Page 9 of The Last Knight (The Cursed Kingdom #5)
Chapter Eight
A nother sunny morning bathed the village park in soft sunlight, casting shadows over the soft grass.
The gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh earth and blooming wildflowers, perfect for a revitalizing yoga session beneath the open sky.
As the final stretch concluded and attendees rolled up their mats with satisfied smiles, Aubrey lingered behind, collecting her things with quiet contentment.
The peaceful moment was cut by a familiar voice and a blur of motion.
Zina hurried across the green, cheeks flushed, and hair tousled from her brisk walk.
Dressed in yoga pants and an oversized fleece coat that billowed with every step, she was a whirlwind of mild chaos.
At the end of a taut leash bounded Opal, a wiry brown mix of enthusiasm and fur who dragged Zina behind with the determination of a canine on a mission.
“Oh pooh, I knew I’d miss it!” Zina puffed, trying to catch her breath. “It’s Opal’s fault, she had to stop and sniff every blessed leaf on the way over. I should’ve just left her at home.”
As if sensing her moment in the spotlight, Opal plopped down on her haunches, head tilted, ears perked, and big brown eyes fixed innocently on Aubrey.
Aubrey chuckled, crouching to scratch behind the dog’s ears. “Oh, I doubt you meant to make your mum late, did you?” she said in a sing-song tone.
Opal’s tail wagged, thumping against the grass with happy insistence.
Turning her attention back to Zina, Aubrey motioned to her car. “I need to put all of this away and then head to my new studio.” Excitement threatened to burst from her.
“Do you want to come see the space? I’m heading to begin setting up,” Aubrey told her, unable to keep the wide grin from her face. “Erin has to be in Edinburgh all week, so I’m on my own.”
Zina nodded. “Which I’m sure you don’t mind at all. I know how you like to start projects on your own. I’ll meet you there.”
With everything finally packed into the trunk, Aubrey slid behind the wheel and made the quick drive to High Street, her heart doing that strange flutter it always did when she thought about the new space.
Her shop was nestled on the ground floor of a charming two-story red brick building, tucked between a bakery that always smelled like cinnamon and a florist from which she planned to purchase flowers every morning.
As she pulled up, the sight of progress greeted her.
A man in paint-splattered coveralls stood on a small ladder, brushing careful strokes of sage green over the once-faded blue window frames and front door.
She parked and took a moment to study the new color, calm, fresh, and elegant.
Yes , she thought with satisfaction, definitely the right choice.
She grabbed a small box filled with promotional flyers and pamphlets, her hand brushing over the glossy tops, and made her way inside. The door creaked open, releasing the sharp, unmistakable scent of fresh paint.
It mingled with the subtle woodsy aroma of the exposed beams that lined the ceiling.
Inside, another painter, young, wiry, and laser-focused, balanced on a ladder as he cut in the top edge of the wall with smooth, practiced strokes.
The interior shade was a soft lavender, which reminded her of the ones growing wild in the nearby hills.
The muted color enhanced the exposed beams that lined the ceiling and the antique polished floorboards.
After greeting the painter, who responded with a cheerful “hello,” she went directly to where the future reception desk had been set up.
The wall behind it had already been painted in the palest green, which was to be used as a backdrop, a canvas waiting for the local artist to come and paint a field of lavender that would surround her new logo.
She’d spent hours with a graphic artist until finally setting on a design with the studio name “BreYea Yoga,” a combination of Aubrey and Afryea, hers and her mother’s names.
“This is amazing,” Zina exclaimed entering. “It is absolutely perfect.” She rushed past into the larger space behind the receptionist’s wall.
Aubrey followed her. “I feel the same. It will be beautiful.”
“I just know this is going to be a huge success!” Zina declared as Aubrey stepped up beside her, noting her friend’s eyes shining with excitement.
Opal, ever the curious companion, padded across the wooden floor, her paws making cheerful little taps as she sniffed every corner like she’d been hired to approve the renovations herself.
Aubrey let out a gleeful squeal and clapped her hands. “This place just feelsright . I want it to feel like a true community the moment clients walk in. I’ve got something special planned for everyone who signs up during opening week.”
Zina pulled her into a quick, tight hug, grinning from ear to ear. “You’ve thought of everything. It already feels like home.”
Her friend straightened and let out a long sigh, her expression unreadable. “Who has the spaces next to you?”
The question was strange, both of them had lived in Linlithgow most of their lives and knew the layout of the village quite well.
Aubrey acquiesced. “As you know, the bakery and a florist. I am not sure about the space next to the bakery, it looks empty.”
“Yes, well…” Zina hesitated, “I may as well…”
“What do you think so far? Do you approve of the color?” The painter walked over and interrupted. Zina seemed relieved.
“I’d best go,” she said, sailing past to fetch her dog.
After Zina left, tugging a reluctant Opal, who’d not deemed her inspection to be over, Aubrey walked around the space with a notepad scribbling down items that she still had to purchase.
There were already boxes in rooms filled with mats, towels and other essentials. Mostly it was the smaller things that had to be procured. Decorations, office supplies and the like.
“Good afternoon,” a man’s voice called out from the front. He sounded familiar.
“I’m in here,” Aubrey called out, waiting until the man in question rounded the wall. Her heart sank as Marcus, her ex, appeared. She let out an annoyed breath.
“Wanted to give you a wel…” His brows rose in surprise. “I wasn’t aware you’d be my new neighbor.”
“Wh-what, why are you…” Aubrey couldn’t form words it seemed. Of all the people, he was the last person she wanted as a neighbor.
“Neighbor?” Aubrey wasn’t aware that any houses near hers had sold. Not that Marcus could afford property with acres of land.
“Actually,” Marcus continued, seeming to get over her surprise, “I suppose I’m also a new tenant.
My permit was approved so fast, I didn’t have a chance for second thoughts.
” Of course it was. He had a way with older women; the village council ladies had probably tripped over themselves to approve it.
Marcus was a physical therapist. They’d met when she’d needed physical therapy after a fall while hiking.
“Where exactly is your space?” Aubrey finally found her voice. “I wasn’t aware any other storefronts were available.”
He’d turned and walked past the front wall to peer into the interior. “Hmm, yes, well, I know the building’s owner. After I told him about my wish to open Archer Physiotherapy here in Linlithgow, he offered me the space on the other side of the bakery.”
As if it wasn’t enough of a reminder of being dumped every time she saw Zina’s fiancé. Now she’d see Marcus around the village. Aubrey stopped mid-thought. “Do Jeffrey and Zina know?”
“I had dinner with them last night.”
Now she understood Zina’s questions and what she had been about to say. Her friend would get an earful for not preparing her for this.
Unable to stop herself, Aubrey gave Marcus a dour look. “Why would you want to open a location here of all places. I am sure there are other villages you can charm your way into. Why here?” She couldn’t keep the annoyance from her voice.
His eyebrows shot up. “I had no idea you were renting the space here. Neither Zina nor Jeffrey said anything about it.”
When he didn’t answer the question, Aubrey insisted. “Why are you here in Linlithgow?”
Out of the corner of her eye, Aubrey caught the painter hesitating. He was probably waiting to hear the answer too. She let out a sigh. “Well?”
“If you think this is about you…you would be right. I made a huge mistake Aubrey. An unforgivable mistake. I hope to get your trust back and perhaps one day, earn your heart again.”
The statement left her stunned. Turning, she grabbed her purse and keys and walked out of the studio, straight to her car, leaving Marcus alone with the painter.
“Never,” she gritted.
Arriving at an empty house made Aubrey feel hollow. In the short time since Erin and Padriag had moved in, she’d become accustomed to their company.
Although Erin maintained the flat in the city, the couple had decided to live at Ashcraig Estate, since it was situated halfway between Dunimarle Castle, where Padrig spent most of his time overseeing the building of their new home, and Edinburgh, where Erin worked at the other yoga studio.
As soon as Aubrey entered, Oscar appeared winding himself around her legs and purring.
Lifting the cat, Aubrey kissed the top of his head. “Did your dispenser run out of food?” The cat managed a look of disdain as if to say the food in the dispenser was subpar.
“Very well, canned dinner for you, my lord,” Aubrey said placing the cat down and walking into the kitchen with Oscar leading the way.
Once the cat began eating, Aubrey went to her bedroom. She’d shower and then work on plans for the studio. There were some orders to check on, items to order and applications to review. She had to hire a yoga instructor, which would take time to ensure she chose the perfect person.