here?”
“You told me not to come here without you because you wanted to see Brennan’s reaction to my attempt to speak with him. You said he wouldn’t let me into his house. As you can see,” she said, stepping back to let him inside, like she had just as much right to be here as he did, “you were wrong.”
Dominic strode past her to the stove, peering into the pot. He spotted the wilted red petals and he fought back a sudden wave of nausea. This? This was what he’d smelled all the way up at the pub? He turned slowly, catching Tara gathering her things and slipping them into her pack.
“I just realized what time it was,” she said. “I should be getting to the pub.”
“It can wait,” Dominic said, crossing the kitchen to stand between her and the door. His eyes fell to the half-empty mugs sitting on the table. “What’s this?”
“It’s just tea.”
He picked up one of the mugs and sniffed at the foul mixture. “What kind of tea?”
“Rose tea.”
His eyes cut to her face. “How do you know it’s not poisonous?”
“I know.”
“ How do you know?”
Tara took the mug from his hand and drank deeply. Setting it back down on the table, she leveled her gaze at him. “Satisfied?”
“I am,” Brennan said, speaking up for the first time. “I drank a cup of this tea less than an hour ago and I’m starting to feel better already.” He flexed his fingers, marveling at the lack of pain and ease of movement. “Maybe you should take a mug over to Sarah Dooley. She’s been having a hard time with that cough all winter.”
Tara turned. “Where does she live?”
“In the village. She’s the second house on the—”
“I’ll show you,” Dominic cut in.
“I’m sure I can find it,” Tara argued.
“I’m sure you can, too,” Dominic said, tightly. “But you and I are going to have a little chat.” His hand cupped her elbow, steering her toward the door.
Tara forced a cheerful wave to Brennan and then walked out the door with Dominic on her heels.
“What kind of a game do you think you’re playing?” he demanded as soon as the door shut behind them.
Tara jerked her elbow out of his grip. “I don’t know what you’re talking about?”
“Come on, Tara. You arrive on this island out of nowhere looking for a job in my pub with nothing but the clothes on your back, but you know how to fix a broken hand and now you’re making strange brews of witch tea for old men suffering from arthritis? It doesn’t add up.”
Tara turned, starting up the path toward the village. “My mother grew herbs and flowers. She used to sell them at the local farmers market. She taught me their medicinal properties.”
“Give me a break,” Dominic scoffed.
“It’s the truth,” Tara said, as she stopped, turning back to face him. “But so what if it isn’t? What does it matter where I learned what I know if I’m only trying to help someone?”
“I’m not convinced you are helping anyone.”
Tara stared at him. “You watched me reset Caitlin’s hand. You heard Brennan just a second ago say that he’s feeling better already. What more proof do you need?”
Dominic gazed into her eyes, green as the ocean, green as the moss at their feet. “It’s too fast.”
“What’s too fast?” Tara asked, impatiently.
“What you’re doing here. Butting into people’s lives. Pushing your remedies on them.”
“I’m trying to help them feel better.”
“Your actions might be honest. But your words are coated with lies. That makes it impossible for me to trust you.”
“I’m not asking for your trust. I’m only asking for you to give me a break. What does it matter how I answer your questions if I do my job and help a few people along the way?”
“This island is my home. These people are my friends and my family. I don’t want them getting hurt.”
“Who do you think I’m going to hurt?” Tara
“You told me not to come here without you because you wanted to see Brennan’s reaction to my attempt to speak with him. You said he wouldn’t let me into his house. As you can see,” she said, stepping back to let him inside, like she had just as much right to be here as he did, “you were wrong.”
Dominic strode past her to the stove, peering into the pot. He spotted the wilted red petals and he fought back a sudden wave of nausea. This? This was what he’d smelled all the way up at the pub? He turned slowly, catching Tara gathering her things and slipping them into her pack.
“I just realized what time it was,” she said. “I should be getting to the pub.”
“It can wait,” Dominic said, crossing the kitchen to stand between her and the door. His eyes fell to the half-empty mugs sitting on the table. “What’s this?”
“It’s just tea.”
He picked up one of the mugs and sniffed at the foul mixture. “What kind of tea?”
“Rose tea.”
His eyes cut to her face. “How do you know it’s not poisonous?”
“I know.”
“ How do you know?”
Tara took the mug from his hand and drank deeply. Setting it back down on the table, she leveled her gaze at him. “Satisfied?”
“I am,” Brennan said, speaking up for the first time. “I drank a cup of this tea less than an hour ago and I’m starting to feel better already.” He flexed his fingers, marveling at the lack of pain and ease of movement. “Maybe you should take a mug over to Sarah Dooley. She’s been having a hard time with that cough all winter.”
Tara turned. “Where does she live?”
“In the village. She’s the second house on the—”
“I’ll show you,” Dominic cut in.
“I’m sure I can find it,” Tara argued.
“I’m sure you can, too,” Dominic said, tightly. “But you and I are going to have a little chat.” His hand cupped her elbow, steering her toward the door.
Tara forced a cheerful wave to Brennan and then walked out the door with Dominic on her heels.
“What kind of a game do you think you’re playing?” he demanded as soon as the door shut behind them.
Tara jerked her elbow out of his grip. “I don’t know what you’re talking about?”
“Come on, Tara. You arrive on this island out of nowhere looking for a job in my pub with nothing but the clothes on your back, but you know how to fix a broken hand and now you’re making strange brews of witch tea for old men suffering from arthritis? It doesn’t add up.”
Tara turned, starting up the path toward the village. “My mother grew herbs and flowers. She used to sell them at the local farmers market. She taught me their medicinal properties.”
“Give me a break,” Dominic scoffed.
“It’s the truth,” Tara said, as she stopped, turning back to face him. “But so what if it isn’t? What does it matter where I learned what I know if I’m only trying to help someone?”
“I’m not convinced you are helping anyone.”
Tara stared at him. “You watched me reset Caitlin’s hand. You heard Brennan just a second ago say that he’s feeling better already. What more proof do you need?”
Dominic gazed into her eyes, green as the ocean, green as the moss at their feet. “It’s too fast.”
“What’s too fast?” Tara asked, impatiently.
“What you’re doing here. Butting into people’s lives. Pushing your remedies on them.”
“I’m trying to help them feel better.”
“Your actions might be honest. But your words are coated with lies. That makes it impossible for me to trust you.”
“I’m not asking for your trust. I’m only asking for you to give me a break. What does it matter how I answer your questions if I do my job and help a few people along the way?”
“This island is my home. These people are my friends and my family. I don’t want them getting hurt.”
“Who do you think I’m going to hurt?” Tara
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