Who’d a thunk a vampire’s love language was cooking? It reminds me so much of someone, but I can’t quite grab the memory. It feels like it’s painful, so I dodge it and focus on what I’m doing.
I’m washing dishes for him a few minutes later while he’s still working on whatever this latest dish is when the gate intercom down at the road chimes.
We both look at each other, because normally packages come to the other entrance, where the main barn and office for the cattle ranch are located. But a few times a week, tourists who get lost looking for the famous homestead will end up at the house gate.
I walk over to the wall and hit the intercom button. “Hello?”
It’s a man. “Hi, I’m trying to find the Olsson Homestead?”
I simultaneously relax and feel something ping at the outer reaches of my mind, like maybe it’s a familiar voice. Before I can reply, however, Chaldis has blurred over and mashed the button.
“You are still a mile from their driveway,” he says. “Continue northeast approximately one mile. On your right, you will see two reflective orange triangles by their gate.”
“Oh, okay. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He turns off the intercom and stares at me.
“What?” I ask.
“You. Why did you react like that? Your pulse shot up.”
“I…I don’t know. It just…”
“Yes?”
I blow out a breath. “It’s stupid. His voice sounded a little familiar.”
He smirks. “Well, we know it cannot be your Dexter, because it’s still sunny out.”
I laugh. “I know. It wasn’t him, definitely. It probably reminds me of someone I heard at the nightclub once.”
“Are you certain? I can call the ranch hands to go investigate. Tell them we’re worried about an intruder.”
“No. I’m fine. I’m sure it’s nothing. We were overdue a lost tourist, anyway.”
“Thatis something else we will do tonight.” He guides me back to the kitchen. “You are overdue for another target practice session.”
Yeah, the vampire wants me able to shoot. Apparently, because the risk here is more four-legged predators, not two-legged ones. “As long as I get crispy truffle potatoes out of the deal.”
He smiles. “Deal.”
But now that my mind’s thought about the club again, Dexter’s there, too, front and center.
Chaldis is probably right. Dexter’s probably missing me, worried about me, and that fills me with guilt.
I need to contact him, somehow. Maybe I can send a letter to Corbin while he’s gone and he can mail it for me, to hide my location.
But what do I even say to Dexter at this point?Sorry I broke your heart? Sorry I ran? Sorry I’m a chickenshit who doesn’t know how to stand and fight for myself when it comes to this?
Sorry that we had a taste of perfection and I ran?
I didn’t exactly burn that bridge, but I damn sure didn’t adult very well.
Dexter can find someone better than me.
Unfortunately, I suspect I’ll never find someone as good as Dexter.
30
