Chapter Fifteen
Ladon
Looks like a nice house. I couldn’t deny the fact based on the picture in front of me.
It was only a picture of the front of it from the street, but the bungalow was cute and reminded me of the house that always seemed to show up in my dreams. I’d asked for a picture of the firehouse Blaze now worked at, and he’d sent that along with a picture of the house and the school across the street from it.
It would look better if you and Kirin lived in it with me.
My heart squeezed as I tried not to react to the alpha’s words.
As much as he’d forgiven me after I apologized for my reaction to him moving away, I still wasn’t set on the idea of living there with him.
I still had so much in Saramto. Plus, I was terrified to give up everything and become dependent upon him.
We really hadn’t known each other for that long, and regardless of all the encouragement from my dragon and Kirin, I had a hard time believing in Fate.
Not when I’d been abandoned by those who claimed they loved me several times in my life.
Are you off this weekend? Two and a half weeks had passed since I’d last seen the alpha, and I did miss him even though I wasn’t ready to give everything up for him.
Why? Are you going to come visit me so I can show you around?
I was hoping you would come visit us. I’d learned there was a bus that Kirin and I could take to Cloudhaven, but it had inconvenient timing, leaving Saramto before I finished work on Friday and returning to the city in the wee hours of the morning.
Plus, I didn’t know how Kirin would handle a four-hour trip on a bus.
I might be able to make it there Saturday after my appointment to see the house. Can I spend the night?
Of course you can. It would be nice to see you again. I never expected to miss him so much or for my dragon to fight for him after I’d repressed that side of myself for so long.
I’ll see you then. Time for training. Gotta go. He ended the text with a revolving heart.
I put my phone away and sighed. Since I neither wanted to end things with Blaze or move to Cloudhaven to live with him, I had to settle for a long-distance relationship, which meant even less time together.
“Mail!” Emily waved the stack of envelopes in her hand as she entered the day care before setting them on my desk. “Some for staff and others for parents. The owners are making some changes.”
My stomach dropped. I hated change as a single parent. I needed stability to care for Kirin.
With my nerves on edge, I sorted through the envelopes, ready to hand them out to the parents as they brought their children. Then I opened the one addressed to me, so I knew the changes ahead of the parents.
As I read, I fought the onset of tears.
Due to a rent increase, the day care was moving to a smaller facility.
That meant a decrease in children they provided care for.
Okay, since Kirin was starting school in the fall, but it also meant they no longer needed me.
I wouldn’t have a job after August. I was expected to help the owners move everything to the new facility while finding someone to care for Kirin for the two weeks ST Kids Care Center would be closed to everyone. Then I had nothing.
“Daddy!” Kirin stomped out to the reception area, chuffing smoke with his arms crossed. “Emily said there’s no more chocolate milk.”
I bent down in front of him and pulled him into me, holding him tight. “It’ll be okay.” Though I meant the words more for myself, they seemed to calm my son as he relaxed against me.
“Can we see Blaze soon?” He cupped my cheeks and leaned his forehead against mine. “I miss him.”
“Me, too.” I rubbed his back. “And I think it would be a great idea to see him. Maybe we could visit him in Cloudhaven this weekend.” I didn’t know what else to do.
Perhaps the letter and the whole situation was the push I needed to let go of Saramto and commit to Blaze, to let my dragon guide the way for once.
Kirin pulled away and clapped, his smile proof that he would have no issue with leaving the city to live with the alpha.
I tapped his bottom. “Okay, go back in and play. You’ll be fine without chocolate milk today. And no chuffing.”
“Okay.” He tottered back into the main play area while I tried to ground myself to deal with all the parents that would also be affected by the change.
When I had a free moment, I would update my résumé then text Blaze and see if his offer still stood to live with him in Cloudhaven. With that decision, my dragon settled for the first time since the alpha had moved away. Maybe Fate did exist and this was the push I needed.