Page 75 of Always Say Yes to a Dragon

I shook his hand. He squeezed mine harder than necessary. I found myself glad that human’s restrictive gender norms did not require me to hug him.

Grinning, I said, “I’m delighted to meet both of you.”

They stiffened. I grinned less widely, newly conscious that humans found my teeth unsettling.

Elle gave both of them a reassuring smile, and they relaxed.

Inside, the restaurant was clean but decorated with cheap, generic paintings and subpar furnishings. Staff had to dig around in the back for several minutes to pull out a chair that would accommodate my wings.

I wished Elle had allowed me to choose the restaurant, but since she’d have to endure an intense dinner and overnight stay with my parents next weekend, this seemed like a minor concession.

Once we were all seated, I set two boxes on the table. “I brought you both something.”

Beside me, Elle tensed. Betty and Dwayne exchanged looks, then opened their gifts.

“Beer?” Dwayne turned the dark brown bottle over and over in his hand, lips pursed. “I’ve never heard of this brand.” He squinted at the unobtrusive logo.

“It’s from a Trappist brewery in Belgium. I’m told it’s one of the best beers in the world.” Elle had mentioned that Dwayne enjoyed beer, and this brewery only sold theirs once a month.

“Couldn’t spring for a six-pack?” Dwayne said under his breath.

A flush crept across the back of my neck. Elle had given me strict instructions not to spend more than a hundred dollars on each gift. Two beers had been a few dollars over that, yet it was obviously still inadequate. Betty’s gift had cost a little more, but she was my future mate’s mother. I couldn’t afford to offend her.

Elle shot Dwayne an annoyed look and squeezed my thigh under the table.

Betty gasped beside him as she unwrapped her gift. “Bastet?”

“It’s a replica of a statue of Bastet.” A perfect replica of the original eighteen-inch statue, down to the detailed carvings. “There’s a certificate in the box that explains where the original was found.” I couldn’t recall all the details.

Elle had mentioned her mother liked to feed the neighborhood cats, and now Bastet could look after them.

“I always loved Egyptian mythology.” Her eyes glistened.

“Elle mentioned that, yes.” My smile was a little smug.

Dwayne narrowed his eyes at the statue.

Elle patted my thigh again, shooting me a pleased look that I returned. Dwayne was the only one who disliked my gift.

Betty settled Bastet on the table next to her. The server interrupted us to take our order. He seemed far calmer than any server I’d had when out by myself.

“So, Az, how do you like Kilinis?” Betty asked.

“Kilinis is perfect.” I glanced at Elle, then back at Betty. “What about you? Elle said you work at a…”Quick? Handy?“Convenient store?”

“I used to work at a convenience store, but it wasn’t working out.” Betty flushed.

Elle’s fingers dug into my thigh.

“I sew clothes sometimes,” Betty continued. “Used to make a lot of Elle’s things when she was little. I heard about how some folks are selling their stuff online, so I might do that while I look for something better.”

Dwayne’s nostrils flared. “She tried to apply for a job last week, and the manager recognized her and asked all kinds of questions about you.”

Elle lurched forward in her seat. “What? You didn’t tell me that.”

“Oh, baby, don’t worry about it. Just some nosy folks. They’ll get bored and stop asking when the next news story comes along.”

“Mama. You’ve got to tell me this stuff.”

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