Note: I am in the process of writing a book. As part of that, I am creating backstories for secondary characters, which won’t be included. So I thought – wouldn’t it be awesome to share them here so that people can read them? You can read part 2 here!
The first time she saw him was in town. She’d moved to Merricott following the job offer from Harriman’s Herb Farm to take care of the medicinal plants and she found it friendly enough. The Seasons community was open, amenable, and had centrist views on how magic wielders should behave, which was in stark difference to the small community she grew up in with her family in Maine. It was a breath of fresh air, really, to have moved here and found this community. There were a few people who had more extreme views, including her boss, Sean, but she found ignoring it went a long way to making her life easier.
She had just come out of Roget’s bookshop and was heading towards her ancient Volvo station wagon with her arms full of new books to read when the sun was blocked out momentarily by a large figure blotting it out. She stepped to the side to allow them to pass, but they stopped. The sun created a halo of brightness, which blocked her view of their face, but the overall body shape appeared to be male, although you never could tell these days. She stood where she was, shielding her eyes with her hand, before getting impatient.
“Are you planning on moving soon? These books aren’t exactly light or easy to carry.”
The voice that responded was definitely male, deep and gruff. “I do apologize, ma’am. I found myself to be struck in place by the vision before me.”
She laughed out loud, before shaking her head and replying, “Okay then. Well, now you’ve seen your vision, it’s time to move out of the way.”
He dipped his head slightly and she caught a glimpse of warm brown eyes, “Not before you grace me with your name.”
“Are you for real?” she asked incredulously.
“100%. I know everyone in this town, but I don’t know you. So if you’d do me the kindness and tell me your name, I’d appreciate it.”
A small shiver ran down her spine. He was big, he was definitely not a magic wielder, and was that a threat? She narrowed her gaze at him, her options running through her mind as she took a step back – right into a street sign.
“Oofda,” she said as she bounced forward a bit. She looked up at the sky and pushed out a really big sigh. Why me? She thought as she closed her eyes for a moment. “My name is Tristana,” she said quietly. He didn’t need to know her last name. Besides, he probably could find it out in about 5 minutes by talking to crusty old Saul in Roget’s shop.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Tristana. You can call me Patrick.” He tipped the cowboy hat perched on his head, his voice warm with a smile.
She nodded and then raised her eyebrows when he still hadn’t moved. Looking side to side, she said, “Are we good here? Can I pass now?”
He laughed before stepping sideways, gesturing with his arm and bowing slightly. “Be my guest, Tristana.”
She looked at him one more time before walking to her car and opening up the door. She shoved the books in, moving to step into, before she stopped and looked over to where he stood, calmly waiting on the sidewalk, watching her every move. Shapechanger. Most definitely a shapechanger, she thought. She’ll have to avoid him as much as possible. There was no need for her to cross The Moon; all it would do was bring pain down upon her head if she tried, in multitudes.
She stepped into her car, started it up and backed out as calmly as possible.
****
The next time she ran into him was at Harriman’s farm. She had just walked into the breakroom to refill her coffee between planting and chanting sessions over the latest crop of wood sorrel. They had a large order to fill and she couldn’t afford to lose any; it had been a close call a few days ago due to the unexpected hard frost that occurred. Only Sean’s ability to warm the greenhouse slowly and quickly kept the plants from dying from shock. She only hoped her effort improved the quality of the stock. As it was, she was tired, bone tired. She’d been chanting over the sorrel for hours. Her hands were cold, her knees hurt, and she really needed coffee.
She had just put the pot back when he announced his presence. “Ah, so this is where they keep you, Tristana.”
Her hand shook, spilling hot coffee over her thumb and forefinger. Swearing, she set the cup down and headed to the sink to quickly run cold water over it. The coffee was scalding hot on a good day and only boiling hot on a bad one. She shut the water off and put her hands on the sink, looking down at it and trying to keep a rein on her temper. Don’t swear at him. Just let it go, she thought.
“Are you alright?” He sounded concerned. She swung around sharply, throwing her hands up as she realized he was right behind her. She hadn’t heard him move. Damn shapechangers!
Sliding to the side and crossing her arms, she said, “I’m fine. It was just a little hot. You really need to wear a bell.” There was a pause while she realized what she’d just said, her eyes going wide as his smile got wider.
“Shit. I said that out loud, didn’t I?” Biting her lip, she rolled her eyes, sighed and then said. “I hope you weren’t offended by my comment. I meant no harm.” Each word was carefully enunciated as she stared at him.
He cocked an eyebrow. “Was that supposed to offend me? Hmmm….maybe I should think more about whether it did and what you could do to make it up to me.”
Good Aine, was he flirting with her? Shit.
“Obviously it didn’t, so we can just forget it happened and I can go back to work.” She slid to the side and grabbed her mug, wrapping both hands around it before taking a restorative sip. When she opened her eyes, he was still staring at her, but now he was frowning. What now?
“You look quite tired, Tristana. Are you working too hard?” He moved slightly closer to her. Before he could touch her, she put one of the tables between them, her mug still cradled in both hands, her eyes blinking quickly at him.
“I’m not working any harder than anyone else and its necessary.” She waved her hand before putting it back on the cup, ‘It’s fine. I’m fine.”
He was about to say…something probably racy when Jen Thomas walked into the breakroom. “Oh my Brid, I need coffee.” She walked past Tristana, glanced at Patrick, before stopping to stare at them both. “Is everything alright here, Tristana?” she asked.
Tristana looked at Patrick before turning to Jen and saying, “Yes. Everything’s fine. I was just getting my own cup of coffee, but I need to get back. When I left, Martina was nodding off while still chanting and I can’t have her passed out on the very herbs we’re trying to save.” She nodded in Patrick’s general direction before striding out of the breakroom.
Later that day, Jen cornered her in the potting shed. “So, what was all that about then, hmmm?” She purred.
Oh Aine. Jen was a shit-stirrer of the highest order. Why, Aine, why did she have to be the one who came into the breakroom?
“Nothing. I went to get coffee, he was there, we said pleasantries, you should up.” She continued organizing the different pots on the table in front of her.
“Really? Because if you ask me, I’d say there was a definite….tension in the air, if you know what I mean.” Jen replied, nudging Tristana with her shoulder and smirking.
“I was tired. I was most likely rude and I made sure no harm was done. That’s all the tension that was there, Jen.” She gave her the Paddington Bear hard stare.
“Well, it would be interesting to see what happens if there were to be any exciting tension between you. You do know who he is right?”
“All I know is that his name is Patrick.”
Jen giggled and played with her long curly blonde hair. “Oh Tristana, you are so out of touch. That wasn’t just a Patrick, that was the Patrick. He’s a Lastra. They run this town.”
“And I should care about this why, exactly, Jen?” Tristana cocked her hip against the table and crossed her arms.
“I just wanted to chat with you, you know, woman to woman. He’s quite the catch, although not part of the Seasons. But I’m sure you could work it out if you really wanted to.”
“Thanks for letting me know. Now if you don’t mind, I need to get everything put away so that we’re set for moving the sorrel tomorrow.” Tristana stared at her, her face set.
“I’ll let you get back to it then, T.” Jen smirked at her again, before tossing her hair over her shoulder, turning around and walking away.
Tristana turned to the table, putting her hands on it as she stared down at the scarred wood top. This was seriously the last thing she needed to deal with right now. Shaking it off, she got back to work.
***
Patrick spent the next few weeks haunting Harriman’s Farm. Whenever he could, he’d show up in the same space as her. They hadn’t been alone since the coffee incident though and Tristana used every possible reason to leave wherever he was as soon as possible. But when she was in the storage shed and he popped in, she had no way to escape as he blocked the only exit.
“So this is where you’ve been hiding. I should’ve known.” He said, as he crossed his arms and cocked out a foot.
“I’m not hiding. I’m working. It is what I do here, you know.” She said sarcastically. “Can you say the same?”
“Why yes, yes I can. I actually have been here fixing the chicken coops and creating better insulated hut for them for the winter.” One side of his lip curled up into a smile, his eyes twinkling.
“Well, great. That’s just great.” She said said, scowling back at him.
“I didn’t think you’d have a problem with chickens. But noted, Tristana doesn’t like chickens. Don’t build her a coop.”
She threw her hands up in the air. “Oh. My. Aine. Do you really enjoy laughing at me? Because it’s all you seem to do.” She punched her hands onto her hips.
“Well, you do make it easy, Ms. Tristana.” His whole mouth was smiling at her now.
“What do you want with me, Patrick?” She said, biting the words out between stiff lips.
“Well, now that you ask me, I’d like to take you on a date.” He had stopped smiling and was just staring at her, his eyes boring into hers.
“Are you mental?”
‘No, not that I recall, although there was that one uncle of ours who went lone status and may have slaughtered an entire herd of deer.” He smiled softly at her and let his arms fall to his sides. “It’s just a date. It could be dinner, it could be coffee, but it’s just you and I spending some time together and talking.”
“We have nothing in common.”
“How do you know? You’ve barely spoken to me.” He rocked back on his heels. “Just give me a chance. One date. That’s all I’m asking for here. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t bite…much.”
“If I go on this date with you, will you leave me alone?”
“Well, not on the actual date, but before and after, if that’s what you want, absolutely.”
“Fine. We’ll go on a date. Coffee only. I’ll meet you at Elaine’s out on Rte. 44. What day and time works for you?” She crossed her arms again, daring him to object. Elaine’s was 25 minutes outside of Merricott and was more popular with the humans than the magic community. But the coffee was good and they could sit outside away from everyone while they had their ‘date.’
His grin lit up his face. “That works perfectly for me. If you are free, how about Friday at 1 pm?”
He knew her schedule. He bloody well knew her schedule! Oh Aine, this was such a bad idea. “Fine. I’ll see you there. You do know where I mean, right?”
“I know it well. I’ll see you on Friday, Ms Tristana.” He tipped his hat and ambled away, whistling. As soon as he left the shed, she smiled. She couldn’t help herself. This was going to be a disaster, but at least it’d be interesting.