Adrian Blackwood

He wasn't used to hosting!

His home had been placed in a clearing in the near-center of his grove, which meant that there was a carpet of soft ground cover for her to sit on, as well as several of the outermost rocks of the spiral. His lush garden also had a layer of stones around it, though they were more to demarcate 'garden' versus 'not-garden.'

Adrian did flash her a smile before heading back into his house, though it was several minutes before he returned, clan hands holding a sturdy wooden tray with a pitcher of water and two glasses, a loaf of tangy sourdough bread, a small crock of herbed butter, and a plate full of chopped vegetables: cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, and chunks of a sweet onion.

"Here you go," he said, setting the tray down next to wherever Pam had settled. "The butter is from a farmer's market near the Blackwood, it's delicious."