Page 27 of The Loneliest Dragon at Christmas
“What was that?” Jack frowned.
Avery’s cheeks flushed. “I… I worried.” He stared at the floor, not meeting Jack’s eyes. “I worried I wouldn’t know what to say on the date. I’ve never been on a date before.” The paper crinkledbetween his fingers. “I wanted it to go well. I didn’t want to make a fool of myself.” He still wouldn’t meet Jack’s eyes. “I wanted you to like me.”
Jack’s chest clenched. He reached out and placed a hand on Avery’s waist. Avery finally looked into Jack’s eyes. With his other hand, Jack stroked Avery’s hair, just as soft as he’d imagined. He kissed Avery.
“I like you, Avery. I like you very much. And I want to see you again.”
Avery let out a breath and relaxed against him. “Will you come to my den tomorrow?”
“Yes.” Jack didn’t even ask what a den was. He assumed it must be Avery’s home or something like that. But it didn’t really matter. Jack just wanted to spend more time with this sweet, cute, and surprisingly vulnerable dragon.
CHAPTER 15
Jack tucked the parcel into his inside coat pocket as he left the bakery and headed to Avery’s home. No, not Avery’s home—Avery’s den. Because Avery was an actual dragon, and apparently a dragon’s home was called a den.
Excitement bubbled inside him. He nodded to the neighbours he passed.
They’d planned for Jack to go to Avery’s home after Jack finished work for the day. His siblings had shooed him out even before the Magic Bakery had properly closed. Trent had also offered to work his shift tonight at the Christmas market.
Jack hadn’t protested. He’d been too eager to visit Avery’s den and see the dragon.
Lacy even told him it would be fine if he came in late tomorrow. They’d cover for him. He’d not said anything. He didn’t know how today with Avery would go.
After all, they really hadn’t spent much time together. Maybe Avery didn’t want him to stay the night. Maybe today would go less spectacularly than the previous night at the Christmas markets. Jack didn’t want to put too much pressure on today.
But he hoped it went well. The image of the two of them in Avery’s bed came into his mind. Jack wouldn’t mind at all if that occurred. Maybe he’d even get to see Avery in his dragon form.
How big was Avery as a dragon? What would he look like?
Jack pressed his hand against the book that rested within his coat. Before he’d started work that day, he’d gone to the local used bookstore. The store smelled of tobacco smoke, dust, and old books.
Jack had been searching for a specific book, a favourite childhood book. But apparently, there’d been no real system to the bookstore. Thankfully, the werewolf who owned the store had known exactly where it was.
“Think we’ve got it here somewhere,” he’d said, and after a minute, he’d picked it out.
Because the bookshop was so far away from the bakery, Jack had come in a little late. Something Jack never did.
Jack had apologised, and Grady scolded him. Then Grady’s lips had quirked up into a smile, and he’d told Jack he’d let it slide just this once.
Jack had wrapped the book in brown paper and planned to give it as a gift to Avery. He hoped Avery liked it. Jack smiled and quickened his steps.
Avery had given him the directions the night before when they parted. Jack had never been to the part of town where Avery lived. At least it hadn’t been the same district where his uncle and aunt lived. He had no interest in going back there.
It had surprised him how far Avery lived from him. It seemed strange he’d come all that way to their bakery to find vanilla crescent cookies.
As he grew closer to Avery’s part of the city, the streets grew wider. Fewer holes in the cobblestone streets appeared. The snow and sludge on the street had been cleared away. The buildings changed in appearance. Crowded dwellings withsagging roofs and faded paint turned into well-maintained apartments. Not a single broken windowpane nor a missing roof tile could be spotted.
He kept walking. Jack passed people on the street, dressed in far finer and better-quality clothes than himself. Jack hunched his shoulders, suddenly very aware of his own faded and worn coat with frayed sleeves.
His coat did the job. He’d had it for years, and it kept Jack warm. But still, he couldn’t help but notice his shabby appearance in comparison to those he saw.
Where did Avery live?
Jack assumed it would be nicer than his area. Most areas were. But he had not expected it to be this nice. It was far nicer than where his aunt and uncle lived; that was certain.
And as he continued to walk, the apartments grew larger and even more opulent. Door knockers gleamed as if they were polished after every use. Not a speck of dirt or grime marked the windows. The painted facades all shone vibrantly; some even used magicked paint that shimmered.
Where the fuck am I?
