The Dragon's Dilemma (Lochguard Highland Dragons 1)

Holly nodded toward a table at the far end of the room. “Sit there and wait for me. It should be somewhat private.”

He grunted. “I’m not sure it’s wise to allow you to choose my food.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I find it hard to believe you’re a picky eater.”

Fraser glanced toward the section of the cafe selling food. “As long as it is food.”

She smiled. “Some might say it’s not, but it shouldn’t kill you.”

Fraser looked back to her eyes. “The ‘shouldn’t’ part of your sentence worries me.”

Shoving Fraser’s side, she motioned toward the table with her head. “Just go, already. I’ll be there in a second.”

After giving her an assessing glance, Fraser headed toward the far side of the room.

As she took a tray and surveyed the choices, Holly felt a little evil and selected the blandest items on offer for Fraser and her favorites for herself. She paid for them and soon slid into the chair across from Fraser. Her dragonman scrunched his nose. “That doesn’t smell right.”

Holly bit her lip to keep from grinning. “That’s how it always smells.”

Poking it with a finger, Fraser asked, “What is it?”

“Stop being a baby and just try it.”

Fraser furrowed his brows, but he picked up a fork and scooped up a bit of mashed potatoes.

As Fraser made a face, Holly finally let out a laugh. Her dragonman growled out, “That isn’t real food, Holly. What the hell are you trying to feed me?”

When she could stop giggling, she motioned toward Fraser’s plate. “It’s potatoes.”

He dropped his fork with a clang. “That is not bloody potatoes. It’s as if someone mixed cardboard with a wee bit of butter and served it on a plate.” Fraser looked to her plate of fish and chips. “How about we share yours?”

Swiping a chip, she popped it into her mouth. Not even the hospital cafe could ruin the greasy, salty heaven of a hot chip. “They’re mine.” She ate another and moaned for effect. “And they’re good.”

Fraser growled, “Cheeky wench,” before swiping a few of her chips. After sniffing one, he took a nibble and then ate the whole thing. “That’s more like it. Mum never let us have chips. Something about making our dragons fat and lazy.”

Holly replied, “My mum was the same.” She took a bite and then continued, “But once a month she’d cave to my dad’s wishes and we’d have fish and chips on the last Friday of the month.”

“What happened to your mum?”

She sobered a fraction. Not telling Fraser about her mother would keep distance between them. And if she wanted any chance of a future with him, she needed to open herself up to him.

However, she would share information on her terms. “I’ll only tell if you let me know what happened to your dad.”

Fraser shrugged as he chewed a bit of fried fish. “My dad was flying home from a hunt. The idiot decided to risk flying back in a storm and was struck by lightning. He didn’t make it.”

Holly frowned. “Did he have a reason for rushing home? I can’t see your mum mating an idiot.”

“Aye, he had a reason. But still, he should’ve waited. Faye wasn’t born until the following day, once the storm had passed. If Dad had waited for clear skies, he’d probably still be around.”

Holly reached across the table and laid a hand on Fraser’s arm. “Sometimes parents make less than brilliant decisions, but I’m sure your dad did it out of love.”

Fraser sighed. “Aye, I know. I was only five years old at the time, but I still remember bits and pieces of my parents together.” He leaned forward. “To be honest, I wish my mum would’ve found a second chance.”

Holly gave a sad smile. “I feel the same way about my dad.”

Fraser laid a hand over hers and squeezed. “I fulfilled my end of the bargain. It’s time to do yours. What happened to your mum?”

Holly paused a second. Thoughts of her mother always made her sad, and she’d been doing so well to forget her sadness by teasing Fraser. Yet as he looked at her with earnest expectation, she decided he deserved to know the truth. “I was twelve years old when it all started. My mum was a nurse and always had a way with the patients. While some would mistake her kindness for more, none were ever a problem until Gerry.