Only Their Love

Toast and Tantrums

EBONY’S POV

When we got back to the cottage the sun was up and we no longer wanted to go back to sleep. Rowa wanted to know more about me and my world, but I wanted to talk about her plans.

‘Where do you plan to start?’ I asked, stirring my coffee as she buttered toast for us both. She frowned, knowing I was deflecting, but answered me anyway. ‘I know that the cottage we lived in when I was take was near the Wicklow Mountains so I suppose I would like to start there. I don’t think my parents will still be there but I would like to see the cottage, or what’s left of it anyway. After that I don’t know. I’m hoping to find something that might lead me to them, or let me put it behind me.’

Whilst she spoke I tapped away on my phone and booked a flight to take us to Dublin and organised a car to pick us up. I booked us a hotel under false names. I figured I may as well travel with her given I have a week. I may be able to figure out more about her whilst we travel.

‘I suppose I can actually go any day now.’ She said more to herself than to me. Rowa came and sat beside me. I figured now was as good a time as any to tell her.

‘Soooo we are leaving this afternoon. We fly into Dublin and I’ve booked a driver and hotel for a few nights.’ I said into my coffee cup. She stared at me with a piece of toast and peanut butter halfway to her mouth. I took the piece of toast from her fingers and began to eat.

She pouted and frowned. ‘Any werewolf traits you’d like to mention?’ She snapped. ‘Like being overbearing and making decisions for someone else without involving them?’ Rowa put her coffee and toast on the coffee table and got up. She looked down on me with her hands on her hips and her face was getting redder by the moment.

‘Yes I get you’re being generous, just like yesterday when you bought me thousands of poUnds worth of clothes. AND A CAR! A MASERATI OF ALL THINGS. Yes I know it’s something I want to do and have needed to do for pretty much all my life. Yes, if I could, I would have booked the flight this afternoon and have asked you to come with me. Yes, I am excited, and I’m actually grateful too, despite standing here shouting at you.’ The last sentence she whispered and her hands dropped.

She flopped back down on the sofa beside me, took up her coffee and took a drink. ‘But Ebony, I have been saving for years to be able to do this. It’s something I’ve had to work for. And you’ve just booked it all without batting an eye.’

Idiot. I told you to wait.

Aurora was right, she had told me to wait but I was pissed off with her for taking over when I was sleeping and showing our beast form to Rowa without discussing it with me first.

Your pissed with me and you’ve just done exactly the same thing to her. Double standards much.

Aurora snarled at me and put up her wall so I couldn’t speak to her. I couldn’t deny it, she was right. I had just done to Rowa what I would kick anyone else’s ass for doing to me.

She started to eat but she leaned against me and her made sure she was touching me. I apologised and acknowledged what she had said. We tidied up and Rowa showered, dressing in an outfit I had bought yesterday. A below knee green sundress and white light cardigan with flat green sandals to match. We packed her clothes into a suitcase and locked up her cottage.

I climbed into the passenger seat of the Maserati and watched her say goodbye to Toto. I made a mental note to make sure that the farmer who owned the cottage didn’t rent it out to anyone when she was with my brother and I in our universe. I actually preferred it to my hotel suite and it obviously meant a lot to Rowa. I would discuss it with her properly before we left the human world. I had learned my lesson about not keeping her in the loop.

We pulled up at the hotel I owned and the valet took the keys. I spoke with the staff at the desk and organised for my belongings to be packed up and sent home. We travelled up to the penthouse suite and I tried to ignore how uncomfortable Rowa was. Having seen where she lived, I knew she felt out of place even though she belonged here, surrounded by everything her heart desires.

I packed my small suitcase and opened my jewellery box to bring some items with me. ‘I’m just going to get in the shower and I’ll be out.’ I called to her from the bedroom. She was standing on the balcony overlooking the city and nodded, her back to the room.

ROWA’S POV

Despite Ebony accepting she had made decisions for me, I still felt bad for how I had spoken to her. I could have been kinder and less ungrateful and it wasn’t sitting well with me. We had agreed that I would pay for the hotel and whatever we did or needed when we got to Ireland and I felt better, but still I wasn’t happy.

The view from the penthouse was pretty special. I could see most of the city and wondered how it would look when it was lit up at night time. Looking down at the street below I saw a small jewellery store. I had always had a childish wish for a friendship bracelet. I wondered if they had them.

I travelled back down to the ground floor in the lift and ran across the street. When I walked in, I realised it was much more upmarket than I had initially thought but figured I would look anyway.

There was an elderly man behind the counter and he smiled at me when I walked around. ‘Can I help you dear?’ He enquired. I nodded. ‘Yes please! It’s a bit silly but I’d like a friendship bracelet or something like it.’

The elderly man scratched his chin and walked towards a cabinet on the opposite wall. He opened the glass door and pulled out a tray with a number of bracelets on it. They were beautiful but not quite what I was looking for.

‘I have something else but it’s a bangle, not a bracelet. Would you like to see?’ He asked. I nodded and he disappeared through a door. I kept looking at the jewellery and thought it was strange he had left me here alone given there was a number of items left on the case where he had been sitting when I came in.

He returned and had a black leather box with a thin layer of dust on top. He blew the dust away and owned the box. ‘It’s perfect.’ I said. On a layer of green satin were three bangles. One yellow gold, one white gold and one a combination of both in a twist. They slotted together and could be worn as one or separately he showed me. The white gold one had a small row of white stones and I thought it would look perfect against Ebony’s dark skin. They twist one I liked for myself and the gold one was plain but still beautiful.

‘I’ve had it a very long time. Always thought it was a beautiful piece but it didn’t take anyone’s fancy. I’ll only charge you what I paid for it given I’ve had it so long. Just don’t tell my accountant.’ He chuckled and I couldn’t help but join in.

He charged me £300 for the bangles but I knew they were worth so much more. I tried to tell him I could afford more but he refused to take it. ‘A lovely girl like you deserves beautiful jewellery.’

I thanked him, left and raced across the road back to the hotel. The door man smiled and tipped his hat. The lift was being used and I bounced impatiently. I could feel the eyes of the staff on me as I walked in and pressed the button to the penthouse.