It dawned on Emily what that truly meant. “I can’t tell my friends back on Stonefire.”
“I’m afraid not, lass. If you want to tell them about living with Cam and how you’re thinking about becoming his mate, you have to live as if that’s the truth. But that might be harder to do than just not sharing about living with Cam for now.”
Which meant that she, the woman who’d pined for years for the wrong dragonman and had very little experience with dating, would have to muddle along on her own.
But it wasn’t as if they were really going to be mates. She’d just have to write longer journal entries to air out her frustrations instead of venting to another person.
Cam touched her arm, and she jumped. He said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m just still taking everything in.”
“I know. But I just wanted to say you can always talk to my mum, if you really need to, about all of this. Aye, I’m her son, but she’ll want to help you in any way that she can.”
Probably because Mary wanted Cam mated and hoped that this would turn out like some book or movie, with a big happy ending.
She nearly snorted. As if that would happen to her.
Euan spoke again, bringing her back to the present. “Once you two leave, I’ll spread the word about how Emily came to Seahaven knowing she needed to try to find a mate. And after this morning, she decided to give Cam a try.”
Emily asked, “But will they believe it?”
Euan shrugged. “Eventually. But leave the clan to me and focus on sorting things out between yourselves. I want Emily moved into Cam’s place before nightfall, aye?” He paused, and they both murmured yes before he added, “We’ll chat again soon, Emily. Although if you ever have a problem, no matter how small, come see me. You’re our guest, and I won’t tolerate anyone being rude to you.”
Cam grunted. “I won’t allow that.”
Emily’s head started to pound again, and she was desperate to be alone to process everything. So she merely said, “Fine. Now, I need to put a few things away at the surgery and then I’ll gather my belongings from my old lodgings. I’ll see you in a few hours, Cam.”
With that, she exited the room and rubbed her temples. She wished she could talk with Sid—Stonefire’s head doctor—aboutall of this. The dragonwoman always had good advice, and Emily trusted her completely.
However, she’d been told not to share their ruse, so she wouldn’t.
Focus on what you can do in the present and take it as it comes. Especially since tomorrow you get to start collecting samples.
But first, she had to deal with tonight.
Pushing aside how Cam might already be regretting his agreement, Emily escaped to the sanctuary of her work and office for a few hours, losing herself in the familiar formulas and equations and research notes that made sense to her.
Chapter Five
Hours later, Cam resisted checking his phone for the millionth time. After explaining things to his parents, his mum had volunteered to help Emily pack and move.
Although he suspected his mum just wanted to sing his praises to Emily, in the hopes of planting a seed.
No matter how many times he’d told his parents that he and Emily were merely pretending to date, his mum believed in fate and that things happened for a reason.
In other words, she would meddle.
To vent his frustration, Cam chopped the onions in front of him a little too hard.
His dragon snorted.If you thought Mum would stand back and do nothing, then you don’t know her at all.
This plan is to protect Emily, that’s all. Given how the human was suddenly thrust into all of this, complete with the hunters and their bounty, I thought Mum would take more care.
At least you’re calling her Emily and not Dr. Davies.
Part of the ruse, dragon, and nothing more. Don’t you go getting any ideas.
As long as you show her our dragon form soon, I won’t meddle. Much.
