CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Nora smiled and hoped Edriq couldn't tell how nervous she was. She had said yes when he asked her if she would have dinner with his family.
Edriq's words had come out in a rush, and he'd looked so shy and anxious. “Zul said Mrs Vomae is cooking up a storm in the kitchen. But he's never seen her happier. We seldom have dinner guests, so she's really excited. So is everyone. Tessa is...making something for you. A present, I think,” he'd stuttered. “Would you...do us the honor...” With a gulp, he plowed on, “Would you have dinner with me and my family...tonight?”
How could she say no?
She finished work at three, and Edriq had picked her up in his swanky SUV at four sharp. She was wearing a modest pastel-colored shift dress and had applied some light makeup. She wore her hair down but she made sure she smoothed some conditioner over her hair to tame the frizz.
Edriq said it was just a simple family dinner, but Nora felt that it wouldn't be proper to dress too casually. His family was making so much effort for her, going out of their way to prepare a wonderful dinner for her. Edriq mentioned that his brothers were all rushing home early for the dinner.
Edriq was still in his work clothes but he'd loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves. He told her more about his brothers as he drove, and when he talked about Tessa, she could clearly see the fierce pride and love in his eyes.
The little girl was the apple of his eye. It was so sweet to see a big, tough warrior gushing about a five-year-old girl.
Nora updated him about Omar Faye's condition. Edriq had stayed in the hospital until Omar's sister arrived. Edriq had received a call from one of his managers and had to leave the hospital. But not before he stammered out his invitation to Nora. He couldn't let Tessa down.
“Omar's fine,” Nora reported as Edriq drove down a long scenic road. “The doctors let him go home in the afternoon.”
“Hmm,” Edriq said non-committally. “That's good.”
“I think the doctors told him to take it easy, so I don't think you'll be seeing him at your fitness center for a while.”
Edriq quirked a lopsided smile. “The ladies will miss him.”
Nora laughed and smoothed her hands down her dress. The tall automatic gates in front of them were swinging open, and Nora sucked in a breath at the majestic mansion looming before her.
Edriq drove up the long driveway and slotted his car into the garage. There were two other cars there, a Jaguar and a BMW roadster. It seemed his brothers were already home.
Edriq opened the car door for her and helped her out. “Rohan's probably upstairs with Amelia and Tessa, and Zul...well, he could be anywhere,” Edriq said. “We can have a drink in the living room first, or we could go to the kitchen...”
“I'll like to meet Mrs Vomae,” Nora said shyly.
Edriq grinned. “The kitchen it is then.”
Edriq brought her round the back of the house. Nora marveled at the large, manicured lawn in front of the mansion. “That's our landing pad,” Edriq told her.
“Landing…? Oh, for your dragons.”
“Yep.”
They entered through the back door and walked into the big, brightly lit—and very crowded kitchen.
Everyone was there.
Rohan, Zul, Mrs Vomae, Amelia and Tessa.
“Uncle Edriq!” Tessa squealed. Nora stared at the dark-haired, pretty girl and marveled at how much she looked like her father. Rohan had his arms full, but he gave her a wide grin.
Nora froze in her tracks and gaped, taking in the whole scene. It was unbelievable.
She knew that Rohan was the king of the Dracans, and here he was, moving back and forth between the table and the cabinets as he carried stacks of beautiful, elegant gold-rimmed plates and bowls to the table.
They were carting out their best dinnerware for her. And King Rohan himself was doing the heavy lifting.
Nora felt awed and humbled, amazed and touched at the same time. She was in the house, in the presence of a royal family. But instead, everyone was looking at her and treating her like she was royalty. Nora had the strangest urge to drop to a deep curtsy. It seemed like the proper thing to do.