Page 44 of The Baby Dragon Cafe
“How old is he, anyway?” Saphira asked, amused.
“Twenty-one,” Aiden replied. She burst out laughing.
“You’re lying! He cannot be older than fifteen!”
“He sure acts like it,” Aiden grumbled, irritated that Ollie had tried hitting on Saphira, but Saphira only found it hilarious. She was still laughing, so much that Aiden started smiling, too. He loved her laugh. It sounded like bells ringing.
He smiled as she composed herself, but then she looked over at Oliver again, and another fit of laughter came over her. She covered her mouth.
“I’m so sorry,” she laughed, and he laughed, too. It was so easy to be happy around her, easy as breathing.
And Aiden knew he did love his family, even if they could be a lot at times. He was suddenly overwhelmed by sadness for Saphira, thinking about how she had no one. He vowed to be there for her, however he could.
Dinner was served, the usual multiple courses: oysters, halibut, truffle pasta, duck, etc. He found it a bit stifling, but he was used to the extravagance. Aiden enjoyed simplicity in all things—it was much harder to mess up when things were cut and dried. Saphira looked a bit stressed out by all the fanfare, looking over at him to follow what he was doing.
Aiden apologized again, but she bumped his knee with hers.
“Don’t,” she said quietly, when it seemed like no one else was looking. “It’s fun. Not for everyday, but you know.”
“This is their everyday,” Aiden said. “It’s even more formal when they host dinner parties with friends, and don’t even get me started on dinners for the Dragon Council.”
“Is your family part of the Council?” Saphira asked, eating some of her truffle pasta. “Sorry, I should probably know this …”
“No, don’t worry. Yes, my father is on the Council, he’s the basalta representative. There is one representative for each of the four breeds of dragons.”
“Does that mean you’re next in line for the throne?” Saphira joked.
“Um … kind of? Not that I want to be.”
Saphira’s eyes widened. “There’s an actual throne? I was kidding!”
Genevieve was sitting on Saphira’s other side and piped in, “It isn’t a literal throne, but the seat on the Council basically is.” She sounded disdainful. “It’s all very archaic.”
“Goodness. What happened to democracy?” Saphira asked.
“It is technically a democracy,” Genevieve replied, “but pretty much stays within the same family. A good old rigged system.”
“Well it won’t stay with the Sterlings after Dad, since I don’t want to get involved in all that,” Aiden said. Politics were too much. He was not cut out for it. He was content to stay in his garden, away from all that. He liked hiding out in his own private world.
He looked over at Saphira, wondering if she would hide out with him.
“What about you?” Saphira asked Ginny, curious.
“Unfortunately, it’s as misogynistic as it is archaic,” she replied, rolling her eyes.
They continued eating, and by the time the dessert course arrived, he was tired, aching to go home. Since Aiden and Danny were a year apart, and Danny had always been the talkative one, Aiden had never got into the habit of mingling so much. There had been more than enough socializing for today. Especially since he had spent so much time at the cafe earlier. He was content not to see anyone else for the next week (except Saphira, obviously).
Aiden was glad, at least, that his family had been welcoming toward Saphira, including her in their conversations and asking her questions about her work. There used to be a time when he was a teenager and in his early twenties that when he brought home whoever he was dating (on those rare occasions), his parents would be after him, asking a dozen questions such as,What is her family like? Where is she from? Does she ride? What breed is her dragon?
Fortunately, it had been so long since he had dated anyone that his parents were probably just glad that he had brought someone home to meet them.
Not that they were dating! So of course, it was not the same thing. His and Saphira’s was a strictly professional relationship.
Aiden was pulled from his thoughts as he felt heads turn in his direction. Too late, he realized he’d been asked a question by one of his aunts. He blinked.
“Your aunt was asking how Sparky is,” Saphira whispered, helping him out.
“Sparky is doing well,” Aiden said, as everyone seemed to be listening for his response.
