Page 41 of Cam's Treasure

"Nah, Cam was like that even before he became a dragon."

I shot a glance at them, surprised.

"Wait. I thought you were a born dragon, Cam."

"Nah. DD—I mean, Raiden—is my stepdad. He turned me and Dad into dragons after he mated my dad."

I was surprised I hadn't realized it before, but then again, it wasn't really something that you could notice without knowing all the facts.

"That's interesting. You seem to have a surprisingly good grasp of your magic," I said, then hoped it sounded like the compliment I'd meant it as.

"I've had a lot of practice," Cam said in a slightly subdued voice, then shared a glance with Micah. Something passed between them, something I wasn't privy to, and I turned my attention back to the road.

If it was something they felt comfortable to share, they would. And if not, then it was none of my business anyway.

The drive to the restaurant wasn't long, and Cam peppered me with questions the whole way, questions I tried to answer to the best of my abilities.

I told them I had a bunch of businesses, but none that needed my presence day to day. That seemed to make Cam happy, probably because he was already ready to move me into their house.

He also wanted to know my age, which I hesitated about before answering.

"Oooh, that's perfect!" Cam exclaimed when I told him I was somewhere in the 800-year range, and I raised a brow at him in the mirror.

Micah answered my unspoken question, humor clear in his voice. "Cam wants to see if Raiden and William will be bothered by the age gap and if they'll say anything about it."

I'd sensed Raiden was quite old, so I supposed that made sense. Cam seemed like the type of person who was always looking for opportunities to cause mischief.

Micah snorted, and then his eyes widened at me through the mirror as Cam asked him what was so funny.

Before he could panic, I answered. "I was just thinking that you're the type of person who enjoys causing mischief wherever you go."

Cam grinned, not at all offended by my conclusion. "That sounds about right. What's the point of life if you don't make the most of it?"

Surprised by the astute observation, I realized there was more to Cam than met the eye.

Reaching our destination, I parked the car in my reserved parking spot before getting out and opening their doors. Neither of them attempted to exit on their own this time, and I was glad. I enjoyed doing things for them, and it was my way of showing them my care.

While the restaurant was a low-key place, a simple building with some wooden edges and a glowing sign that proclaimed its name,Home, there was still a guard outside because you could never be too safe.

The guard, a wonderful, kind man named Fred, nodded at me as we passed him, and I smiled back before holding the door open for my mates.

Their eyes roamed around the place as they stepped inside, and I followed their gazes, trying to see the place through their eyes.

While it was a fancy place, it wasn't designed like most restaurants.

I'd dreamed this place up in a moment of homesickness—homesickness for a home I'd never had, at that—and it was my best creation to date.

"Wow. This is wonderful," Micah said, and my heart skipped a beat. His eyes snapped to mine. "Wait. It's yours?"

Now Cam was looking at me too, and I felt pride fill my chest at the look of admiration on both their faces.

"Yes, it's one of my businesses. Maybe my favorite one," I added with a wry smile.

Instead of tables and benches or chairs like most restaurants, the floor ofHomewas split into various nooks with couches, coffee tables, and even TVs in some of the corner areas with Bluetooth headphones available for anyone who wanted to watch something while having their meals.

The restaurant was close to a university, and my aim had been to offer students and anyone else away from home a taste of familiarity, of home.

The menu was full of simple foods, things your parents would cook for you. There were special items too, things like soup for when you're sick, or pies and other sweets. I'd made sure to only hire chefs who'd spent a lot of time cooking at home and knew the difference between restaurant food and home meals.

---