"If you don't mind my asking Ryan," I began, "what were your plans for dinner tonight?"
He let out an awkward chuckle. "Well, since it's Saturday, that means we usually eat mac and cheese from a box."
Andrew, who had been nodding off on my shoulder, perked up. "Mac and cheese!"
"It's his favourite," Ryan said.
Though I was absolutely not going to judge my fated mate on his choice of cuisine, I thought it imperative to treat him to an enhanced version of it.
"You must let me take you out to dinner," I said. "I know a fantastic restaurant that has macaroni and cheese on the menu, and I assure you it tastes much better than the kind from the box."
"But, my wallet—"
"Is of no concern," I interrupted. "It's my treat, Ryan. Please let me repay you for the wonderful day I had."
Ryan stared at me like I had grown a second head. "It's not too fancy of a restaurant, is it? I mean, I'm not even dressed that well, and I know some places don't really like when you bring young children..."
He averted his eyes as he spoke, looking at the ground instead of me. With my spare hand, I reached out to gently grasp his chin and lifted it so we were making eye contact.
"Do you trust me, Ryan?" I asked.
The question hung in the air even though I already knew the answer. I could see it in Ryan's shimmering brown eyes.
"I do," he said finally.
"Then leave everything to me."
* * *
We arrivedat the restaurant by early evening. Thanks to Ryan's little unintelligent phone, I was able to call ahead and secure a reservation for a party of three. I did not have a phone of my own and generally did not feel the need for one, but I had to admit it was quite convenient.
The restaurant itself was a favourite of mine, an upscale yet not pompous place calledThe Rising Dragon. If the name itself was not a dead giveaway, the owner was a dragon shifter named Darcy. We'd known each other for a long time, thanks to being two of the handful of mythical shifters in the city.
Like unicorns, dragon shifters also mated for life upon finding their fated mate. Unfortunately, Darcy had no such luck yet. We used to meet up and commiserate together, and I realized now that we would never have that opportunity again. Not that I was complaining. Having my fated mate by my side was far better than a pity party with a dragon.
We arrived right on schedule and were promptly seated at a table. The hosts and servers went out of their way to make us feel welcome, likely because Darcy had instructed them to do so. But it wasn't my first time here either, and I had no doubt that they recognized me and my wallet since I was fond of handing out large tips to the intriguing humans.
"This place is amazing," Ryan murmured as he reached for his water. When the server had come to ask for our drinks, Ryan was quick to order a simple glass of water. Despite my reassurance that I was footing the bill and that he was free to order any special concoction that he liked, Ryan stubbornly refused. I had to admit it was an endearing quality. I like that he had a backbone and wasn't afraid to stand up for himself.
I ordered a water for myself as well so as not to appear gauche. Out of the three of us, Andrew was the only one nursing on a drink that wasn't water. Unlike his daddy, he had no trouble ordering himself a cup of "appy juice."
Looking around curiously, Ryan asked, "So, Ulysses, do you come here often? Ugh, sorry, I didn't need to say something so cliché."
I wished he wouldn't be so embarrassed. There was nothing for him to be ashamed about. I smiled and said, "I've been here a few times. It does help that I'm friends with the owner."
"Wow. You must be pretty popular."
"Not particularly. It's not often that individuals strike my fancy. Unlike some people, I don't make a habit of going around befriending every single soul that I meet." I flashed him a knowing gaze from beneath my white lashes. "Only the special ones."
Ryan snorted. "Okay, now you're just being silly."
"What is it about anything I've said that you find silly?"
As if on cue, a server appeared with a coloring page and some crayons for Andrew, who immediately dove in. This was not the type of restaurant to hand out entertainment to children, so I assumed Darcy had something to do with it. I did mention in our phone call that I was bringing my fated mate and his young child.
With Andrew distracted, Ryan returned to our conversation. He lowered his voice. "It's just that… I'm not particularly special. I'm just an average person. Below average, even."
My unicorn stampeded within me, tossing back his head and stabbing the air with his horn. To hear my fated mate speak of himself in such a way was unacceptable.
