Page 9 of Save a Wish

“So you’re new to Greenridge, Vermont?” I asked.

“Arrived yesterday.” She stepped back over to where I’d originally found her lying in the brush and patted something I hadn’t noticed.

A suitcase.

“Did you . . .” I began. “Did you spend the night out here?”

“Indeed, but the air was a bit crisp, I will admit.” She wrapped the long cardigan around her and shivered.

“Of course it was,” I said. “October in Vermont means cooler temps, especially overnight.” Who was this Sadie Rodgers? And more importantly, was she insane? “Do you not have a place to stay?”

“That’s at the top of my list of tasks for today,” she said with a bright smile. “I was meditating about it before I was . . .” She glanced up at me. “Interrupted.”

“Right. Sorry. I don’t think meditating will help you find a place to stay though.” I was fighting off a wild notion that kept dancing around inside my head. A wild notion that involved inviting this Sadie Rodgers back to Hartley’s Nest.

“Meditation always helps,” she said with a note of confidence. “That’s why my aura looks like this.” She arced her hand out to indicate the air around her. “And your aura looks like . . . well . . . that.”

The disapproving look in her eyes bugged me. Nothing was wrong with my goddamn aura because auras were nonsense.

And this chick—no matter how gorgeous she was—was sure to get under my skin with all her new age silliness.

“Okay.” I drew in a deep breath. “I have to get back to my run.” I pointed to the trail. “Good luck finding a place to stay. You could always get a tent at Faraday’s Hardware back on Main Street,” I joked.

I saluted her and broke back into a jog, leaving her in the brush.

Where she still resembled an angel.

But I knew better now. She was actually a nutcase who believed meditating could solve real-world problems like finding a place to stay. She’d find out soon enough that hard work—and a solid internet connection—were the only ways to truly get things done.

Chapter Four

Sadie

Beckett Hartley’s retreating form was a sight to behold. Long, lean legs carried him away on the trail, his broad shoulders bobbing up and down slightly as he jogged. After the shock of seeing him leaning over me as I reclined in the brush faded, I was left with the fact that his dark hair, deep brown eyes, and trim beard all combined splendidly to create a rather masterful rendition of the male form.

But that aura of his was definitely muddled.

Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was in desperate need of energy realigning, and oddly, I wanted to be the one to administer such a service.

I took a moment to observe a few other people as they walked or jogged past me. Their auras didn’t fare much better than Beckett’s. Was it common for American auras to be chaotic and scrambled? I was accustomed to imbalanced auras having come from Verdalach where everyone was uptight and stuck in the old traditions. Open-mindedness was not a Verdalachian virtue and no one there was in the habit of accepting non-traditional techniques such as meditation, grounding, breathwork, and sound baths. I’d tried convincing the royal physician to institute a yoga practice, but he’d dismissed my idea, calling it nonsense.

But here? In the states? Perhaps I could actually do something with the knowledge of holistic practices I’d acquired. Knowledge I’d learned mostly in secret and with Orla’s help of smuggling books on such topics. I preferred the love stories she brought me because they warmed my heart, but the other titles had stimulated my mind.

And now I could use those teachings to improve the auras of these clearly fatigued Americans.

But first, a place to stay.

Beckett had mentioned getting a tent at Faraday’s Hardware. I had walked by that shop when I’d first arrived in town, but a sign announcing a nature trail nearby had caught my attention instead. After flying for hours, a walk in nature had sounded heavenly, and I was also curious what nature lived here.

It turned out to look similar to Verdalach, and I was pleased my instincts had guided me to Vermont. If I could be surrounded by natural beauty that reminded me of my home but spared me of the confines of Verdalach rigidity, that would be wonderful indeed.

The nature trail had led me to a lovely field and exhaustion from my travels had taken over. I’d fallen asleep in the fluffy brush and aside from waking a few times when some night creatures had made noises nearby or when the chill had gotten to me, I’d slept soundly.

Sleeping under the stars, however, wasn’t a suitable long-term plan. A tent would only be a temporary solution to my lack of shelter, but it was a start at least.

I grabbed my suitcase, wheeled it onto the path, and found my way back to Main Street. After a few moments of walking, I arrived at Faraday’s Hardware and pulled open the door.

Inside, a chipper, older man bustled over to me.