No point in stalling. “Are you wanting me to come to the VGO headquarters or?—”
“No. I’m already here,” he said, sounding oddly sheepish.
“In San Francisco?”
After a beat, he said, “I’m visiting your friend.”
There was only one vampire that could be. “Liz?”
Well, well. Couldn’t say I was surprised. Every time those two were in the same vicinity, they flirted like their vampy lives depended on it. They were standing so close at my wedding that you’d have thought they were the ones getting married.
If I had to be shocked about anything, it was that Liz hadn’t found the time to tell me that she was meeting up with Joseph. Then again, I’d had the honeymoon and a baby to plan for, so I’d been busy myself.
I was struck with an abrupt sense of nostalgia for when Liz and I were roommates. Back then, we’d tell each other everything, and Iwas usually the first to hear her gossip. But that was life, wasn’t it? You grew older, developed new relationships with others, and lost a little bit ofcloseness with your best friend, despite still loving them.
“Yes, I’ve flown all the way to San Francisco to have a few dates with Elizabeth,” Joseph said with a mixture of haughtiness and guilt.
A few dates? He must have been in town for some time.
I stifled a laugh. Vampires could be so proud and private. As if I was going to think less of Joseph for having ooey-gooey feelings for Liz, which he obviously did.
He cut me off before I had a chance to tease him, his words bringing me back to the ugly reality at hand. “I’m afraid there’s news beyond your great-grandparents. Bad news.”
Robertand I met with Joseph and Liz the following day.
“I didn’t realize you also had a home here,” Robert commented as we took in the glittering landscape from Joseph’s 60thfloor penthouse.
“I didn’t until recently,” Joseph said. “I had a chance to tour around San Francisco while I was here for your wedding, and I fell in love with the city.”
Hmm, fell in love with the city or Liz? I wondered, stifling a grin.
“Anyway, I saw this place for sale, and I thought it would make a nice little vacation home. Admittedly, it was a bit of an impulse purchase.”
An impulse purchase, like he’d splurged on a fancy coat and not a penthouse in the heart of San Francisco that had probably set him back about ten million bucks—avacation home, no less, though I was sure he had dozens of those. No matter how long Ilived, I’d never fail to be shocked by the spending habits of ancient vampires.
“Quite the view, isn’t it?” Liz said, taking Joseph’s hand like it was the most natural thing in the world.
She was back to her old self now that the quickie divorce from David had been finalized. It had been a depressing time for her. Thankfully, her sadness didn’t last too long once she came to grips with the reality that she and David were no longer compatible. Although, one had to wonder how compatible they were to begin with if her newfound immortality had broken them so quickly.
Liz and David hadn’t been married long, so the bright side was that there hadn’t been much for them to squabble over. In the end, their possessions were divided without any fuss, though David did insist on keeping the little cottage he’d purchased for them as a wedding gift. How he was going to explain to guests the lightproof chamber that had been installed for Liz, a present from Robert, was anyone’s guess.
Though she’d painstakingly decorated the cottage, Liz didn’t mind too much about having to change residences. Marlena had offered Liz the plush guesthouse located behind Dignitary, complete with antique crystal chandeliers, marble sinks, and designer furniture, so she’d upgraded, in a way. It wasn’t a permanent solution, but it was the fresh change Liz needed.
Liz never said as much, but I could tell as her best friend that what hurt her most was how easy it had been for David to give up on their marriage. I’d be lying if I claimed vampire-human relationships were easy, but they weren’t as impossible as David had claimed. He could have found a way to make things work, if he’d really wanted to.
Liz had certainly hit the jackpot with her new beau, and not only because he was mind-bogglingly rich, powerful, handsome, smart, funny, and charming. He also appeared to genuinely carefor her, too, which made sense because they had similar personalities. I once again hoped it would work out for them because Liz deserved some happiness, and I really liked Joseph. They seemed like a sweet couple.
“It’s gorgeous,” I agreed about the landscape. I let out a long whistle, feeling a little dizzy and breathless. I hugged my womb comfortingly. I’d sure hate to fall out a window, though it didn’t appear as if any of them opened beyond a couple inches.
“It’s quite spectacular in the daytime, if photos are anything to go by,” Joseph said. “I’m told you can see the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, and San Francisco Bay.”
“I bet,” said Robert.
Joseph clapped his hands together. “But you two didn’t come here to discuss the view.”
He led us to the living room, where he had set out a carafe of blood for the vampires and a pretty, fizzy drink for me that had a sprig of lavender sticking out the top of the glass.
I picked it up and sniffed it. It smelled divine. I thanked Joseph for his thoughtfulness as we all took a seat.
