Keeping the little coaster felt like he was feeding.
He frowned at it. Times like these, he wished he still had access to his father. He could use clarity. His father had been a Sentry dragon, but he’d left when Tawk was a little kid. There hadn’t been enough time for him to teach Tawk all about what he was, so Tawk had learned most of what he knew the hard way.
Still, at times like these, he wished he could just ring his dad and ask him why a coaster would feel like a feed?
Why was he thinking about his father? Tawk forced his gaze away from the coaster and stared at the door of the bar. He hadn’t thought about his father in months.
The coaster had to be charmed. That’s why this strange sensation in his chest was being dredged up. He wouldn’t want his father anywhere near Tammy Ray.
What?
Why was he thinking about any of this?
Angry and confused, Tawk rolled down his window and flicked his wrist, threw the little coaster like a miniature Frisbee. It hit the gravel parking lot and skipped twice, flipped over and landed where the logo was facing him, just like Tammy had been putting it tonight.
He hit the gas to get away from the swirling, desperate feeling that was growing in his chest.
He was going crazy. As he drove off, the hole gaped bigger, and the dragon rumbled through him, filling the cab of the truck with the rattling sound.
He couldn’t drink beer anymore.
Go back.
Tawk slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop in the parking lot.
“What?” he demanded. His dragon never spoke in words like this.
Go. Back. I want it.
“Want the coaster?”
Yes.
What the hell? “It’s not treasure!”
It is to me.
Tawk checked his rearview mirror, and pulled a U-turn, pulled up beside the coaster. It had landed under one of the parking lot lights and was now covered in a thin layer of dust.
He pushed open the door and slid out, bent slowly and knelt beside it. He hesitated before he picked it up.
It was just a little circular piece of cardboard, but it was filling him up with such confusion. He had the number in his mind. He didn’t need this to contact Tammy.
“What are you doing?” Tammy’s pretty voice rang out.
Tawk jerked his attention from the coaster to her. She was just a few yards away, a baffled smile on her face. “Are you okay?”
“I’m…” He looked at the coaster and back at her. “I got stuck.”
Her bright ocean-colored eyes darted to the piece of cardstock in his hand, then back to him.
“Trying to throw away my present?”
“I don’t like presents. I don’t need them.”
“Mmm. You’re being rude. If you didn’t want my number, you could’ve just left. You were the one who asked for it.” There was hurt in her eyes.
Tawk recited her number from memory.
