Page 101 of Wild Scottish Rose

“No, I don’t suppose we can. But if the good outweighs the bad, I call that a win,” I said as Shona drove us back home.

Home.

I was working on securing a work visa to stay in Scotland longer, but now, Loren Brae had become home, and I truly was delighted with Shona’s pretty spot. I wanted to be there when spring came and the plants began to bloom again. I wanted to watch as Shona learned more about her magick, and the different ways she’d come up with helping people, and to see how Gnorman and Gnora’s relationship got on.

They wouldn’t let me film them anymore, as much as I wanted to, but watching how Gnora kept Gnorman on his toes was a constant delight for me. She was sassy as could be and kept Gnorman’s head spinning.

“Come on.” Shona grabbed my hand, pulling me from my thoughts, and dragged me toward the greenhouse. “Eugene wanted to tell you happy birthday as well.”

“Did he now? Has he developed the ability to speak finally?”

“Alas, my magick has not extended that far just yet.” Shona shook her head sadly, and I tugged on a lock of hair, forcing her to tilt her head up so I could linger over a kiss in the crisp afternoon air. She leaned into me, our foreheads touching, and I sighed against her lips.

“I’m so glad I found you,” I murmured.

“It’s the truth of it, isn’t it? You’ve gone and taken mywhole heart, Owen Williams.”

“And you mine, sweet Shona Scott. Watching you bloom has been the greatest honor of my life. Thank you for letting me stay.”

“Hardly letting you,” Shona grumbled, “as you still pay me.”

“As I should.”

“Listen it’s not fair…” She shook her head and bit off the words, holding a hand in the air. “Right. It’s your birthday, and I’m not going to fuss at you about this. Close your eyes.”

Closing my eyes, I allowed her to pull me around the corner of the greenhouse.

“All right, lads, as practiced!” Gnorman shouted, and I opened my eyes to see the hedgehog army in neat rows behind Gnora who now wore a sparkling dress.

“Happy birthday, Mr. Williams…” Gnora sang, kicking one leg out, and doing a breathy rendition of the famous Marilyn Monroe birthday song. Gnorman’s eyes almost fell out of his head, and I had to reach down to keep him from beelining for the other gnome.

“Oh, right.Right. Focus,” Gnorman muttered. “And one, two, three!”

The hedgies took their cue, racing in circles until they formed a symbol that only took me a moment to realize was meant to be in the shape of a camera. Then they disbanded, while Gnora continued her husky song, and reconvened to form the words, Happy Birthday. Finally, they came in line to form an arrow and I followed the direction it was pointing.

There on a small table outside the greenhouse, satEugene with a striped party hat on his head, and a cake with a lit candle. Laughing, I clapped for everyone, before walking over to look at the cake.

“Looking pretty fancy there, buddy,” I said, reaching out to scratch behind Eugene’s ears. He grinned up at me and happiness cascaded through me as I read the inscription on the cake. “Time to turnip the music and celebrate!”

“I couldn’t help myself,” Shona said in an apologetic tone, wrapping her arm through mine.

“As you shouldn’t. Honestly, there’s never a dill moment around here anyway.”

Her laughter was all I needed to make this the best birthday ever.