maybe thought she was too old for it, Dawn tugged Daisy off the chair and helped her into her lap. Once she wrapped Daisy in a hug and laid her head against her daughter's, she said, "You've worked so hard to help other people like the dragon-shifters, haven't you?"
"I try. The dragon-shifters have always been nice to me. And I don't know why people would be mean to them or want to hurt them. Especially when most people have never met them. It seems silly. We're not supposed to judge without knowing someone, right? That's what you always tell me."
Dawn stroked her daughter's hair, smiling at how Daisy threw her own words back at her. And in a strange way, it was something she needed to hear considering everything that could happen. "Some people are afraid of what's different. I suppose I was one of those, too. I guess I need to listen to my own advice, huh?"
"Well, did you change your mind after tonight? Bram is nice. So is Mr. MacLeod. And you had fun with Mr. Whitby, too, right?"
"I'll admit that I'm less afraid now than when we first arrived here."
"So what are you going to do, Mum?"
The all-important question—what would Dawn do?
She took a second to squeeze Daisy tighter against her and merely revel in how much she loved her daughter.
However, as Daisy tried to turn around, Dawn leaned back to meet her eyes and said, "I have one more question first, love. Has anyone on Stonefire ever been mean to you? Or tried to scare you away?"
Daisy shook her head. "No, although Freddie says there are some older kids who tease everyone. So if they tease me, it'd almost be like I'm part of Stonefire, too. So I actually hope they do tease me soon."
Dawn bit back a smile. Daisy knew so much about the dragon clan, to the point she even knew how to be accepted among the younger crowd.
As she played with her daughter's hair, Dawn took a second to review all she knew and be absolutely certain of what she was going to say next.
Daisy was having more trouble with the kids at the human school than with the dragons.
Lucy and her mother had all but abandoned Daisy for her connection to the dragons she loved so much.
Daisy and Dawn both wanted another child in the family.
And through her daughter's enthusiasm, Dawn was fairly sure she could become more comfortable around the dragon-shifters.
Not to mention she didn’t love her current job, and she could find another, like she’d done a few times before.
There was really only one option to take.
Daisy shifted her position in her lap, and Dawn finally spoke again. "I'm not going to say yes to everything just yet. However, Bram said the doctor here can make Mr. Whitby's dragon quiet for a few days so I can talk with him. After that, I'll make my final decision. But in the meantime, you'll have to stay with Emily's family, provided they say it's okay."
Daisy frowned. "I can't stay here, too?"
Dawn smiled at Daisy's devastation. "Not yet. You have school, and I need some time alone with Blake, er, Mr. Whitby."
Daisy turned a little more to look better into her eyes. "So after a few days, you'll be celebrating a new baby coming?"
Blood rushed to Dawn's cheeks. Just how much had Freddie told Daisy about the mate-claim frenzy? She would have to find out more herself and then educate Daisy so she wasn't completely in the dark. After all, her daughter was eleven and would be a woman soon enough.
Dawn cleared her throat before saying, "No. If I decide to accept his dragon, then it'll happen after that. But don't get your hopes up just yet, Daisy Mae. Your father left us, and I don't want to go through that again with someone else and make us both sad. So I need to be sure about Mr. Whitby, at least a little, before disappearing with him, as your friend put it."
"Oh, I don't think Mr. Whitby would leave us. He's nice and would probably only want to protect you. Kind of like how Freddie wants to protect me."
She finally smiled again at the absolute certainty in Daisy's voice. "We'll see, love. We'll see." She moved Daisy off her lap and stood. "Let's find Emily's mother first, and then I'll talk with Bram again. If Emily's mother says it’s okay, promise me you'll be on your best behavior. No wandering off or telling