Page 20 of No Room at Dragon's Landing

“Your…your what?” He stared at the number. I didn’t blame him. Most people didn’t have that kind of cash floating around.

“That’s my savings. My accountant kept trying to have me invest it, but I wanted it for a house one day and didn’t want it tied up. It makes me all nervous when they start talking money and risks. We could do this with it if you want. I mean, I don’t mind, and it’s cute, and sometimes when you fill me with your knot, I tend to scream your name. It can’t be helped…it feels too good.” My nerves were showing with my lack of filter. Great. I’d had this conversation planned out in my head and, so far, not a single part of that plan had been enacted.

“I don’t want to take all your money.”

I tapped away again. “We probably should’ve had this conversation before.” And by probably, I meant we definitely should have. “But we haven’t, and now it’s kind of awkward…but…this is my other savings.”

“You have two savings?”

“And…” A couple more taps I pulled up yet another account. “And my checking.”

“Wait, are you saying…you have all this lying around?”

“Put that way, it does sound irresponsible, but yes, I do, and I finally know why I’ve been saving it all.”

“Are you sure you want to spend all that money on a place for us to live? There’s no rush to move out. We have a home.”

“I know, but lately I’ve been feeling like we need more space. I can’t explain why, but it’s like a need.”

“What are you two talking about?” His aunt walked in, her knitting bag slung over her shoulder. “You look too serious. Is it about the baby?”

“The what?” I asked.

“The baby.” She looked at me like I had two heads when she was the one talking about who knew what.

“Whose baby?” my mate asked.

“Oh, neither one of you figured it out.” She shook her head.

“Figured what out?” Now I was even more confused.

“I’m just gonna go now.” She turned to leave as if she hadn’t come in here and spun my head like a top.

“No, no, no. Get back here, Gertrude,” my mate said firmly. “Spill it.”

“Well, obviously he’s pregnant. Look at his mark.” She pointed to my neck.

He turned to me. “Huh.”

“Huh?” What was that supposed to even mean?

“Huh.”

“That’s all you’re giving me? Huh? Maybe you could explain it to me like I’m five.”

Instead of answering me, he focused on his aunt. “Gertrude, do you have a mirror in that knitting bag of yours?”

She plopped it on the counter and dug around. “No. Wait…why am I even digging in here? Of course I don’t. Go to the bathroom and look.”

“Better yet,” Cyrus said, pulling up the camera on the computer. “See?”

“What am I looking—oh. Huh.” Where my mark had been was still a mark, but now it was as if I had covered it with glitter makeup. “So, that’s new.”

“And?” Gertrude made a baby bump in the air over her belly.

“And you think that means I’m having a baby?” That was a leap.

“Probably not one,” Gertrude said, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder again. “Our family tends to run in threes… Not this one”—she pointed to my mate—“but on my sister’s side.”

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