It made sense in my head, so why do I feel guilty? And a little like I'm thinking I can keep a pet lion as a pet.
“You can get a read on the suspects and let us know what you think. Maybe your powers will help you determine something. Not that this dinner will be a horse and pony show or anything, our crowd isn't all that intimidating.” He stopped and looked back toward where we’d started. “Come on. I’ll walk you back.”
“Wait,” I said, my brain catching up to the conversation. Crowd? “How many people will there be?”
Vance chuckled. “I’m sorry, I should’ve been clearer. I’m going to invite a large number of people. Vampires, mostly. I’d like you to come and mingle, see if anyone or anything triggers anything for you.”
I arched one eyebrow. “One human in a dinner with a slew of vampires?”
Vance threw his head back and laughed. “I would guarantee your safety, of course. Not that any of us would want to mess with Karma. Even vampires aren't so foolish.”
Screwing up my lips, I gave him a doubtful look but nodded. “All right. I’ll give it a try.” And before I did, I’d make sure all my friends knew where I was the whole time.
He reached out as if to put his hand on my back again, but I pretended to stumble to the left, away from him. “I know the way from here,” I said with a smile. “Send me the details of the location for your dinner. I’ll see you then.”
“I’ll pick you up,” he said. “Your place, at seven.”
“Okay.”
Vance stopped, and I kept going, though the weight of his gaze stuck to my back until I grabbed my stuff and scrambled into my backyard. All the while my mind seemed to be telling me that I'd just made a really stupid decision. And yet, every time I thought of Carol, I felt a deep sense that hell or high water, I'd figure this case out and make sure her ex wasn't a killer. Fate felt like it was bringing Bryan back into our lives, and I'd be damned if I let my friend get her heart broken again.
Or worse.
Yes, dinner with a bunch of vampires was dangerous, but not looking out for my friend wasn't an option. So, vampire dinner it was!
SIX
Emma
It wasearly evening with Daniel arrived for our date. Henry was at Alice's house, apparently having their own date that involved a fantasy role-playing game with a group of their friends. Henry had told me something about the fact that he would be out late, that the dungeon master had something epic planned for them before he left. Which was perfect. It wasn't often Daniel and I had this place to ourselves.
I was wearing a white dress with little sunflowers on it. Something I would have felt too old to wear, once upon a time, but that was when I was the miserable, broken Emma. The one who worked at a company run by her ex, a company built on the back of my hard work. The woman who saw herself as a mom to my sweet boy and a wife and nothing more. But now that I feel more like a person, more like a woman, the dress just... felt right.
And when I opened the door and saw the look on Daniel's face as his gaze ran from my sandals to the dress, I knew I made the right call. "You look amazing," he said.
I smiled. "Thanks, so do you." And, he did. He'd combed his wild auburn hair back the best he could and shaved, so he didn't have that day-old scruff, even though I didn't mind the scruff. He was wearing a green plaid shirt and tan khaki pants. Clothes that suited him in every way, hugging his muscles and drawing attention to his startlingly green eyes.
When I realized I'd be ogling him for too long, I forced my gaze away and did a little wave to welcome him in. "The food's done. Want it inside, or on the porch?"
"Maybe inside. It might be a little chilly out to just sit."
I smiled. He didn't mean he'd be chilly. The big guy was never cold. He meant thatImight be cold in my new dress, which was just sweet as heck.
Following me into the kitchen, he said, "Anything I can help with?"
"Not at all, I just made some lasagna and garlic bread."
"Oh, yum," he said the wordyumwith a little growl as he wrapped his arms around my waist.
I turned around in his arms and grinned, then stretched up and kissed him on the lips. His eyes shone, drinking me in like his heart was just as full as mine. Which it might have been. Sometimes it was still strange to feel loved. To know this amazing man really, truly saw me as some kind of catch.
After a minute, he released me, grabbed the lasagna, and hurried it out to the table I'd already set. I followed him with a plate of garlic bread. When we set everything into place, I pushed him to sit down. With my ex, I’d always felt like a waitress when I served him food, but for Daniel, I kind of loved it. Maybe it was the way his eyes got big every time I put food on his plate or the way he devoured it like I was the best cook in the world, or maybe it was just the fact that he always seemed so grateful. In any case, I loved serving him.
I just wished I didn't have an awkward, looming thing to talk to him about. Something I was pretty sure he wouldn't like to hear. Even though I didn't know if he'd be upset about the dinner with vampires out of jealousy or protectiveness. Knowing Daniel, probably more protectiveness, but who knew? Men were strange creatures sometimes. It could’ve been jealousy. Because, you know, I wassuchan awesome catch that every man must want me.
Smiling at the thought, I decided that getting the topic over with was probably best. “So, I had something strange happen today,” I said as I dished out lasagna onto Daniel’s plate.
“Is it work related?” he asked.
