Page 65 of The Baby Dragon Cafe
“This is top secret information,” Aiden warned. “Don’t tell anyone.”
“We won’t, we won’t, but I need you to be so serious right now,” Genevieve said. “You absolutely cannot act like you don’t like her now.”
“Truly,” Emmeline agreed. “Please, just admit it.”
“Okay fine! Yes, I really like her! Sue me!”
The angry confession only made Emmy and Ginny even happier; they shrieked, hitting him.
“Ow!” he cried, not that they cared.
“This is amazing,” Genevieve said. “I love it.”
“Sparks are flying,” Emmeline said, too pleased with herself by the joke. “Get it … because Sparky is … literally flying.”
She and Ginny cackled. Aiden was not amused.
“You’re hilarious,” he said drily. Then it hit him all over again, the insanity of this plan. “I’m going to throw up.”
“Don’t be a baby,” Genevieve said, rolling her eyes.
“What if she doesn’t think about me that way?” Aiden asked, sinking deep into his couch. “And what about the complications with Sparky involved? Maybe this is a bad idea.”
“Booo,” Emmeline cried. “Don’t be lame.”
“You big scaredy-cat!” Genevieve said, hitting his arm.
“Ow?”
“Be brave! Make a move!”
“Yeah! Maybe Saphira is waiting for you to take the lead!”
“You know, Lavinia was saying …” Genevieve started, then trailed off, shaking her head. “No, I can’t say.”
But it was too late—Aiden was hyper-alert. He sat up, fully facing his younger sister.
“What was she saying?” He knew Saphira told Lavinia practically everything. “Was it about me?”
He was sweating, and Genevieve was laughing.Laughing.
“Maybe,” she said, being coy. “Maybe not. Either way,youneed to do something.”
He slit his eyes at her, but maybe she was right.
Maybe it was time for him to just go for it.
Chapter 18
The plans came together, and before Saphira knew it, it was time for the little trip up the mountains. She was excited for Sparky to take his first flight, and at the same time, she couldn’t believe she was going to pretend to be married to Aiden—she was shocked at what was happening.
It was also Saphira’s first time leaving her cafe since she had opened, which was causing her stress, but simultaneously, she was proud of herself for the cafe being in a position where she could take days off.
So she felt a lot of different emotions.
The morning she was to leave, she had breakfast down at the cafe with Lavinia, who was there early to see Saphira off. Lavinia would be holding down the fort for today and tomorrow, while Saphira was gone.
“Are you sure you’ll be alright?” Saphira asked Lavinia, fussing as she took a sip of chai, which was meant to be helping her stay calm.
