Page 9 of Charming the Dragon
Nathan said, “Hello, Mum. I need to go back and get the rest of her luggage.”
The woman—who had to be Denise—nodded. “Of course. Hurry up if you want any of the remaining snacks I put out. Your brother already ate most of them without telling me, the rascal. I might have to start locking the pantry.”
Nathan’s lips twitched, and Hayley nearly did a double-take. He acted so differently with Denise compared to her.
The dragonman replied, “I can install a lock, if you need it. Ryan is old enough to buy some extra food and not steal it from you.”
Denise patted his upper arm. “Don’t worry about it. Soon enough, he’ll leave the house and I won’t have anyone to fuss over. Well, until one of you two gets mated or has children.” She turned toward Hayley. “I’m Denise, by the way, if you haven’t figured that out yet. Oh, come in, come in. Let’s get you some tea and biscuits and chat a little. I know you have important work to do, but there’s always time for tea and biscuits.”
Nathan nodded at Hayley before walking back toward her car. She shouted, “Wait, don’t you need the keys?”
“You left it unlocked, and it’s not the type of car to auto lock itself. I’ll be fine.”
He was…correct. And apparently quite perceptive. “Er, okay. Do you want me to come with?”
“No. Chat with my mum. When I get back, we can talk about our work schedule.”
As soon as Nathan strode off, Denise guided her inside the house and said, “Don’t mind Nathan. He’s a lot like his father, in that he doesn’t talk a lot. But behind that grumpy exterior, he’s a big softie for those he cares about.” She motioned for Hayley tosit at the kitchen table. “Now, you must have questions. We’re all grateful for what you did for Blake and Hudson and their mates. So ask me anything and I’ll try to answer. It’s the least I can do.”
Hayley sat and readjusted her glasses. “You don’t owe me anything. It was the right thing to do, after all. Both dragonmen clearly loved their mates and cared about their stepkids. If they weren’t dragon-shifters, no one would’ve tried to take away the children. Maybe one day it’ll become the norm, but until then, I have to help fight and make changes using my best strength—the law.”
Once Denise flipped the kettle on, she turned and said, “Which is brilliant.”
“Er, yes. I suppose. But my work here, collaborating with your son, should help the dragons in the UK even more.”
“Yes, my son. Well, the oldest one. In reality, he’s my stepson. And I only came into the picture for him when he was in his late teens. But I love him like my own, and eventually I think he came to feel the same. How much has he told you?”
“Er, pardon?”
“About us, himself, his history? He’s single, you know. Although he came close to mating a human at one point. I’m glad he didn’t, since she was afraid of his inner dragon and it devastated him. But you don’t strike me as someone who’s afraid of dragon-shifters.”
“Er, not really, no.”
Denise nodded. “Good. And what about you? Do you have a male or female of your own?”
Hayley blinked. If Nathan was too quiet and distant, his stepmother was the exact opposite. Still, she felt obligated to answer, “No, not at the moment.” She paused, intending to stop there. However, something about Denise made her feel like she could confide in this near-stranger, and she blurted, “Men tend to be intimidated by me. Well, by my brain and success, rather.”
After pouring the tea and placing the mugs on the table, Denise fetched the plate of biscuits and sat across from Hayley. Her pupils flashed to slits and back to round again. “Tell me all about it, lovey. You look like you need to get something off your chest.”
Hayley sipped her tea and stared into the mug, doing her best not to cry. She’d often had chats like this with her mum before she’d died.
Ten long years with no motherly chats. No laughing over something stupid, or Hayley just venting about her latest case or disastrous date.
Denise placed a hand over hers and squeezed. “What’s wrong, Hayley?”
She cleared her throat. “Sorry. It’s just that my mum died nearly ten years ago, and I was remembering how we used to sit down and talk over tea and biscuits, just like this.”
The dragonwoman squeezed her hand again. “Well, for as long as you’re here, feel free to chat or rant at me anytime you like. I’m mostly retired—I used to be a teacher but now only really help with the human and dragon kid events—and I have loads more free time. My sons are busy, and my mate runs the local pub here and sometimes keeps long hours. And I never had a daughter, either. I could be your sort of dragon foster mum for a bit, if you like?”
After glancing up and seeing the kindness in Denise’s eyes, Hayley nodded. How some humans could equate dragon-shifters with monsters, she had no idea. “Yes, that sounds lovely. I’ll probably be busy most of the time, but it’d still be nice when I can manage it.”
“Good.” Denise removed her hand and picked up a biscuit. “Now, tell me about the arseholes who were intimidated by your brain. Sometimes, I wonder about human males. Rafe Hartley is an exception, of course. But I hear so many awful stories fromthe human females I work with on Stonefire. I’m glad, in the end, they found nice dragon-shifter mates instead.”
She searched Denise’s gaze. “Are you sure you want to hear me complain? I mean, we’ve barely met.”
“Of course I’m sure. Besides, a clear mind will help you not only work better but also help you handle my older son better. So, let’s hear it.”
As Hayley vented about her ex-boyfriend, the one who’d also worked with the law and constantly tried to offer the worst advice about her cases, she felt a little lighter. Once her mother had passed, she’d often had these kinds of chats with her sister. But then her sister had gotten sick, and they hadn’t been able to meet as often.
