Page 74 of Pucking Daddy

I follow as we’re led deeper into the restaurant, aware of the subtle shift in attention around us. People notice him. And by extension—they notice me.

Our table is tucked into a corner. Thankfully, some privacy.

I slide into the booth, smoothing my dress automatically, while he takes the seat across from me.

For a second, we just look at each other.

“You didn’t tell me it would be like this,” I say.

I can tell he has no idea what I mean. “Like what?”

“Elegant?” I gesture around. “Upscale? Expensive? All of the above?”

He shrugs. “Don’t worry about it. You deserve nice things. And I know how to treat my future wife.”

I nearly choke on my own spit.

But before I can make a bigger fool of myself, a waiter appears.

“Good evening. Can I start you with—”

He pauses, glancing between us, a faint knowing smile tugging at his lips.

“—a bottle of wine?”

We order one, and it arrives quickly. Thank God. This is exactly what my nerves need.

The waiter pours, then disappears again, leaving us alone in a dim, intimate pocket of the restaurant.

I take a sip, and the wine blooms across my tongue, rich with layers I can’t even name.

His mouth curves slightly as he watches me, saying nothing.

Which somehow makes me even more nervous. What am I supposed to talk about?

I study the menu like it’s a bomb-defusal manual until I settle on the pasta.

The problem is, once we’ve both ordered, the silence between us feels even heavier.

“So Lily told me you made a dragon potion today.”

I laugh, relieved we’ve found a safe topic. “Yeah. Juice, some raspberries, sparkling water, and edible glitter.”

We keep talking about her, but I still take more sips of the wine than I probably should.

By the time our food arrives, a soft warmth spreads through my chest, smoothing the sharp edges of everything I’ve been trying to keep under control.

Jaxon notices. A faint smirk tugs at his mouth. “Easy,” he says.

“I am easy.”

His brow lifts.

“Not like that,” I add quickly, internally cringing at myself.

His mouth twitches. “Good clarification.”

The wine is even better with the food. Honestly, it’s delicious.