I nodded dutifully.
“Here’s some energy,” Deva continued. “And Mental Clarity.” These were both wrapped with yellow and blue cellophane respectively. I was glad that she'd thought ahead to make them easy to differentiate without having to see the letters.
“I’ll eat that one right before I walk in,” I muttered. If there was one thing I needed tonight it was mental clarity, and though I wanted to say I needed energy as well, I decided to save that in case something happened and I needed a sudden jolt.
She chuckled. “I almost made one to make you smell like rotten meat to the vampires, but I didn’t think I had enough time.” As much as I would have found that hilarious, I did actually need to be around the vampires if I wanted to get a good read on them, so I was kind of glad that specific candy didn't make it.
Stepping forward, I wrapped my arms around my friend and gave her a hug while simultaneously touching her as little as possible, so as to not muss my dress, makeup, or hair. After all the work they'd put in to make me look presentable to a room full of vampires I didn't want to screw it up.
“We’re gone,” Carol said as she ushered the other two girls out of my bedroom.
I stood in the hallway and watched them disappear around the corner, then heard something that made my stomach flutter with nerves. “Bye, ladies,” Daniel called.
Oh, my. Daniel was here. I’d sort of hoped he wouldn't see me all dressed up like this. It would’ve been nice if the first time I looked this good in literally years had been for a date with him, not this fake date with the vampires. Maybe now we were official we could go on an official couple date and I could somehow look even better for Daniel. A woman can dream, right?
My phone beeped in the little purse. I’d sent an alarm to give me a five-minute warning in case I wasn’t ready yet. I dug it out and silenced the alarm before carefully putting it back exactly where it was. I didn't want to mess with Deva and Carol's configuration. Now I knew to hurry.
But there was nothing to hurry for. The girls had done a wonderful job on me. I really couldn’t remember the last time I’d looked this good. Maybe on my wedding day, and that was an extremely long time ago.
I certainly didn't put this much effort in when Travis was little. Why would I when I knew I'd end up playing trains or getting covered in dirt? Such was the life of a boy mom. With nothing else to do to get ready, I headed down the hall.
Daniel’s senses must’ve let him know I was coming because as I rounded the corner he was climbing out from under my kitchen sink and stopped so he could stare up at me from the floor. A giggle bubbled up my throat at the sight of him.
He’d obviously been getting to some of the handyman tasks around the house. Henry had asked him a few months before to help him do some repairs when it started warming up.
No doubt this was his excuse to be in the house when Vance came to pick me up. Not that I blamed him. I’d be pretty jealous if he had to go on a fake date with a hot female vamp. Especially if he’d be in danger.
“You look cute,” I said as he finally got to his feet. The little smudge of grease of something on his nose called to me. I grabbed a kitchen towel and dabbed at it, but it didn’t come off.
“You look…” He trailed off as his eyes roamed up and down my body. I couldn’t stop the visceral reaction from my body. Even my nipples puckered as goosebumps erupted everywhere his gaze had hit… so all over. “Amazing,” he finally finished.
Aw, no. His voice was sad. He really didn’t want me to go on this thing but had resigned himself to it. “I just wish it was us going out together,” I whispered.
Daniel opened his mouth to reply, a bit of fire in his eyes, but then he snapped his lips together and glared behind me, down the hall, toward the front door. “He’s here.” Oh, my. That growly tone was extremely hot.
A second later, the doorbell rang. “Ah.” I looked down at my dress. “I promise, I’ll be careful, and I won’t take any unnecessary risks.”
Daniel nodded curtly and strode around me and down the hall, cutting Henry off as my sweet brother went to answer the knock that followed the doorbell. “I’ll get it,” Daniel rumbled.
Hurrying on his heels, I snatched my wrap off of the hook in the hall, where Deva or one of the girls had undoubtedly hung it for me, and I loved them for it. The last thing I wanted was to have to stand around my entryway and let Daniel and Vance measure. I knew I'd be chilly in just a wrap but I didn't have any fancy coats that would look good with a dress, and since tonight was partially about impressions, I wasn't going to screw up what the girls had created by putting on a frumpy winter coat.
Vance looked like a million bucks, of course. If I thought his suit was fancy before, it was nothing compared to the tux he had on now. But he still didn’t do it for me, no matter how sharply he dressed. “I’m ready,” I said brightly and a bit too loudly.
“You look like heaven walking here on Earth,” Vance said in a smooth baritone. “I’ll be the most envied man at dinner.”
It was difficult not to roll my eyes, but I managed it. “Let’s go.”
Vance held the door open and his gaze drifted over to Daniel. “It looks like Daniel will keep himself busy while we’re gone.” He sighed. “I do envy you the ability to do menial tasks. I never could bring myself to do them.” Vance’s chuckle left no question what he really thought about so-called menial tasks.
Pausing, I turned to Daniel and kissed him firmly on the lips. “Thanks for taking care of things while I’m gone. I love a man who isn’t afraid to get dirty.”
And, yeah, I did mean for my words to have a sexual ring to them.
Daniel gave me a tight smile that fell away quickly. “I’ll be here when you get back.”
It felt like my heart was staying behind and I was being stretched as I moved further away from Daniel. I grunted, wanting to growl myself, “Let’s go, Vance.” The last thing I wanted was for him to stand there and needle Daniel when I knew my guy already felt bad about the situation.
Stomping down my front walk, I headed toward his vehicle, then looked up and realized a driver was standing outside the back door of a stretch limo.
