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)
Daddy sighed.
Yes.
Crisis averted.
“I didn’t do it on purpose.” I wasn’t sure I’d done it to begin with and I decided I probably should explain that. “I’m not sure I did it at all.”
Daddy’s eyes darted around the town and he huffed. “I believe you, and more importantly I love you, so I’d forgive you if you got whammied.”
He was too funny to be real sometimes.
“I don’t know if I got whammied.” Saying that with a straight face made me the best mate ever. “I don’t think so. I think the town just made a lot of assumptions?”
Something odd had happened but I wasn’t sure who’d done it to me…to us?
Daddy stood straighter and nodded. “One step at a time. We sort out their assumptions and work backward to figure out how to stop the nonsense at the source.”
He was really good at dealing with the crazy no matter what he thought.
“Yes.” Stepping closer, I kissed his cheek just to make sure I looked cute in case I’d done it without realizing it. “That’s a wonderful plan.”
He couldn’t decide if I was fucking with him or not and gave me his Daddy glare for a few seconds. “Thank you.”
Ha.
“You’re welcome.” Time to change the subject slightly. “So, I walked over to the bakery. I got coffee to go and talked myself out of a muffin because I’ve had way too many of those lately.”
Exercise.
I needed more exercise and less homemade goodies.
Daddy managed not to smile but I could see he wanted to. “Coffee. Okay, then what happened?”
Smart man.
“As I was waiting for my drink, two ladies passed me heading out.” I still wasn’t sure what happened and I wasn’t sure explaining it would help. “They paused and made small talk for a second. They seemed to think we’d already met because no one gave their names, but I was just nodding along.”
I’d figure out names later.
Daddy’s headshake said he didn’t like that habit either.
“After a bit, the shorter one, a mage, said she was glad I’d accepted because she knew I was the right fit for the job.” Frowning, I looked up at Daddy. “I think it was a dig at dragons but I’m not sure.”
“They’re so ridiculous around here. Just because a few trees have been burned down.” Daddy rolled his eyes but I was pretty sure he was being serious.
Dragons were weird.
“Um, then she goes ‘right’ in a questioning tone and I nodded.” That seemed to be the problem point. “I did it automatically. Then I stopped to think about what she’d said. I was focused on my coffee, Daddy.”
We had a big day and the coffee pot at the motel had died a fiery death that had set off the smoke detectors.
“You weren’t quite awake.” Petting my head, he looked like he wanted to sigh. “We should’ve stayed in the camper last night.”
“I pushed to stay on our routine.” Neither of us should blame ourselves for other people’s crazy. “We’re not going to guilt ourselves over that.”
It wouldn’t help at all.
“Then she smiled brighter and her taller friend—mixed, she has to be dragon and mage—patted my arm and said I’d made the right choice. Then she said something about making sure I told my mate and they walked off.” Quickly. They’d walked off very quickly.
Nodding slowly, Daddy seemed to be focused on something and I realized I’d been projecting the scene to him. “Yes, those were the women who walked by. They congratulated me and walked off.”
So we at least had a few details sorted out.
“When did the property thing come up?” That didn’t make any sense. Neither of us had been alone long enough to have even accidentally bought land.
“An older dragon, maybe one from the diner, passed them on the street and went toward the council building.” Letting his eyes wander over the sidewalk, he projected the scene to me. “He nodded and said he approved of the land and hoped the house would turn out well.”
“He’s a regular at the diner and I think used to be on the local council before he got too old? There’s gossip about it but I can’t remember the details.” I’d been skipping diner time too much lately. He’d slept with someone he wasn’t supposed to and that’d caused more drama. Shoot. I needed to remember that. “What next?”
“Then he said that Lorne’s mage mate is handy with building.” Daddy looked slightly confused at that point. “It’s good to know. Oh, and he said he was looking forward to the castle.”
What?
“Did you tell someone about the castle?” Had I? “Where did we talk about that?”
Hadn’t that been in bed?
Maybe it’d been at the motel?
Daddy’s shrug said his memory was as good as mine. “I remember being in bed for at least one of the discussions but we also talked about it on the swings. I think?”