Page 12 of Fritillaria

Aspis

I have folded and refolded the napkin in front of me at least forty times.

After yesterday with Ivy, I am terrified of how this coffee will play out. But I have to remind myself that Matilda is a Monster. This will mean something different to her. She’s never been one to date, from what I’ve seen, which means she is probably set on waiting for her mate.

Not that I’ve seen Ivy date anyone either.

Rosie wasn’t surprised to see me at the ass crack of dawn as her first customer this morning. Which means that Finnegan has caught her up on everything. In credit to her, she hasn’t said anything to me about it yet.

She runs a café near the studio, and this is where I’ve asked Matilda to meet me this morning.

I stupidly didn’t pick a time, just saying to meet up before work. So that means I hauled ass down here from opening so that I would have a spot for her when she gets here.

The café has filled up over the past hour, different Monsters and Humans that work in the local businesses coming in for their morning caffeine fix. It’s nice to see that my friend’s business is doing so well.

She keeps my coffee topped off as I read the paper, never really having enough time to chat properly.

The scent of fresh morning dew catches my attention, my eyes flicking up to see Matilda. The sun shines through the windows behind her, setting her in a frame of golden light that matches her eyes. She’s wearing a soft green sundress under a light jacket for the morning chill, the color complimenting her auburn hair.

Her hooves click along the floor, her ankles downed in the same soft, tawny brown fur as her ears.

I stand up as she makes her way to the table, quickly pulling her chair out for her.

“Good morning!” She sounds cheery, so I greet her with a warm smile.

Matilda hardly ever wears much makeup apart from the darkening of her lashes, but this morning she is wearing a tad more than usual. It’s cute that she put in the effort, but she looks beautiful either way.

“Morning,” I remember to speak and not just sniff her with the close contact. “Thanks for meeting me.”

“Of course! I’m sorry about yesterday. I had—”

“You had an interview. I heard.” One of the waiters comes to take Matilda’s order for a rose latte, and I file that piece of information away. “How do you think it went?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” She adorably fiddles with the charm on her phone. “I’m kind of freaking out about it, to be honest. Liliana really gives you nothing in those things, I have no idea how it went.”

I’m sorry for Matilda that my news will change things for her. She has enough going on at the moment with work and her promotion.

“Well, I know it’s not my department. But I think we all recognize how valuable the work you do is for the label. They would be crazy not to promote you.”

“You really think so?” An adorable blush creeps up her cheeks, her lips twitching into a gentle smile.

“I know so.”

Rosie chooses that moment to drop off Matilda’s order. She doesn’t hang around though, which I appreciate.

“I wanted to meet with you to discuss something.”

Matilda’s eyes are wide with interest, her golden orbs drawing me in. I need to focus.

“At the party, I scented you and another mate.”

She freezes, her coffee cup in mid air. I’m not even sure she’s breathing.

After a moment she sets her cup down. I take the opportunity to grasp her hand, resting them between us on the table while she thinks. A zing of awareness hits me from where we touch, my body responding to my mate.

Her scent sweetens with notes of jasmine. It’s divine.

I’m patient with her while she processes. She opens her mouth to speak a few times before she finally gets anything out.

---