem to mind. He nodded then got back to reading.

If Wren wasn't careful, he would ruin the good reputation he'd built with my mother. Not that I could blame him. The sun was so hot that I felt my skin begin to burn, even under the pale-yellow sundress I wore.

"Your cousins will be arriving tonight," mum said, standing gracefully from the table. "So we need to be back before three. Shall we say meet out front at eleven?"

"Sure, mum." I smiled. That gave me half an hour or so to track Wren down.

Only I didn't have to.

Mum heard it first, her head tipping towards the open French doors where sheer white curtains billowed about, as if dancing to the piano drifting from somewhere in the house. I couldn't make out what was being played but it was good enough to make my mum smile.

"You never said Wren could play."

"I didn't know," I replied, looking questioningly at Laura who shrugged.

I'd heard someone playing piano in the house attached to The Blackbird a few times, but I thought it was one of the vampires living there who kept their distance from me. I never would have guessed it was Wren.

"Le Cygne," Mum sighed wistfully. "One of my favourites."

Dad smiled up at his wife as she placed a hand on her chest and closed her eyes to soak in the music being expertly played. Just like that, without even having to show up to breakfast, he'd gone up some more in my parents' books.

"I better ask if he wants to come shopping with us or hide in the rafters," I murmured to Laura.

She sniggered.

Walking around the table, I pecked my father's cheek a I passed before heading inside.

It felt like I was following the notes like breadcrumbs, stepping in time with the tune that slowly got louder and louder. The double doors to the main living room, which was more a long hall where I used to watch mum host her parties, were slightly ajar, though Wren hadn't bothered to turn the lights on or open the thick curtains, so the room was shrouded in shadow. Sat on the piano stool, body moving and swaying along with the music, was Wren, more at ease than I'd ever seen him before. Eyes closed, head tipped slightly to one side, a smile played around his lips. A smile that faded as soon as the door I leaned against creaked.

An off note rang through the air.

Wren stiffened and the music fell silent.

"I didn't mean to disturb you," I excused, slipping inside the room.

"You didn't." But he sat ramrod straight and his fingers curled into his lap.

"I didn't know you played."

"I don't."

I rolled my eyes, daring to walk over to inspect the piano he sat at. "No? It must have been a ghost then."

Full lips twitched.

"We're going shopping," I said. "It's quite bright outside though so it's alright if you want to stay here. Nobody will bother you."

Silence.

I deflated. Wren's side of the bond was eerily quiet again. Closed off. Was he embarrassed he'd been caught playing? Or was it last nights mistake that had him unable to look at me?

With a sigh, I drummed my fingers off the top of the piano. "Okay, well, we won't be too long." I hesitated, then chose to acknowledge what happened. "About last night...I...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have, we shouldn't have...I don't know what came over me. I-"

"Sorcha."

"Yeah?"

"Don't be sorry." Wren rose from the stool, eyes glinting as they finally met mine. "I liked it." His lips curled into a smirk. "I might enjoy pretending to be your boyfriend. Let me grab a jacket."

Lips parted, floundering, I watched him shut the piano then leave the room.

If he had liked it, he had a weird way of showing it. And if he thought I'd only kissed him because we were playing pretend, he was wrong. I was upset about Taran, and stressed about Frank, that was all. Wren had kissed me, I reminded myself. I'd reacted. Foolishly. I had nothing to beat myself up about. And definitely no reason to feel guilty.

Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, there was no space to feel fret over it after we all piled into mum's oversized jeep. Wren and Laura looked equally unhappy in the back while I took the passenger seat. But my amusement faded when Mum started asking questions about Wren and I: how we met, how long we'd been dating, what Wren did for a living. Anxiety started to eat my stomach, but Wren answered each question without a moment's hesitation. His charm had my Mum eating out of the palm of his hand as he described working in The Blackbird like it was a five-star hotel.

"So you and Laura have known each other for a while?" Mum inquired.

"We've known each other for a couple of years," Wren said. "Laura is an integral part of our partnership with a few vendors."

"You've gone into catering?"

Laura grinned. "You could say that, Mrs C. I manage a few things for my boss now, setting up schedules and the likes."

I choked on a laugh, cheeks flaming when Mum peered questioningly. If only she knew, Laura was the food she catered.

A flutter in my chest told me Wren was equally as amused.

Laura glared between the both of us, suspicion clouding pale blue eyes.

He and I needed to be more careful or she was going to pick up that our bond was more than a faint link allowing us to feel strong emotions.

Mum parked on the high street and jumped out the car to chase after an acquaintance passing by, shoving the keys into my hand and shouting that she'd meet us at Flùr.

Wren tipped his head to look out the car window. The sky was a clear blue, the sun beaming down on the busy street bustling with locals and tourists, kids holding ice creams, and dogs tugging on leads. The old fashioned sweet and ice cream shops were interspersed with upscale boutiques, hairdressers, and the usual tourist shops with windows full of the Stewart Tartan, highland cow teddies, and probably racist bonnets with ginger wigs attached. The sight made me smile. It made Wren look as though he wanted to smash his head against the glass.

Laura smashed her elbow into his ribs. "Try not to burst into flames."

"I wonder what Mac will do to you if I tell him you've been misbehaving," he drawled back, eyes rolling skyward before pinning my friend to her seat.

She scowled at him and swung open the door to get out. I followed after her, making sure to lock the car once Wren stumbled out too. He tugged his sleeves over his hands and turned his back to the sun.

I felt the sting he did, a prickle of needles over my skin. Not for the first time, I wondered why he was enduring the sting of daylight to do something he hated. It wasn't as if I needed babysitting.

"Flùr isn't that far. Come on." I waved for them to follow me until we reached my mum's favourite shop.

The boutique boasted bay windows to display their latest styles, most in various floral patterns as their name suggested. Dresses, tops, and even lingerie was on show. Wren lifted a brow at the skimpy blue teddy covered in white daises.

The tops of my ears pinkened.

"You could have stayed back at the house," I grumbled.

He only grinned.

I shook my head and pushed open the door, the bell above jingling to announce our arrival. A short woman with greying auburn hair spun round from stocking a shelf and beamed when she spotted me.

"Sorcha!"

"Hi, Jeanie." I accepted her warm hug.

I'd known Jeanie since she'd moved here to open her shop when I was a toddler. Most of my dresses were made by or bought from her, including the dress I'd worn when my high school had tried the American's prom idea.

"Mum will be here in a minute, she saw someone she knew down the street."

"You look good, Sorcha." Jeanie clapped my cheek after giving me a thorough once over. "I've been worried about you, ever since all that drama about you wanting to move. I'm glad you and your mum are back on good terms."

Good terms was a little strong.

"You'll be here for a dress for tomorrow then, aye? Your friends too?"

"I don't think I'd pull of a dress," Wren said.

Jeanie laughed, peering around me to get a look at who I'd brought. "Anyone can pull off the right dress. . .are you here with. . ." Brown eyes glanced between Laura and I.

Wren gave me an expectant look.

"He's um, yes he's Wren and...here with me. I mean he's-" I swallowed and wished I was close enough to smack both him and Laura for the way they were both barely holding back sniggers. "He's my boyfriend?"

"It's nice meeting ya. I don't carry much menswear but you're welcome to take a look at what we do have." She smiled at Laura too. "You strike me as someone who might want to look in the back at our Autum stock. Less flowers."

Laura grinned and headed towards where Jeanie pointed. "I'm only here to have a fashion show anyway. My bank would ring me worried about fraud if I bought something from here."

If Jeanie was offended, she didn't show it. In fact, she chuckled as she watched my friend dart towards the dresses in darker shades, unlike the summer stuff full of bright whites and pastels.

The bell above the door rang again and Mum appeared, brushing past me to air kiss Jeanie on both cheeks before she turned to grab my shoulders. "I have a few dresses I asked Jeanie to hold for you."

Of course she did.

I was already being dragged towards the changing rooms before I could have a look for myself, irritated further by the way Wren chuckled.

However, later, when I was stood in front of a full-length mirror in the third of my mum's choices, I had to admit she did know fashion. Far better than I did. The first too dresses had been beautiful, but a little too child-playing-dress-up. This one...this one made me stop and really look at myself; an off-white, A-line dress made of silky material, covered in pale pink roses and green vines, with puff sleeves, and a bodice style top. It was more me, or it would have been, if it weren't for the plunging V-neck that stopped just at the edge of my ribcage. It was far more daring than anything I'd worn before. I kept tugging at the top to try and cover more of my boobs only for Jeanie to bat my hands away.

"I don't know." I turned this way and that, but was unable to shake the more conservative part of me.

"Beautiful."

Gasping at how close Wren's voice sounded, I spun around, only to see he was at the other side of the shop pretending to browse through the menswear. But he was watching me, and his eyes widened when he caught me looking.

There was a pressure in my head, almost like another presence, fingers pushing against my skull.

"Wren?" I pushed the thought towards him.

The pressure lifted immediately.

Was I going mad or I had I heard his thoughts?

He gave nothing away. The spark of shock in his expression disappeared and he gave me an exasperated look as he folded his arms.

His boredom was at least genuine.

Turning back to the mirror, I gave the long skirt another wave, smiling at the woman reflected back at me. "I do really like it..."

"Perfect!" Mum clapped her hands together. "What do you think, Wren?"

"I've always said white was her colour."

My blush deepened and I did my best to ignore the shiver that went up my spine he crept closer.

Mum nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. This is the one."

Letting her buy me a dress wasn't going to magically mend our relationship, but the fact she wasn't pointing out I wanted nothing to do with our wealth so she wouldn't contribute? That was progress in itself. Especially when she managed to smile at Laura when she came out the dressing room in a black dress, made in sheer material, layered enough to not be entirely see through. Delicate red flowers decorated the bodice, giving it the feminine edge my mother approved of.

"I'm only trying it on," Laura said, even as she looked longingly in the mirror.

"Nonsense. You're taking it home with you," Mum argued. "Now, shall we look for some shoes?"

Wren's internal groan reverberated through me. I hated this as much as he did really, but oh I just couldn't resist the chance to get under his skin. "Sure. I need some new makeup too."

By the time we were finished, I was sure Wren's glare promised revenge. How he would go through with it, I was terrified to find out.

"I have so much to set up for tomorrow," Mum muttered to herself as she sped down the driveway.

"I could help?"

She gave me a look.

My nose scrunched. I could hear what she wanted to say.

'You wouldn't do it right.'

Or,

'I don't have time to show you.'

A grimace as she wondered why I couldn't be more like her.

"No, no. We have staff for that. You have guests to entertain. Don't forget your cousins are coming tonight for dinner with some guests of your father as well."

Be presentable.

Don't embarrass me.

None of your lefty 'heal the world' talk.

I couldn't hide the bite to my tone. "I won't forget, don't worry."