I let out a groan. Casual, my arse. This is anything but casual.
Chapter Thirteen
EMBER
Seraphina drums her chipped black nails against the steering wheel, humming along badly to KPop Demon Hunters.
“You know,” she says at last, tossing her black hair over her shoulder, “you don’t look like someone on their way to Sunday lunch. You look like someone on their way to a date.”
Heat prickles my cheeks as I fiddle with the hem of my knee-length green dress. “It’s not a date. It’s family dinner.”
“Uh-huh.” She smirks, pulling onto the main road. “With your brother. And your fake boyfriend. Totally normal. Definitely not date vibes.”
I groan, sinking lower in my seat. “Don’t call him that.”
“Why not? He’s hot. Even my nan said so before she—” Her voice cracks, just slightly, before she clears her throat and cranks the music louder.
“Your nan met him? I didn’t think he’d been here that long.”
“He was married to Elise, wasn’t he? He came to visit Harold and May a couple of times a year. Nan knew him then. She’s friends with them.” She sighs. “Well. She was.”
My chest tightens. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know it’s been hard for you lately.”
She shrugs. “Anyway, back to the hot fireman. I know you haven’t got all dressed up for your brother.”
“Seraphina!” I swat her arm. “He’s got a daughter. And he’s younger than me.”
“So?” She shrugs again, eyes on the road. “Age is just a number.” A cheeky smile ghosts her lips, like she’s sitting on a secret.
“Enough about me. Who have you got dressed up for?” I raise an eyebrow, gazing over her black skater dress and purple tights.
“What? I always dress like this.” Her knuckles whiten on the wheel, the mood ring on her finger flashing amber.
“Have you heard from my nephew?” I hate how he ended things with her when he left for college, right before her nan passed.
“No, I’m sure he’s doing fine if his Instagram profile’s anything to go by.”
“You deserve someone who’ll look after you, Seraphina. Not just… keep you around until they’re bored.”
Her throat bobs. She blinks quickly, then smirks again to cover it. “Well, maybe you should take your own advice. Because Mr. Dragon Fire looks like he’d set himself alight for you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
She gives me a sly look. “Then why are you wearingmascara on a Sunday? You never even wear makeup for work.”
I groan and cover my face with my hands as she cackles, swerving slightly towards Flint’s driveway. “Is it too much?” The bees in my stomach buzz harder, chaos turning to nausea.
“I’m just teasing. You look fine. Great even. He won’t be able to keep his eyes off you.” She grabs her bag from the back seat and opens the car door.
I step out onto Flint’s driveway and look up at his home. It’s much larger than mine, and I wonder if he’s as lonely as I am now his son’s at college and he’s living here alone with not even so much as a cat to keep him company.
My stomach knots tighter with every step up Flint’s drive. I half expect Drake’s truck to be parked outside, black steel and chrome impossible to miss.
But other than Flint’s car, the drive is empty. No dragon yet.
A mix of relief and disappointment washes over me.
Inside, the familiar scent wraps around me—roast beef, garlic, herbs. Comfort food, the kind that lingers in your clothes and makes you want to curl up with a nap afterwards. “Smells good,” I call, shrugging off my coat.
