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Min’s nose twitched at the smell of the herbs. She smiled and waved, and the workers stopped and pulled at their caps.
Min kept moving swiftly until she came to the more formal garden area around to the left. Lawns and sweeping beds of brightly colored flowers and topiary bushes in all kinds of animal shapes drew her attention. As she walked along winding gravel paths, she stopped to examine the plants, and even took her cell out of her pocket to take some photos. Some of these would look lovely in the bookshop garden.
Next, there were fountains and a formal area of box cut shrubs that looked like a small maze, and beyond that, an orchard full of orange trees covered in blossom, the sweet scent pervading the air. She kept walking, amazed at how large this patch of land was, and soon found herself climbing up a small hill. At the top, amid some trees, was a marble building with a domed roof supported by pillars. It looked like a folly. She walked round the side and let out a surprised sound.
Because there, on a stone bench, sat a dragon. With a sketchbook, drawing.
She recognized him immediately. It was Beau.
She was about to back away when he looked up.
They stared at each other. His eyelids blinked rapidly across striking golden eyes, before he grinned cheekily, showing a row of sharp white fangs.
“Well, if it isn’t Ethan’s girlfriend.”
“Hi Beau.” Min hid her surprise behind a smile. “How did you pull up this morning?”
“After you hauled me over the coals?”
Min’s lips twitched higher. “I did not.”
“Yeah, you did. It was like a voice from the heavens commanding me to go to bed.”
“I’m sorry for being bossy. It just didn’t seem like you and Ethan were achieving much by arguing.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, well, that’s pretty much how it goes. He treats me like a fucking kid most of the time. And not surprisingly, I get mega pissed off.”
Remembering her conversation earlier with Ethan, Min said, “He’s probably just worried, and wanting what’s best for you.”
His golden eyes glimmered. “What’s he told you?”
Now she was a bit stuck. If she said Ethan hadn’t told her anything, that would definitely make it look like they weren’t an item. But if she said he’d told her a lot, she might not gain Beau’s trust.
Why does it matter if he trusts you?
She had no answer to that.
The fact that she cared about this dragon family enough to want them to be happy was kind of strange, considering she barely knew them.
“Oh, you know.” She shrugged. “Just that you’ve started at Motham College.”
“And…?”
“—and that you had a bit of a rough patch after your dad died.”
Beau stared at the sketchbook on his lap. “Did he tell you I got involved with feral dragons?”
“Mmm, maybe.”
“Well, FYI, I’ve cleaned up my act and you know what? He’s still not happy. Always on my back. And I’m sick of it.”
Seeing a puff of smoke curl out of one nostril and the scales on the top of his head flutter, Min knew not to pursue it.
Instead, she took a tentative step forward. “What are you drawing?”
“Nothing.” He pulled the pad up against his chest, eyeing her warily.
“I’d love to see, if you’d care to show me?”
