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“It was… very pleasant, thank you.”
He laughed, harder this time. She liked his laugh, it was rich and deep and mellow. “I’m not sure if that was much better than your previous statement. Not that there is any expectation you should enjoy it. Anyhow, you have some alone time now. I have to go to the office for my meeting with the Council of Towns. I’ll be back sometime this evening. Enjoy yourself, feel free to explore—the gardens are particularly lovely. At least, the parts my brother hasn’t burnt. And I daresay my mom will want to see you again, if you can cope with that.”
“I will cope just fine with your mom, Ethan.”
“Be warned. She’ll drag you into her cave room. She has so much jewelry it’s obscene. And she’ll be bound to want to give you some pieces. Stay firm. Otherwise, you’ll be covered in bling from head to toe.”
She laughed. “I’ll survive.”
“Yeah,” he grinned, “I think you will. And for the record, I don’t think you need extra bling. You look lovely just as you are.”
She nodded, feeling her cheeks heating. “Thank you.”
“I’ll be off then. We’ll meet for dinner, yes?”
“Yes.” Still, he didn’t move, staring at her out of those magnificent eyes. His tail flicked, as if it was tempted to stretch toward her, maybe even pull her close. Then it snapped back and he curled it close to his upper thighs, tightening his wings into his shoulders.
Then he turned on his heel and strode away.
After Ethan left, Min felt a little deflated. It had been a whirlwind morning of excitement and now she was all alone in his apartment. It was tempting to look around, try to find out more about the guy she was fake dating, but that would be prying, and she had her standards. So she resisted the urge to go into his music room. Didn’t dream of walking into his bedroom.
Needing something to ground herself, she called Bonnie at the Westerly. All was going well, Bonnie told her. Quiet, just a few customers so far. Gingerbread was refusing to eat anything except lightly sautéed chicken livers. Min sighed. That cat alone would be the reason she needed extra money.
After she’d rung off, she went onto her balcony and gazed out into the garden. The sun was shining, and it looked beautiful. Nature always calmed her, made her feel happy. Why not go and spend some time down there? she thought. Maybe she could get some ideas from the beautiful, manicured beds for her own garden when she returned home.
After all, she’d have enough money to buy heaps more plants after this.
With that in mind, she took the elevator down to the ground floor and immediately became overwhelmed by the passages leading this way and that from the main hallway. Luckily, a small lizard girl came out of a room carrying a vacuum cleaner that was almost the same size as her.
“Do you know how to access the gardens at the back of the house?” Min asked.
“Oh yes, follow me. There’s several ways—through the grand ballroom, or down past Mrs Blade’s apartment. As staff, we go through the kitchens.”
“Through the kitchens is fine.” She wasn’t sure she was ready to face Cressida quite yet, after Ethan’s comments about being decked out in bling.
She got chatting to the lizard, who said her name was Sadie, and that she’d worked here for two years. “Good employer is Mr Blade, very generous with our pay and rates,” she explained.
In the kitchens, a group of staff in uniforms and white hats were preparing food. It all looked very busy. After Sadie had introduced her and explained why Min was here, Min asked the chef, a cheery-faced goanna, “Are you preparing for a dinner party?”
“No ma’am, just the usual. Mrs Blade likes a lot of choice.”
“Please, there’s no need to address me as ma’am.”
“But… you’re Mr Blade’s partner, it’s only proper.”
“I’m Minerva, most people just call me Min.”
“You run the Westerly Bookshop, don’t you?” a rosy-faced goblin woman kneading pastry piped up. “My daughter has been there to get ’er books on reading and writing and math. She’s just started at Motham College,” she said proudly.
Min beamed. “I’m so pleased. That was my father’s intention—to get books to monsters again after they’d been banned by humans for so long. Anyway, the garden beckons, so I’d better go.”
“I’m so pleased for you and Mr Blade,” the goblin woman said. “And I’ve never seen his mom happier either.”
Before Min had to think of a reply, in dashed a slightly harassed looking gazelle. “Mrs Blade requires breakfast—fruit and yogurt and croissants today, and her favorite cherry jam.”
The goblin started to bustle off to the pantry. “Better get to it, she doesn’t like being kept waiting. Mrs B is prone to getting hangry, and I tell you what, you don’t want a dragon hangry anywhere near upholstery.”
“Oh, ah, yes.” Min couldn’t help a grin at that. “This way to the garden,” said Sadie, opening a door. Min thanked her and slipped out into the sunny garden, where she was greeted by rows of herbs and vegetables in low walled beds. Nearby, a number of small green species with pointy ears carrying trowels and buckets were being ordered around by a bearded troll with an even larger spade.
