Home > Dragon Dad's Mate (Dragon Dads Love Chronicles)(2)

Dragon Dad's Mate (Dragon Dads Love Chronicles)(2)
Author: Amelia Wilson

“He works a lot,” was the only explanation Ashton offered.

The simple statement did nothing to ease the worry that had moved into Nora’s gut, twisting everything inside of her.

She followed Ashton into the house and her mouth dropped for the second time. The place was beautifully furnished and cleaner than anywhere she imagined a ten year-old living in. They had to have someone who came in on a regular basis to clean.

Ashton dropped his bag on the floor next to the door, and led Nora into the kitchen. He opened the bottom cupboards and pulled out bread and a butter knife. Nora watched in amazement as everything he grabbed was placed at the perfect level for him to take care of himself.

The more Nora saw, the more her heart hurt. It was clear that Mr. Hollis did not participate in Ashton’s life much. Ashton was clearly used to doing things for himself, and Nora wanted to see that change.

While Ashton made his sandwich, Nora began to explore the house. She wandered around each room trying to gather as many details as she could. Each room was immaculate and fashionably designed; Nora couldn’t help but wish her teacher’s salary could afford to make her apartment look half as nice as just one room in the house looked.

One room piqued her attention. It was closed off by a set of tall wooden doors with cast iron handles, shaped like dragons. In their eyes were small sapphires, brightly lit by the sun that shone upon them.

Nora reached out to touch a handle when Ashton said, “We can’t go in there. We’ll study in the dining room.”

Nora jumped, surprised by the sudden sound of Ashton’s voice in the silence of the house. She looked at Ashton and saw him holding an extra plate with a sandwich for her. She smiled and then she jumped again at the sound of something heavy hitting the door on the other side.

“Should I be concerned?” Nora asked.

Ashton shrugged his shoulders. “The dining room is this way.”

Nothing Ashton said comforted Nora. She tucked away every detail to remember for later. This was all important for when she would finally be able to meet Mr. Hollis. He needed to understand the importance of the pressure that his absence was putting on Ashton.

Once Nora and Ashton had eaten, they pulled out his books and began to review his lessons. It was difficult at first for Nora to get Ashton to listen, but once he realized there was nothing better to do, he sat still and did his work.

Nora graded assignments that were due tomorrow, while Ashton bent over his own paperwork. Nora looked over each problem and question and asked him to explain his process to her. Every once in a while, when Ashton was focused on the next set of problems, Nora looked over her shoulder and sought out the dragon handles.

What had hit that door? Why was it closed off in there? There were secrets to the room and Nora was willing to bet everything she had that those secrets were what were behind Ashton’s social concerns at school.

After an hour and a half of hard studying, Nora placed a hand on Ashton’s shoulder.

“Let’s take a break.”

Ashton shoved his books aside and heaved an exaggerated sigh of relief. “Finally. I thought we would be doing that all night.”

Nora laughed. “I can’t have you too swamped when your father gets out of work.”

“He’s never done working.” Ashton leapt off his chair and ran to the kitchen only to return with a juice box. “He’ll tell me goodnight and then go back.”

Nora looked back at the door, again. She wasn’t just feeling hurt for Ashton, she was becoming angry. How did Mr. Hollis not see what he was doing to his son?

“Do you eat dinner with him?” Ashton shook his head, sucking the juice box dry, until it was caving in on itself. “Well, I don’t have any plans tonight. Should I stay and have dinner with you?”

Ashton’s face lit up, but he cast his eyes to the door, just as Nora had been doing since she had arrived. “No. I like eating by myself.”

Nora let her face fall. “Oh,” she pouted. She put her head in her hands, and looked down at the table.

“But,” Ashton began, “if you don’t like eating alone, I don’t mind if you stay. We can eat at opposite ends so it will be like I’m eating alone.”

“I like that idea.”

It was a good idea, until Nora looked in the kitchen and saw that it was completely empty of ingredients except for what was required for sandwiches.

“Ashton, do you only eat ham and turkey?”

He nodded his head vigorously.

“Well we’re ordering pizza then. What do you like?”

If she thought Ashton’s face had lit up when she had offered to stay and eat dinner, then he practically exploded at the thought of being treated to pizza. “Meat Lovers is my favorite.”

“Good, me too,” Nora said.

They ate at the table at opposite ends, just as Ashton had suggested, but that didn’t stop him from telling Nora about his father. Mr. Hollis was a busy man, who worked on secret projects with his super-close friends. When Nora asked about his mother, Ashton’s face closed up, and he looked down.

“I think she died, but Dad won’t tell me. I never knew her and I’ve never seen a picture of her.”

At that Nora’s heart had finally had enough. This boy had been through too much. His mother was gone and his dad might as well have been gone too.

Nora was ready to grab Ashton and take him home with her, but she knew that would solve nothing. She just had to try and get through to Mr. Hollis, and to make him realize how severe the situation was.

Nora was going to offer to fix a proper dinner for him tomorrow night, when the door she and Ashton had been watching carefully burst open.

“Until you’re capable of being emotionally detached you can forget about it!” a deep voice griped from inside the room.

The man who had stumbled out was crestfallen, but maintained a straight posture of respect. He pounded a closed fist to his left shoulder and bowed his head. “Yes, sir, I understand.”

When the man turned around, he froze – shocked by the sight of Nora and Ashton watching. He nodded his head and said, “Evening.” then, he scrambled to the door to leave.

Nora looked to Ashton for answers. He shrugged his shoulders.

The same powerful voice that had yelled from the room sounded again, growing closer.

“Ashton, how about a large Meat Lovers for tonight?” The voice faltered as he saw Nora and Ashton already eating.

Nora quickly wiped her hands on her napkin. She stepped toward Mr. Hollis holding out a hand. “Hi! I’m Nora, your son’s teacher; I’m here to tutor him.”

Mr. Hollis looked at her hand as if it was a foreign contaminate that he couldn’t risk touching. “Tutoring requires eating?” His voice was low and dared her to leave.

Something within her quivered, on hearing him, as his eyes looked her up and down taking her in. She could only imagine what her small stature looked like to his large form. He was tall and filled up the room in the tailored suit pants and white shirt with the cuffs rolled up to his elbows.

He was nothing like she had imagined, from the night before, and his voice was even more striking in person. She felt she would melt just listening to him, but the sharpness in his voice kept her steady. She could not appear weak to him.

Nora held her smile. She dropped her hand and said, “Yes. Ashton found out I don’t like eating alone and offered to eat with me.”

Hot Books
» House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1)
» A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
» From Blood and Ash (Blood And Ash #1)
» A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime
» Deviant King (Royal Elite #1)
» Den of Vipers
» House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2)
» The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #
» Sweet Temptation
» The Sweetest Oblivion (Made #1)
» Chasing Cassandra (The Ravenels #6)
» Wreck & Ruin
» Steel Princess (Royal Elite #2)
» Twisted Hate (Twisted #3)
» The Play (Briar U Book 3)