“Yes,” Citrine said. “We would like to fix that. That’s why you’re here.”
“Right. I’m Robbie Wilson. But you already know that.”
Adrien scoffed.
“Why haven’t you fired this one?” she asked Citrine, who sighed.
“He’s… one of the founding partners.”
“You helped start this thing and you’re renting yourself out?” Robbie asked Adrien curiously.
Adrien just shrugged. He was done talking to this human. He snuck a glance at Citrine and was irritated to see that he seemed mildly amused to have someone else doing his work for him.
“What about you?” she asked Citrine. “If that other member was the glue that kept women from running, why don’t you take his place?”
Citrine’s face went blank, panicked.
“That’s a good point,” Adrien said, sitting up in his chair.
“Are you single?” Robbie asked.
“That’s… that’s beside the point,” Citrine protested. “I don’t—”
“Good,” she said. “We’ll get you on the roster, then. Out on the floor. Also, I’m done with open houses. We’re going to do private screenings, with me there, making sure you can behave. We can’t afford more bad press.”
“I beg your—” Citrine was sputtering, his long hair in disarray around his shoulders.
She put up a finger that was tipped with a long, red, pointed nail. “Ah-ah. I’m boss now. Including over you. You’re a founding member, right? Well, he is, too, and he’s working, so you can.”
Citrine sighed and slumped in his chair. “I suppose… if it just makes this end sooner.”
Her eyes sharpened. “End?”
“No, I mean… gets this company back in working order,” he said.
Good catch, Adrien thought with a grin.
“Fine. Then I’ll be back tomorrow. Your guys’ assignment,” she said, pointing to Adrien and Sever, “is to get this one out on the floor. Deal with that hair, get him clothes, etc. You know how to dress, so I assume you can help him.”
A wide smile spread over Adrien’s face as Citrine protested. “Yes. We can do that. We’ll help him lots.”
“Fine,” she said, walking over to each and shaking their hands in turn.
She was a whirlwind, a force of nature, and the first creature Adrien had ever seen that could ruffle Citrine.
He looked forward to seeing her around more.
“Why did your family suddenly want me in the wedding party?” he asked, suspiciously eyeing the tux that was laid on the backseat of the car while they drove.
“They like you,” she said. “And you beat my dad at pinball this morning. That’s some kind of record.”
“I see,” he said, leaning back with his hands behind his head. “Male competence. A good way to win over fathers.”
She laughed. “You have the weirdest way of saying things sometimes.”
“And you like it,” he said, sticking his tongue out at her.
“How old are you?” she asked.
He blinked at her, golden eyes oddly panicked.
“No, really,” she said, oddly curious now. “How old are you?”
“How old do I look?” he asked.
She thought for a second. “Early thirties?”
He nodded in relief. “Close enough.”
“Want to stop for lunch on the way back? I know a good place.”
“Sure,” he said. It was nice being out and alone with her. He liked her family and all, but when it was just the two of them, he felt most at home.
She pulled up in front of an odd-looking, small shack with a train motif above it.
“Are you sure about this place?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said. “Besides, look, you can eat outside. It’s a gorgeous day.”
He supposed so. He let her choose what to order, then insisted on paying. He’d told Citrine he demanded to take as much human money as he wanted, and if his mate let him, he wanted to pay for her.
His dragon honor demanded it.
He couldn’t wait to get this ring off and his treasure back. Not to mention go back to producing gold with his bare hands, er, claws, again.
“What are you thinking about?” she asked as she brought a tray over to him. He took it from her to carry outside.
He wished badly he could tell her everything. How amazing would it be to just be totally open and tell her every thought he had about being a dragon in this modern world?
But he couldn’t. She barely accepted him as a normal man, let alone a mythical creature.
He reached for a stick-like potato piece and nibbled it as she did the same. “I guess nothing in particular.” He didn’t like lying to her, so he changed the subject. “Are you excited for tomorrow?”