Dragon's Baby

by Juniper Hart

  “I can see that,” Cassie replied, reaching out to tentatively take the vacuum from her. “You’ve been lost in thought a lot and taking it out on the house. I think you need a break. Or a drink.”

  But Courtney didn’t want to sit down. She wanted to continue cleaning. It was the best way she could unwind when her mind was racing, and in the past few days, her mind had been racing with too many thoughts for her to handle.

  Still, she could see that her desire to clean was driving her roommate crazy.

  This is precisely what George was complaining about, Courtney realized, color flooding her fair cheeks. She allowed Cassie to take the appliance from her hands.

  “Come on,” Cassie called, gesturing with her head for Courtney to follow. “I’m making a batch of margaritas.”

  “Aren’t you going to wrap up the cord?” she asked automatically, and Cassie stifled a scowl.

  “Later. Drinks first.”

  Reluctantly, Courtney glanced at the hallway, eyeing the vacuum woefully. She knew Cassie would not accept a negative answer, though, and so she followed her into the kitchen.

  I’ll just sneak out here when she’s not looking and wind it back up, she promised herself.

  “Court, you’ve been moping around the house for a week,” Cassie told her as they sat at the kitchen bar. “You need to get out of here and enjoy your summer. It’s your last one as a college student, you know.”

  Courtney scoffed at the thought.

  “In my defense, I fully intended to enjoy my summer,” she retorted, flipping her blonde head back. “George rather foiled that idea, didn’t he?”

  Cassie didn’t reply, turning her back to pour the drinks from the blender, but Courtney could tell by her demeanor that she was growing irritated. She was only trying to make her feel better, and this was how Courtney was repaying her? She felt ashamed of herself.

  “Anyway,” Courtney continued quickly, hoping to ease her roommate’s annoyance. “What harm am I doing? The flat has never been cleaner.”

  She hoped her voice sounded lighthearted, but even she could hear the note of wistfulness in her tone. What else could she do, though? It wasn’t like she didn’t want to stop feeling this funk, which had ensued following the unexpected end of her six-month relationship with George.

  He never intended for us to be long-term, she thought. I was someone to warm his bed in the winter months, and once summer sprung, he dropped me like a hot potato. I am such a fool for not seeing it. And to think I gave up the opportunity to return home for the summer, just so I would be closer to him. Bollocks.

  Courtney reasoned that she could always call her parents and have them send her a ticket back to London, but then she would be forced to explain why she’d had such a sudden change of heart, and she was not sure she had the strength to endure that kind of interrogation. She could already hear her mother’s scornful tone.

  “Truly, Courtney, you remained in the States to chase a man?” she would chide her. “I had thought your father and I had raised you to have more self-respect than that.”

  “But Mum, you would have liked him!” Courtney could hear herself protesting.

  “Well, there’s no way of knowing that now, is there, dear?”

  No, Courtney thought mournfully. I am not going home this summer. Instead, I am doomed to remain here and avoid George at all costs.

  “Court, you really shouldn’t be wasting your time thinking about him. He’s not worth the heartache. You need to get out of the house,” Cassie tried again. “Tonight, I’m going to try something that I think you might be interested in.”

  Courtney swallowed a snort and resisted the urge to roll her hazel eyes.

  While she and Cassie had been friends for two years, they did not run in the same social circles; Cassie was a lovely girl, but she was meek and a bookworm. Courtney had always surrounded herself with strong women, and Cassie simply didn’t fit the mould.

  She was surprised that Cassie had even bothered to make margaritas—it wasn’t something she usually did.

  Still, with almost all Courtney’s sorority sisters back in their respective hometowns, she did not have many more people she could spend time with over the break.

  She made the margaritas for you, Courtney realized, and guilt flooded her.

  “I don’t think so, Cassie,” she said, but her voice was uncertain.

  She’s not wrong, she admitted to herself. I shouldn’t be sitting about in our flat, seething with anger. George doesn’t deserve my anger. He doesn’t deserve any emotion from me.

  “What harm can it do?” Cassie insisted. “It’s one night out, and it will probably help you forget about George altogether.”

  Courtney laughed mirthlessly. “Not likely,” she replied. “Where is it that you’re heading?”

  Cassie grinned, her face turning slightly pink as she shifted her eyes downward slightly.

  “I’m going speed-dating,” she answered, and Courtney could not resist chuckling in contempt.

  “What? You mean like those awful, desperate types who wear name tags and chat for three minutes until moving on to their next victim?”

  Cassie’s face turned stony. “Sorry I mentioned it,” she said flatly, slamming Courtney’s drink onto the countertop and whirling to leave the kitchen. “I was only trying to get your mind off George, but I guess you’re too good for anything else.”

  Courtney’s mouth instantly parted, contrition invading her chest.

  She didn’t deserve that. And she’s right—what harm can it do to go out, even if the evening is ridiculous?

  “Wait!” she called after her roommate, and Cassie begrudgingly turned to face her. “I’m sorry,” Courtney said, rising from the kitchen bar with her glass in hand. “I would love to join you. Thank you for thinking of me.”

  Cassie eyed her with suspicious blue eyes.

  “Are you making fun of me?” she asked, and Courtney shook her head.

  “No!” she assured the brunette. “I would like to come. Who knows? I may even find someone I fancy. Besides, I could use a good, hot revenge shag now, couldn’t I?”

  Cassie giggled, and Courtney raised her glass in toast. As their glasses clinked together, Courtney found the idea of speed-dating growing on her.

  Why not, she thought, taking a sip. George is so junior year. I am a senior now. I should find someone worthier of my stature. Someone who is not simply good on paper, but also good in reality. And much better in bed.

  Courtney’s mind was made up. She was owed better than her slimy ex.

  “A church?” Courtney glared at her roommate in disbelief and then looked back at the building before them. “You’re bringing me to a church for this speed dating?”

  Cassie glanced at her, steering the car into an open parking space.

  “Yes,” she answered slowly. “Where else would they host one of these events?”

  “I don’t know!” Courtney replied, her temper flaring slightly. “Some place with a decent pint, maybe? Why didn’t you tell me this was a religious affair?”

  “It isn’t!” Cassie exclaimed defensively. “I mean, the pastor put it together, but—”

  “Oh, bloody hell. I have to get out of here.”

  Cassie’s jaw dropped open. “Oh, come on!” she protested. “We just drove all the way over here, and it starts in like ten minutes!”

  “Never mind,” Courtney snapped, exiting her roommate’s car. “I’ll call an Uber.”

  Cassie’s mouth tightened, but she didn’t answer, locking the vehicle as they made their way toward the entrance.

  Courtney reached for her cell, shaking her head.

  You should have known better, she thought angrily as she slowly climbed the steps into the building, unlocking her phone. Of course Saint Cassandra would bring you to a church event. Stupid of you not to have questioned it. She continued to mount the stairs, her eyes glued to her phone as she scrolled through it to order a car.

  Not paying attention, sh
e bumped into someone and looked up to scold the offender.

  Her breath caught slightly as she saw the man with whom she had collided. He was broad-shouldered, with a slight dark scruff on a sullen face, his green eyes flashing with something Courtney could not quite identify.

  Lips parting, she was about to apologize to him when the man snapped, “Watch where you’re going!”

  If he had not been quite so handsome, Courtney would have given him a tongue lashing he would not soon forget, but she found herself completely entranced by his attractiveness. Instead, she just murmured, “Sorry,” and watched as he retreated down the steps, scowling.

  At the bottom of the stairs, he reached into his breast pocket for a pack of cigarettes and lit one without looking back.

  Is he here for speed dating? Courtney wondered, her eyes widening as she carefully dropped her phone back into the depths of her purse.

  The man was everything Courtney knew was bad news: unkempt but in a sexy, dishevelled way, and a smoker, though the way the smoke curled out from the side of his profile was mesmerizing.

  He seemed like a jerk, yet Courtney knew he was precisely what she was looking for. Everything about him was exactly the opposite of clean-cut, proper George.

  I think he’s exactly what I need, she thought.

  “Excuse me, miss?” Courtney turned and saw the pastor smiling kindly at her as he held open the door. “Are you here for speed-dating? If so, we’re about to get started.”

  Her cheeks stained crimson, feeling like the holy man could read her unholy thoughts. She then cast the stranger one last look before she made her decision.

  “Yes,” she replied quickly, stepping inside. “I am here for the event.”

  She could not even bring herself to say the words “speed-dating.” The entire scenario still seemed so bizarre to her.

  But if hot stuff over there is doing it, how bad can it be?

  “Wonderful!” the clergyman proclaimed. “Just register at the table with Greta and we will see you inside.”

  Courtney nodded, watching as the pastor went to speak with the man smoking, and she bit on her lower lip. She found Greta, a middle-aged woman, sitting at a folding table, handing out nametags and accepting the fees.

  I can’t believe I’m doing this, Courtney thought, but there was no time to second guess herself now. She spoke with Greta and signed in, carefully applying the adhesive tape to her chic silk blouse. She tried not to grimace as she was directed to the left and down the stairs into the community room.

  Inside, it was just as tacky as she had imagined it, a mingle of awkward people nervously sipping on plastic cups of what Courtney assumed was juice. She immediately sought out Cassie, who eyed her contemptuously as she approached her.

  “I thought you were leaving,” she muttered, and Courtney could tell she was still angry. She flashed Cassie a dazzling white smile.

  “Perhaps I was too hasty,” she conceded, checking out the door through her peripheral vision. “I have nothing against God, after all. Maybe I will meet a nice guy here.”

  She willed the smoking man to enter, as if piercing holes into the doorframe with her eyes would conjure him, but as the bell rang and the pastor called for everyone’s attention, he still had not arrived.

  Courtney’s heart began to race slightly as she realized she may have made a mistake.

  “Attention, everyone!” the reverend called. “I will just explain how this works for the newcomers, if you can all look this way!”

  Is it too late to leave? Courtney thought. But if I do that, I will just be calling attention to myself. Not to mention it would throw off the order of the session. I have to stay here. Cassie would never forgive me.

  She groaned inwardly, wondering how she had allowed herself to be dragged into such a situation.

  It will all be over in a couple hours, and then I will go to the nearest bar, drown my sorrows in a pint, and forget this ever happened.

  “And that’s all there is to it!” the pastor concluded, having explained how the speed-dating worked. “Any questions?”

  Courtney had not heard a word he had said, and she looked desperately at Cassie, who seemed to understand her confused look.

  “Just find the table with your number and stay there. The men will shift seats. You stay put,” the brunette whispered, and Courtney nodded, exhaling in relief. The whole thing seemed easy enough.

  Courtney found table six, still willing the brooding man to enter, but she was slowly coming to terms with the fact that he was not coming.

  I wonder what he was doing here. He didn’t look like the type of man who would speed date.

  She knew she should feel ashamed of the stereotype, but she could not shake the sense that he was not there for dating, or even religious reasons.

  The bell rang again, and Courtney forced a proper smile onto her face as her first “date” appeared before her. He was a pleasant enough man, and the conversation was not unbearable. Still, Courtney kept feeling antsy, and she shifted uncomfortably, waiting for the bell to ring again.

  She just wanted to get out of there.

  Maybe he’ll still be outside when we’re done, she told herself. Perhaps he works here.

  Dozens of thoughts were going through her mind, and as the first round ended, Courtney could not recall a single detail about the man with whom she had just spent the last five minutes.

  Who cares? Courtney thought as he shuffled away. It wasn’t as if I was apt to call on any of these chaps again.

  Still, she knew she needed to at least pretend she was interested. It was improper to act otherwise, no matter how much the mysterious man was on her mind. She desperately tried to push the thought of him out as the next man sat down in front of her.

  “You’re Courtney, right?” he said, and a smirk appeared on her generous mouth.

  “You must be psychic!” Courtney teased, knowing she wore a nametag emblazoned with her name. He laughed and shook his head.

  “I’m Blaine. We met once before,” he explained, and Courtney’s brow furrowed trying to place him. He was not even remotely familiar to her.

  “I’m sorry,” she replied. “I don’t recall.”

  “I’m a friend of George’s,” Blaine said. “We met at the Alpha Ep Christmas party.”

  Courtney felt her blood run cold at the mention of her ex, and her back tensed slightly.

  “Right,” she muttered. “Nice to see you again.”

  “I’m glad you’re here,” Blaine continued. “I’ve always thought you were hot.”

  Courtney’s eyebrows raised, and she stared at him with cold hazel eyes.

  “Charming,” she retorted, sitting back to fold her arms under her chest. Her mind was whirling.

  He’s not bad looking, she mused. And if I were to sleep with him, George would find out and be furious.

  Courtney was slightly ashamed of her thought, but she could not stop finding the appeal to the idea.

  “Want to get out of here?” she asked, leaning forward, and Blaine’s blue eyes widened with interest.

  “Yeah?” he asked, but he nervously looked around, as if the thought of interrupting the flow of the event troubled him. A spark of irritation flowed through Courtney, and she sneered at him. “Sure—yeah,” Blaine stuttered. “We can go, right after we’re done here—”

  “Never mind,” Courtney scoffed, dismissively waving her hand. He’s just like George: too proper. I wager if the bloke outside was here and I asked him to leave, he would have taken me up on it without a second thought.

  “No! I mean, I want to—” Blaine muttered, but Courtney had already tuned him out.

  She was angry at him for acting so indecisive, but she was angrier at herself for suggesting it in the first place. She had no real interest in Blaine. In a way, she was relieved he had refused her.

  He’s doing you a favor. Why are you acting this way, anyway? This is not like you.

  “It’s just—” Blaine tried again.
>
  Courtney stopped him before he could say anything else.

  “It doesn’t matter,” she snapped. “I was only testing you.”

  He stared at her uncertainly. “Can I… can I get your number?” he asked weakly.

  “No,” she retorted. “Sod off.”

  “But the bell hasn’t—”

  “I said, sod off!” Courtney nearly yelled. Blaine immediately jumped to his feet, his face bright red with either anger or embarrassment, she couldn’t tell.

  “George was right about you,” he growled.

  Courtney’s eyes grew huge. “What did you just say?” she hissed.

  “He said you’re a control freak,” Blaine continued, “and he was right.”

  Heat rushed to Courtney’s face, and she glowered at him.

  “Sod. Off.”

  Her voice was barely above a whisper, but as Blaine rose, so did she, snatching her purse to leave.

  “Excuse me!” called the pastor, approaching her table. “Miss, you can’t leave! You’ll upset the—”

  Courtney was already gone, though, walking out the front of the church and down the steps, away from the reminder of being dumped. She no longer wanted to go to the local pub. Suddenly all she could think about was going home and scrubbing the floors of her kitchen.

  Without bothering to call for an Uber, she began walking back toward the apartment she shared with Cassie, her self-esteem suffering another wicked blow.

  She was sure that she would never step foot outside again until the school year started anew.

  Courtney did not know how long she had been walking, lost in her own misery, when she heard a car slow down behind her. She tried to wave it around, but the headlights stayed firmly on her as she continued across the street.

  “Courtney!” a familiar voice called out to her. “Hey, what are you doing out here?”

  She glanced over her shoulder and shuddered when she saw the driver.

  Can this night get any worse?

  “No thank you,” she replied, not slowing her gait.

  “Come on, Courtney,” George told her from his car. “You shouldn’t be wandering around out here at night by yourself. I’ll take you home.”