Page 6 of The Ruby Dragon's Unconventional Mate

“Seriously?” he snapped, just infuriated and desperately embarrassed. “Is this the way it’s going to happen now? Iseveryone in this town just going to walk on eggshells when Lars is around because he got his feelings hurt. Is that how it works? Is it because he’s Logan’s brother, or just because he’s an asshole?”

“Bryant!” Amber whipped around and fastened him with a look. “Let me tell you something, young man. I have known Lars for almost his entire life, and he is the dearest, sweetest one of all of us. And so, if there is a problem, I would suggest to you that it’s not him.” She arched an eyebrow. “You don’t have to be mean to him. You were the one that was chasing?—”

“That’s no longer an issue,” he snarled. “But Lachlan and I are guardians as well, and?—”

“I can’t wait to welcome your brother to town. I know you’re a mover and a shaker. Lars is a little bit more of a homebody, but he’s solid as stone.”

He didn’t need to be lectured about how off he was being in front of a teenager. “I wasn’t aware that I was supposed to be?—”

“What? Polite? Yes, we tend to like that here. Trust me, if it’s a problem, I’ll make sure and let Logan know.” She arched one eyebrow. “Don’t forget. Lars has a brother too. Don’t push that loyalty too far.”

This was literally the last thing he needed.

To offend more people in this little town and make his brother’s life even harder.

Bryant didn’t understand one bit why they’d been chosen in the first place.

Of all the towns on earth? He could have landed literally anywhere.

But no.

He had to be here in Oro Escondido.

Chapter

Three

“Was he really as awful as all that?”

Lars stared at Samuel. “Which one are you talking about? Lachlan the guardian who won’t leave his weird-assed house or let anyone see him or his jerk of a brother?” At Samuel’s panicked wide eyes, he blew out a hard breath. “I’m sorry, just so angry. I need a baby to snuggle.”

“Grant or Gwenyth? You can have either one.”

“I’ll take Gwenyth. She’ll be quiet, snuggly. Grant is a busy little bee, and he’s playing with his new blocks.”

“He loves those things. His Uncle Lars brought them to him, you know.” Samuel picked up the snoozing infant.

“I do know. Blocks are an amazing thing.”

Samuel deposited his sweet little snuggly girl into Lars’s lap, and Lars held her, her eyes never even opening.

“Lachlan was in an accident—something supersecret and disfiguring, I guess.” Bryant had left Oro Escondido in a rush, and Lars had understood.

He knew about having a brother, taking care of things.

“I guess that’s why Logan brought them both in. I don’t think that Lachlan is okay anymore, and Bryant offered to be the guardian here alongside him.”

“And you were…friends?” Samuel asked, and Lars shrugged.

“I thought so. He had to leave before you came here. I thought we were—” He took a deep breath. “I really thought he was interested, but how could he not tell me he was coming here? If he wanted me to not be friendly, I’m totally capable of handling that now, because he’s just a complete and total?—”

He looked for a word that wasn’t evil and didn’t start with fuck, but he couldn’t find one, so he just shrugged.

“And I tried to be nice to him today, even after all of it.”

“Oh, that’s the worst. It’s really hard when you try to be nice, and somebody’s not nice back.” Samuel should know. He and Jake had started on a rocky road.

“Right, like I bought his coffee, I was decent to him, and was he decent back? No. He insulted my house. He insulted my job, or lack thereof.” And that had hurt his feelings. Bryant knew that he worked hard.

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