It is her delight I am thinking of now, because it seems this fort has a lot of things that would make Dakota happy, and my goal is my mate’s happiness. If Dakota does not wish to go to the fort, perhaps I will go on her behalf and try to get these things for her. Coffee, I remind myself. Corn flour. Chicken dishes…no wait, the thing that goes in chicken dishes. Butter. And live birds. She wants live birds for their eggs.

I want these things for her.

“And these are for drinking out of?” Fothessa asks, picking up the tiniest of the cups carefully, her claws jutting around the delicate creation. “I would be afraid to use it.”

“A lot of people only used them for fancy parties,” Dakota says.

“Parties?” I ask, unfamiliar with yet another term. “Explain?”

My mate brightens. “Parties are celebrations. Everyone gets together and has a big, special meal in honor of someone or something. We’re getting these cups for Dottie because she’s about to have a birthday. She’s turning eighty, and we want to make her feel special. So we’re going to have a spectacular meal and decorate the bookstore and give her presents.”

Her delight is evident, and it makes me wonder. “Dakota like parties?” I ask, trying to be sly. Do I need to get chicken dishes for my mate and decorate her home? “Dakota want?”

She waves a hand, dismissing my words with a little smile. “I have everything I need.”

“Except chickens,” Fothessa points out. “And coffee.”

“I can do without. I’d rather have a party for Dottie. I worry about her.” Dakota hesitates, then takes the cup that Fothessa holds out to her. “This one looks fussy and special, so I think we’ll get it. I hope we can find some tea for her, too. Let me guess, you have that at the fort.”

Fothessa just laughs.

“Do you have a doctor, too? One that could look at an older woman and see if there’s anything we need to be concerned about?”

To my surprise, Fothessa’s scent heats up. Her expression grows soft and she fiddles with a lock of her mane. “Actually, Jonah’s father is a human doctor. His name is Samir, and I know him well. I’m sure he would help out.”

“Fothessa’s husband?” I ask.

“Is he my mate?” She laughs, the sound higher pitched and awkward, and she reaches out and fiddles with one of the cups as if to distract herself. “No, he’s a widower. He had a wife but she died. He spends his time tending to the people of Fort Dallas and looking after Jonah, and he doesn’t have time for a relationship.”

Dakota shoots me a look, as if she doesn’t quite believe this. I don’t believe it, either. She is a strong, capable drakoni female. Not as perfect as my Dakota, but no one is. Still, I do not see a reason why a puny human male would turn away a fierce warrior female.

“But I’m sure Samir would help out Dottie,” Fothessa continues. “I can ask him to come out to the bookstore with me. Is there a day that works best for you?”

My mate puts her hand up. “I’d like to discuss it with my friends before anything is decided. Can you please keep our secret for a while longer? Maybe we can agree to meet up again in two days at this location, and we can talk about it more.”

“I can do that,” Fothessa says.

I nod. “Murr, Dakota talk Dottie. Talk Aggie. Talk Rabbit.”

Then I will talk with them in private and see if I need to get my mate some of these things she has mentioned today, or if she would like a party, too. Rabbit will know. I will ask her later.

If there is something Dakota thinks she is lacking, I want to get it for her. I do not have anything to trade…but I will get it.

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CHAPTER 84

DAKOTA

I clutch the box of carefully wrapped cups to my chest as Murr flies me home, and the weight of responsibility feels heavy on my shoulders. I don’t know how Aggie’s going to feel about someone asking about one of her puppies. I don’t know how Dottie’s going to feel about us possibly bringing a doctor in to check on her. Yet these are conversations that have to happen, and I’m the one that has to bring them up.

Sometimes it sucks to be responsible. Sometimes it sucks a lot.

We left Thess behind at the antique store, promising to meet up two days from now. That should give me plenty of time to have some tricky conversations with the others and will give them a little time to mull their decisions. They’re both adults, and we’ll go with whatever they decide. If Dottie doesn’t want to see a doctor, I can’t force one on her. If Aggie wants to keep all the puppies, the mother in me will feel bad for the boy who needs the guide dog, but I’ll go with whatever she decides.

The bookstore comes into view, and Murr gently sets me down on the ground, so very carefully that my feet barely bump the pavement before he releases me. I take a few steps, clutching the cardboard box, and turn and wait for him. My dragon sets himself down, folds in his wings, and then disappears—in his place is the crouching, golden body of Murr. He stands up straight and grins at me, and I get an eyeful of his dick.

If we’re going to be traveling a lot, I really need to figure out how to keep his kilt around. Maybe I could wear it as a cape and hand it to him when he transforms. “Wait here and I’ll get you clothes,” I say, handing the box off to him with a kiss. “And I need to make sure Dottie doesn’t see her presents.”

He glances down at the box in his arms, and then at me. “Hide?”

“No, I think we’re okay. It’s just supposed to be a surprise.” I kiss my fingers and tap his mouth with them. “Be right back.”

The sound Murr makes is a rumble of pleasure, and he leans against a nearby abandoned car, settling in. His gaze follows me, and he’s no doubt thinking of that finger-kiss. It’s like I can read his thoughts, and they’re getting amorous. Maybe we’ll sneak away for a bit after we talk to the others.

No one’s out near the firepit at the moment, the coals glowing and an abandoned coffee pot nestled in the ash. Inside, then. I step past it and head into the bookstore. “Hello? Anyone home?”

“Back here with the puppies,” Aggie calls out.

Of course they are. I snatch up a towel for Murr’s loins and head back towards the area with the plastic swimming pool. It’s in Dottie and Aggie’s room, and when I stick my head in, I see Rabbit and Aggie seated next to the pool, with a candle lit to offer some light. A quick glance across the “room” shows that Dottie’s in bed, which makes my heart fall.

Rabbit holds up a squirming puppy, delight on her face. “Look at this fat baby! Isn’t he cute?”

“The cutest,” I agree. Who doesn’t love a wiggly puppy? They’re still young, their eyes unopened, and look more like adorable plump worms than actual dogs. My daughter is, of course, already in love with all of them. I glance over at Aggie and give her a meaningful look. “Can I borrow you for a second?”

“If you need advice on how to please Big Meat, I’ll tell you what I can,” she offers. “But he might fall in love with me after learning all my secrets.”

“I’ll take the risk,” I say dryly.

She sets the puppy in her arms down, snuggling it back next to its mother in the pool, and gives Stella’s head a rub. Then, she puts her hands in the air and looks at me pointedly. “Help me off the ground. Your hips are still decades younger than mine.”

I help haul her up.

She groans and puts a hand to her lower back, hobbling after me. “Fucking floors. They’re the worst.”

“Agreed.” I offer her my arm to help her walk, but she bats it away. Neither of us says anything until we get outside, and Murr comes over to us. I wrap the towel around his waist while he holds the box out to Aggie. I speak up, now that we’re alone. “We found some antique cups, but we also found a problem.”