Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“Unless you have a better idea, after we get this settled why don’t we take a drive down to Texas and you can introduce me to your family?” I thought it was reasonable but he frowned. “What?”
“Nothing bad.” He shook his head, reaching across the small table to take my hand. “I just thought since we were still closer to your family that you’d want us to visit them first.”
Oh.
I’d really been hoping he’d be slightly ruder about that so I could put the conversation off.
“Well, my family is going to be a severe pain in the ass.” No point in beating around the bush any longer. “They’re going to be completely unreasonable about us mating and moving away. Completely unreasonable in every way. Think disappointed locals trying to fix the situation.”
“Ah.” That was the only sound Daddy let out for a long time, thinking even while the waiter came and refilled our water glasses and reassured us our food would be out shortly.
I wasn’t worried but I was incredibly curious about the emotions that kept flashing through the bond. Thankfully, he didn’t keep me waiting forever. “How local?”
He really was incredibly smart.
“Um, well, there’s a reason that I like them so much. They remind me a lot of my family. Aside from the changing the flowers thing. They’ve got a bad habit of fucking with nature around here.” There was no way the local humans weren’t playing dumb. Flowers bloomed out of season right and left and that was the mildest ridiculousness they got up to.
“I’m sure they mean well.” Daddy was trying to be careful of my feelings, and it was probably the cutest thing I’d ever seen, but it was completely unnecessary.
“They kept trying to just walk into my house every time I tried to relax and enjoy being little. They took out the road to one of my cousins’ houses when he tried to move. He woke up and it was gone. There were hundred-year-old trees where his driveway had been the day before and explaining that to the moving company made him look insane.” Yeah, the area really felt like home except less shenanigans aimed at me.
“For—” Cutting himself off, Daddy nodded and took another moment to think. “You left in the middle of the night, didn’t you?”
“Yes, and I secretly sold my house to a local dragon who has a very bad attitude when it comes to mages who can’t behave. So they’re beyond pissed at me. I got a good deal on it, though, and it’s kept them from trying to drag me home yet.” Anger would only last so long, though.
Daddy seemed to realize that because after another deep breath, he smiled brightly at me. “We’ll just do a Zoom call or something like that to introduce me. There’s no rush. Like you said, we have a lot on our plates.”
And there was no reason to add more crazy to the mix. “Texas sounds lovely, honestly.”
My response got a teasing smirk from him. “I’m going to accept that answer and not poke at it right now.”
His expression said he was thinking about poking, though. My planner would only be able to contain himself for so long.
Chapter 17
Pierce
“The more I think about it—”
“Daddy?” Merritt cut me off before I could drive him any crazier than I already had.
“Yes, cutie?” I was hoping looking sweet would help him forget I’d been going to poke at our plans again, but his smile said there was no way that would work. He looked too understanding. “Did you forget something? Change your mind about dessert?”
We’d stopped by to grab some of his stuff, but in the mix of toys and clothes, it was entirely possible he’d forgotten something random and special.
“Let’s plan a road trip.” His words were unexpected, so it took me a few seconds to process them. “Once we get the portal situation fixed, we’ll plan a road trip to go down to visit your family.”
I had a really good mate.
“You like trips. I remember you mentioning that.” His smile said he approved of my attempt to let him steer the conversation. “I’ve never done a trip that long but it sounds like fun.”
Swinging my hand as we walked up to my room at the motel, he nodded and gave me a smile that made it clear he was proud of me. “I think a slow trip would be fun, one where we could stop and see silly things like the biggest ball of yarn or things like that.”
That didn’t sound too bad.
“It would give you time to play and for us to have fun.” Leaning closer, I kissed the side of his head as we got up to the door. “Maybe we can find all the good bakeries between here and my parents’ house.”
That got a giggle and he seemed to stop worrying about me, which had been my goal, but it sounded delicious as well.