Page 7 of Purple Scales & Coffee Tales

He held the door open for me. “Ready, Master Taran?”

This time, I didn’t challenge his form of address. “I’m ready.”

***

The Cherry Blossom had been Samuel Carson’s favourite restaurant for at least the past decade. It lay nestled in a cul-de-sac in Pear Mill,and while the place looked elegant from the outside, the real magic began once you stepped through the doors. Run by Akuma Taki, a Hone-Onna, it opened into a beautiful Japanese garden where eternal spring reigned and cherry trees bloomed all year. The Bone Woman greeted me politely, and I bowed the way I’d been taught by my iaido instructor, who had schooled me in the ancient art of Japanese sword fighting.

A Dragon needs to know to defend himself with more than just his claws and teeth, Taran,my mother’s voice echoed in my head.

“Taran!” From a table under the softly-swaying cherry trees a blue-skinned Demon rose from his chair, one hand extended in greeting.

“Samuel, it’s lovely to see you again. It’s been too long.”

He bowed his horned head over our clasped hands, squeezing them firmly. “The pleasure is mine. Goodness. I thought my personal assistant had misheard the name when she put Stuart through to me.”

We took seats opposite each other and ordered food and drinks with one of the shadowy servers.

“You’ve instructed her well, I see.” I smirked over at him. I’d known Samuel for years. It was easy to be myself in his presence.

He gave me a half shrug. “She’s a gem. I wouldn’t know what I’d do without her. So, Taran. What brings us here today?”

“No beating around the bush, I see.”

“If Taran Atax ventures out of his castle, it has to be something important.” There was no tease in Samuel’s voice. He meant it.

“It is,” I agreed, but was momentarily interrupted by the smoke figure placing glasses and plates before us. You never waited long at The Cherry Blossom.

“Enjoy.”

The Demon took up his chopsticks. “I’m sorry, but I am starving. I skipped breakfast this morning.” Seeing a Frost Demon blush was a curious and rare sight; his cheeks turned translucent like ice. I pretended not to notice and didn’t inquire any further.

No need to know what he and his husband got up to.

“You too. So, what brings us here,” I said, taking a sip of my sake before picking up my own chopsticks, “is a property I want to add to my portfolio.”

He raised a thick navy eyebrow. “A property has caught your eye? Now you have me curious, Taran. To pique your interest, it has to be something grand. Another castle?”

I smiled at him over a see-through slice of meat suspended between my chopsticks in midair. “It’s a cafe.”

Chapter Six

Maeve

My manager informed us that Reynolds had reached an agreement with the company that had sued him.

The cafe would stay open until the end of the month, which would give him time to wrap up all his loose ends, and allow us to either apply for benefits or find new jobs. Then it would close forever.

Since I didn’t have any means of communicating with Taran, I had no idea if he’d even tried to save the cafe.

Probably not. I knew it. It’s always so much talk and so little action.

I knew what I would have preferred if I’d had a choice. To never return. To rip the plaster off quickly. Anything would have been better than having to serve customers who all expressed how sad they were about the cafe closing.

Kat and her colleagues, Mason and Hector, had come in earlier, all three looking as if someone had died.

I feel that.

I was so sure I’d seen him for the last time, that it took me completely by surprise when the tall Dragon, wearing his usual corset, entered a few days later. On top of feeling like shit about losing my job, I’d been beating myself up for being too chicken to ask him for his number before he’d left last time.

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