Page 63 of Fake Dating The Dragon

Min shrugged helplessly. “Well, there’s no other way I could afford to buy it, Bonnie.”

“We could start a petition,” Bonnie said brightly, “call it ‘Save the Westerly.’”

“Yeah, and the folks who would sign it would have so much influence. Not.” Min couldn’t help the sarcastic note in her voice. “It would be monsters who are trying to get themselves an education, and maybe a few sympathetic humans. None of them come from Tween. And that’s what matters in the end.” She huffed a sigh. “Humans who live in Twill and Be-Tween don’t count. It would have to be high breeds, and they’d never give us their signatures.”

Min tried not to let the sense of panic take over. Clearly, she’d blown it. She’d fallen for her fake date.

And now Quentin Jordak was angry, and on the warpath, too.

It had all turned into a horrible mess.

Her eyes blurred suddenly. She’d always been so level-headed, always kept her fantasies and dreams tightly bound and wrapped. But now she was unraveling like a ball of string. Or worse, like the snakes on Bonnie’s head.

Her lip wobbled and she let out a little hiccupping sob. “Oh Bonnie, I think I’ve messed everything up.” Min put down her tea and covered her face with her hands.

Bonnie came and put her arms around her. The worst of it was that when she got emotional, so did her snakes. Min smiled, even through her tears, as several of them got entangled in her hair.

“Sorry,” Bonnie said. “They’re just worried for you.”

“Sure, I get that.”

As Min pulled away, something landed with a plonk on her lap. Gingerbread. He stared up at her, kneading his paws on her legs, and meowed. Min couldn’t help a laugh, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “Have you come to tell me to pull myself together, Ginge? I know, I know, I’m behaving like a pathetic weak human.”

The cat meowed again, then plopped off her lap onto the floor and padded toward the back of the shop. Curious, Min followed him. He stopped outside her father’s study and turned to look at her again. Min had kept the study locked since her dad died. It was full of unsorted books and mostly unpaid bills that she still couldn’t bring herself to do anything about.

And she certainly didn’t feel strong enough to unlock that door today.

Gingerbread meowed again.

“Maybe he’s telling you that your dad would understand,” Bonnie said, at her side.

“I’d love to believe that.” Min looked at her searchingly. “Do you understand, Bonnie?”

“Of course I do. This shop is everything to you,” Bonnie said fiercely. “And it’s a shining beam of hope to monsters who’ve never had a chance to read a book before. Monsters are going to college because of this shop. They’re getting an education and finding out about their heritage. It took your dad years to build this up. Do what you’ve got to do to keep it running. If that means pretending you’re in love with a dragon, who cares? There are worse ways to earn money.”

Min had to giggle at that. “Yeah, well, I don’t think I’d be a good fit for the Purple Lantern District somehow.” And then she thought about her make-out session with Ethan in the orange grove and bit her lip, blushing. She would have done a succubus proud.

“I have a friend who works as a pole dancer.” Bonnie grinned. “Guess she could get you a job if you need one.”

As they giggled together at the thought of Min pole dancing, Min started to feel a little stronger. As she wandered back to the snug she took in the shelves crammed with books, the slightly musty smell of old paper, the strange little lamp her dad had found in an antique shop, with clawed feet and a faux fur covered shade. The medieval map of the world, showing the volcano site where monsters were said to have burst out of the earth’s crust many centuries ago.

It was as if the shop lived and breathed, and still had so much to achieve. She would not, could not let it be knocked to the ground.

Firming her lips, Min finished the dregs of her tea, then looked at her watch.

It was nearly lunch time.

“Oh, goddess above!” She looked around for her purse. “I’m meant to be meeting Ethan’s mom for lunch. I better go.”

Bonnie gathered up the cups. “I’m so glad you came by, and I absolutely promise I won’t let on that you’re fake dating Ethan Blade, not to anyone.”

“Thank you, Bonnie.”

“You’re doing a great job. I really believed you two were in love.”

Min forced a bright smile. “Well, I guess acting is another career I could pursue if…”

“Shhh, don’t say it. It will be okay. You’ll keep the shop,” Bonnie said firmly.

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