Page 28 of The Dragon's Mate

What are you doing?

Kaida ignored her inner voice as she tookthe elevator up to Bishop’s office.

You don’t even know he’ll be there. ForGod’s sake, you’re acting like an idiot.

No, she didn’t know if Bren would be at theoffice or not. He had mentioned he would talk to Bishop on Monday, but she hadno idea if he actually would or not. But that didn’t matter because she absolutelyone hundred percent was not dropping by Bishop’s office in the hopes of runninginto Bren. She was stopping by because she was in the city and she missed herfriend. It would be good to say hello and see how wedding preparations weregoing.

And why exactly are you in the city?You think Gram didn’t know you were lying when you said you needed tampons?

She cringed. God, she couldn’t lie forshit and when Gram had stopped in as Kaida was leaving, she’d said the firstthing that popped into her head.

Gram hadn’t said anything, just grinned andasked her to pick her up some beef jerky – the old woman was addicted to it –but Kaida had still felt like a yearling in the throes of its first real crush.

She couldn’t help it though. Her dragonwas driving her crazy about seeing Bren again. It didn’t seem to matter thatthey would see Bren again on Wednesday, her dragon was insistent about going intothe city.

Unease trickled down Kaida’s spine as theelevator doors opened and she stepped out into the hallway. Her dragon rarelywanted to leave the clan, it found the city too loud and overwhelming, so forit to demand she leave in the hopes ofmayberunning into Bren…

She shook off the unease and pulled openthe door to BKF Securities. Bren wasn’t in the reception area and her dragon’sexcitement deflated. It growled unhappily and she soothed it as Willow, thecompany’s receptionist, smiled at her.

“Kaida, hello! How are you?”

Kaida smiled at the bubbly receptionist asher dragon immediately perked up and purred in greeting. As a general rule, herdragon wasn’t fond of humans, but from the moment Kaida had met Willow, it hadan instant soft spot for the perky and sweet human.

The fact that Willow knew she was a dragon,was also oddly comforting. Although she hated that Willow only knew because Bishop’smate Ava had been stalked and nearly killed by an insane dragon, it was a reliefto not have to hide who she was around Willow or Ava.

“Very well. How are you, Willow?”

“Good. You’re here to see Bishop?”

“Yes. I don’t have an appointment though,”Kaida replied.

Willow waved her hand in the air, “Please,you don’t need an appointment. You guys are practically besties.”

Kaida’s grin widened as Bishop’s office dooropened. Ava, her curvy body clad in hospital scrubs and her red hair in aponytail, stepped out into reception. Bishop towered behind her, holding inhis arms a chubby, smiling redheaded baby who looked exactly like her mother.

“Kaida, hey!” The scent of Bishop’shappiness drifted to her and her dragon made another happy purr. “What are youdoing here?”

“I was in the city and thought I would stopby and say hi. Hello, Ava.”

“Hi, Kaida.” Ava smiled at her. “It’s reallygood to see you again.”

“You too. You’re looking well.”

“It’s the excitement of the wedding,”Willow said with a laugh.

“More like stress.” Ava pulled her phonefrom her purse. “I swear, Bishop, I don’t know what I was thinking when Iagreed to get married in six weeks.”

Bishop kissed the baby’s smooth cheek. “What’sthe point in waiting?”

“He wanted to go to the courthouse and getmarried by the justice of the peace,” Willow said to Kaida. “Can you believeit?”

“There’s nothing wrong with a smallwedding, Will,” Bishop said.

“That’s not a small wedding,” Willow said.“That’s a ‘my old lady is knocked up and I need to marry her before her fathercomes after me with a shotgun’ wedding.”

Kaida’s smile widened when Willow gaveBishop and Ava a suspicious look. “Hey, you two aren’t having another baby andjust not telling me, are you?”

Ava shook her head. “God, no. I am not pregnant,Willow, and if you start that rumour, I will murder you. So help me God.”

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