Without thinking, I reached across the table and grasped both of his hands. This startled him, making his cheeks and ears turn red.
"Please do not speak such nonsense ever again," I said firmly. "It is not out of pity that I choose to spend time with you. Ryan, you have no idea how happy I was you invited me to spend time with your family today. It was everything I've ever wanted."
Ryan's eyes widened. They glistened with tears that he blinked away. "Really?" He sounded as if he wanted to ask more but didn't trust himself to speak. I had a feeling he didn't want to burst into tears in the middle of the restaurant.
"Really. Everything I've told you is the complete and utter truth." I reached up to gently wipe his tears away with the silk napkin I kept in my pocket.
Ryan opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by a loud gurgling noise coming from his stomach. Andrew, who up until now had been busy colouring, laughed loudly. I joined in when Ryan laughed as well. The moment of joy wiped his bad mood away.
"I think it's a sign that your stomach wants you to pick an entrée," I teased.
"Then I better not keep it waiting."
After an excellent dinner of sauteed mushroom and broccoli linguini for me, a chicken parmesan for Ryan, and a very special macaroni and cheese for Andrew, we were ready for the bill. The server passed it to me with the leather binding closed. I took a peek at it and found it reasonable, especially with the discount Darcy had thrown in. I scoffed a laugh, then pulled out my wallet to put a substantial stack of cash.
"Whoa," Ryan said, horrified. "Did it really cost that much?"
I pointedly raised an eyebrow at him. "What did I tell you about letting me treat you?"
Ryan shot me a sassy glance. "Just because Iletyou doesn't mean I have to like it."
I grinned. "Fear not. I've already told you my friend Darcy owns the restaurant, yes? He gave us a significant discount, so I'm only making it up to him. He knows I don't like it when he treats me differently when it comes to money, yet he insists on doing it anyway. Stubborn old—" I nearly said dragon but held my tongue. "Goat."
A cool, low voice suddenly said, "Out of the two of us, I think the description of stubborn old goat suitsyoumuch better than it does me."
Darcy stood beside the table sporting that devilish smile and slicked back hair of his. He turned to Ryan and Andrew.
"I hope you two gentlemen have had a pleasant evening," Darcy said. He observed Andrew's technicolor masterpiece sitting on the middle of the table. "My, I didn't know we had an artistic genius among us."
Ryan laughed. "You must be Darcy, Ulysses's friend. Dinner was amazing."
"Guilty as charged. And I'm glad to hear it." Darcy regarded Ryan warmly. "And you must be Ryan, Ulysses's date."
I withheld a groan. Of course that overgrown fire-breathing lizard had to create a scene. He always did love to stir the pot. Perhaps that is why he opened a restaurant in the first place.
Meanwhile, Ryan had turned the same deep shade of pink that I'd grown used to seeing on his face when he was flustered.
"Please excuse Darcy," I said. "The cooking fumes have long since gone to his head."
Ryan grinned sheepishly. "It's okay."
What did he mean by that? Was it okay that Darcy had said something awkward or did Ryan think it was okay that we were on a date?
Curses. Now I was falling into the trap of overthinking every single thing the way humans are wont to do.
"A-anyway, I think Andrew's getting sleepy," Ryan said. The little boy's head was slumped against his arm.
"Nooo," Andrew protested half-heartedly. It was hard to take his denial of his sleepiness seriously when there was a bit of fatigue-induced drool on Ryan's arm.
"Yes, you are," Ryan said gently. He turned to us and said, "Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt such a pleasant evening.
"Not at all," Darcy said. "The needs of your child are far more important."
"We were just wrapping up," I added. "Besides, I'd like to vacate Darcy's presence anyway."
Darcy grinned, showing off those unusually sharp teeth of his. Heavens, he was soboldaround the humans.
Speaking of which, Ryan still didn't know I was a unicorn. Keeping it a secret from him felt like trying to hold a hornet in my hands. The damned thing wanted to escape just as badly as I wanted to let it go.
