Page 57 of The Baby Dragon Cafe
She waved, and he left through the cafe. When she turned back, she saw Aiden was stewing.
“This way,” Aiden said, taking her to the part of the garden that ran alongside the building. She saw neat rows of dirt with little green plants sprouting from the ground.
“It’s a vegetable and herb garden,” Aiden explained.
“Oh!”
“It’ll cut down on your grocery costs, and it’ll taste fresher, too,” he said, smiling at her when she turned back to look at him. Sunlight illuminated his skin, and she was hit with a wave of fondness for him. “And this way you can eat more vegetables. Now you don’t have an excuse.”
“I love it,” she said, beaming.
Sparky trotted through the grass. It was late May, and everything was green and lush thanks to all the rain last month. The garden was now mostly cleaned up and Aiden had planted flower bushes to make it pretty.
“Truly. Thank you.”
He smiled, pleased. But then a dark expression crossed his face.
“Who was that?” he asked, frowning.
“You haven’t met Theo before?” she asked, surprised.
“No.”
She could have sworn she had introduced them at some point, since Theo was always in and out, but maybe she hadn’t.
“Theo is Lavinia’s best friend,” Saphira said. “I’m really fond of him.” Aiden scowled. “Like a little brother,” she added, and the expression on Aiden’s face immediately changed.
“Oh!”
Saphira bit back a laugh. Had he been jealous? Of Theo? Hehadbeen equally grumpy when his cousin Oliver (who was also a child) had tried hanging out with her at his family’s dinner, so maybe … Saphira was quite tickled by the idea.
She was additionally amused by Sparky, trying to pull heraway from Theo on Aiden’s behalf when he had picked up on his rider’s discontent. Her possessive boys.
Saphira glanced at Sparky, who was much happier now that it was just the three of them again. He was rolling around in the grass, making little flame balls dance in the air. He was well-adjusted now, well trained to stick close and not cause too much chaos, which was convenient for Aiden whilst he was working.
But it also meant that it was time for the next phase of Sparky’s training: socializing. He needed to learn to be good around other people as well, something he was decidedly not practiced at, if his earlier behavior with Theo was any indication.
The baby dragon especially needed to learn how to interact with other dragons. Dragons had their own way of communicating and bonding between themselves, and Sparky would need to learn to be comfortable with his own kind, not only with humans. And not only with dragons from within his family—the basalta dragons he interacted with at the Sterling estate—but with all dragons.
Saphira discussed as much with Aiden, and he scratched his cheek, considering it.
“You’re right,” he said. “So whatever you think the best way is to proceed, I’m game.”
“The cafe isn’t too packed right now,” Saphira replied. “Perhaps it’s a good time to start?”
Aiden nodded, following her lead. He scooped Sparky up into his arms, following Saphira inside.
“Maybe you can get a table in the middle,” Saphira suggested. There were a few tables occupied with baby dragons and their riders and an empty one in the center.
Aiden nodded, going to set Sparky down, but the baby dragon let out a little growl. He enjoyed being held.
“I think he’s used to being in the cafe when it’s empty,” Aiden said. They were usually here when everyone had gone for the evening. “I don’t think he likes all these people in what he imagines to behisspace.”
“You’ve brought him inside a few times,” Saphira said.
“But Spark usually stays in a little nook then, or a sleeping bed,” Aiden replied. He frowned. “That isn’t good. I don’t want him to be reclusive like me, I want him to be brave. Like you.”
“Aw.” She didn’t know what else to say, but she was touched that he saw her that way.
