This scene is how Nolan and Snowflake first met. It, of course, takes place before Property of a Gordon. I hope you guys like it!

"I'll be back before dinner time, Dad."

I could hear his muttering before he popped out of the kitchen, a grin on his face. His shirt was wrinkled and he only wore a pair of plaid boxers, portraying that he'd probably just gotten out of bed. I rolled my eyes, still not understanding how he could sleep so much.

"Where ya' going, kiddo?" he asked as he leaned against the wall, watching me.

I grabbed my jacket from by the door before replying, "I'm going to take a walk to the bookstore. I just finished a book and didn't even realize it was a series until now."

"Alright, just make it home on time. I don't want to be the one who suffers through your mother's yelling," he teased and I laughed, knowing he'd get an earful if I was late.

"I won't, I promise. Do we need anything else while I'm out?" I asked, only out of necessity. If I didn't ask, they would both complain that I could've gotten it while I was out, even if I had no idea we needed something.

He tilted his head in thought before shaking it from side to side. "Not that I can think of. Get a handful of those chocolates your mother likes from the bookstore though," he answered and I nodded before starting out the door.

Before I could make it out, he cleared his throat. I turned to him and saw an eyebrow raised expectantly. "Forgetting something?" he asked and I sighed dramatically, fighting back a smile.

I walked over to him as he stretched out his arms and enveloped me in a hug. It didn't matter that I wasn't a little girl anymore; he still wouldn't let me leave the house without hugging him goodbye. I'd never admit it to him, but I loved the tradition more than anything.

"Goodbye, Amaryllis. I love you," he said, squeezing me briefly before letting me go.

I wrinkled my nose at my name, something he knew I hated. I'd been named after the flowers he grew during the winters, ones my mother loved when she first met him. The flower may connect them, but it was a horrible name for a person.

"Love you too. See you at dinner," I called, making my way out.

I was greeted by the playful wind that swirled behind my neck, lifting the ends of my hair. The grass was a light green hue, moving as it sniffed the air around it. The trees were swaying their branches to the wind's tempo, playing along.

I lived on the edge of town, tucked near the border of the forest. It was beautiful living here, yet I was alone for the most part. I didn't befriend the humans and knew my parents would never allow me to. It was too much of a risk. Living farther away from them kept the temptation at bay.

One of the downsides was that the walk to the local bookstore was long. We didn't own a car because everything was within less than an hour's walk. Cars were also reserved for those who could afford to waste their money on them. In this town, there wasn't a single person who owned a car.

The walk there was quiet. Every now and then I could hear the chirp of a bird before it went silent, sensing a predator nearby. The animals were the only ones who sensed the other side of me, the more primal side.

I finally entered the center of the town, where the people were buzzing. They were walking by with their grocery bags, children, and dogs. They were waiting in some line, or sitting in some restaurant. A few were just talking or walking in silence. But they were all moving, from one place to another.

The bookstore was easy to find, and just seeing it gave me the comfort only my house could. The building was worn out, the paint fading away. What had once read "Lila's Bookstore" read "Lila's Bo kstore," an "o" missing. Despite that, the place was still breathtaking.

It fit in near the old antique store and a small thrift shop. I nearly ran to it, eager to get lost within its shelves. Reading was a habit of mine, something to pass time in this small town. It was something I did rarely, but when I did, I indulged in.

When I opened the door, a small bell chimed above me, alerting everyone in the bookstore of my presence. I looked over to see a nest of white hair pop up, a crooked smile appearing.

"Hello, dearie. How have you been?" the owner asked, vaguely remembering me. She could never seem to remember my name, which was fine by me.

I smiled back politely before answering, "Fine, Mrs. Carter. Could you get a box of your homemade chocolates ready? You know how much my mother loves them."

She glowed at the comment and told me she'd box them up, along with a few extras and her recipe. I went to the shelves, where the scent of the books made their way to me. It was a smell you couldn't find anywhere else but in a bookstore, and best in local ones like this.

My fingers ran along the spines of the books, ranging from soft to rigid, as I passed the first bookshelf. I wove through the aisles, taking my time to get to the third, where I had gotten the first of the series.

I frowned as I thumbed through the shelves, not finding what I desired. I should've gotten it when I'd gotten the first one, but it hadn't clicked in my mind that the book would become part of a series.

I could hear the door chime as another person joined me in the bookstore, possibly to leave just as disappointed as I was about to. I sighed, rechecking the shelves to make sure I hadn't missed it when he first started talking.

"You wouldn't happen to have any antiques in here, would you?" they asked, momentarily distracting me from my search.

I peered past the shelves, finding the owner of the mysterious voice. Even from here, I could tell that he was at least a head taller than me. I knew I could step on the tips of my toes and still not be as tall as him.

His back was turned towards me, but I could see his shirt held a hole near the bottom, and the blue color was fading away. His jeans were better, but were fading and had been put to good use, judging by their condition.

His skin was olive toned, which I would later learn was because he spent most of his days outdoors, letting the sun color his skin. His hair was a mess, its ends sticking up in every direction, yet he managed to make it look natural, even appealing.

"I do, in fact, in the back. I have a small section of them," the owner said, sounding happy with herself, causing me to smile.

I watched as Lila stepped from behind her counter, leading the man towards me. His eyes caught mine and I blinked, startled by the natural amber color of his eyes. They were the color of mine, when in wolf form, the exact same color. I didn't think they would look so beautiful on a human.

"Dearie, have you found your book?" Lila asked when she finally made it over. I smiled at her, but as I did so the book my hand was hovering over tipped, crashing to the floor.

The first thing I heard was a laugh, and my eyes flashed over to the man standing behind Lila. His eyes held amusement, his mouth twisted into a side smile. I glared at him as I picked up the book, the urge to throw it at him growing.

"No, unfortunately not. It just came out though, so it's not a problem," I told her with a reassuring voice. She gave me a smile, patting my shoulder.

"Let me help this young boy first, and then you can tell me the name of the book, dearie. I'll leave it aside for you," she said and shuffled past me.

The man's nose had wrinkled at being called a "boy," causing me to stifle a laugh. He caught the sound and grinned, sending a wink my way before following Lila towards the back.

I made my way towards the front, grabbing the chocolate. I couldn't help but turn around, watching as the man talked to Lila. He was dressed so simply, yet he looked exotic compared to everyone else in this town. I couldn't help but wonder if he was here to visit or stay.

My question was answered, thanks to Lila. "Now, what brings a handsome young boy like yourself into my bookshop?" she asked with a grin, causing him to chuckle.

"I was visiting the antique shop nearby and saw this lovely place. I couldn't help but stop in," he replied, leading her to another question.

"You aren't a familiar face to me, and I know almost everyone in this town. Are you Mrs. Collin's nephew in for a visit? She's always bragging on him and I have yet to meet the young boy," Lila babbled and I laughed softly.

The man smiled at her, laughing too. I knew he had to find it boring, yet he was being kind to her. It wasn't something that was common anymore.

"No, I'm just visiting at the moment, looking for a place to settle down. However, this town seems to have something enticing about it," he murmured to her, and I watched as he tilted his head in my direction, a devious smirk on his face.

He was going to be the death of me if he stayed, that much I could already tell. He had already glanced away from me, but I knew he was aware of how much power that one look had over me. He knew he was charming and was the type to use every ounce of it.

They spoke for a few more minutes before they finally walked back over to the counter where I stood. I turned towards it, giving the man my back. It was a mistake.

He stood close to me, too close. My back grew rigid as I became aware of the fabric of his shirt rubbing against mine, his body heat intertwining with my own.

I bit my bottom lip as Lila searched for a notepad for me to write the title on. He sensed the tension and laughed, his warm breath fanning my hair, travelling through the roots and into my skin, causing me to shiver. Bastard.

"Here you go, dearie," she said, handing me the notepad. As I wrote, she began talking to the man again.

"I hope you find what you're looking for, young boy. I'm sorry I didn't have anything," Lila said, her apology sincere.

"It's fine, don't worry," he started, pausing before adding, "I may have just found something more valuable." The words were whispered close by my ear. When I turned to look at him, he was heading towards the door, whistling as if nothing had happened.

I went back to the bookstore the next week for the book. Lila gave it to me and told me that it had been paid for, and sent me on my way. When I opened the book, I couldn't help but frown at the size of his ego. He had the nerve to give me a nickname.

Since I've taken the first step and bought you this book (I flipped through it, and I'm sorry to tell you, darling, but the character's love interest dies), it is only appropriate that you take the second step and meet with me at the forest's edge tonight.

~ Nolan