I went straight to the kitchen for my second morning caffeine fix. Pre-shower coffee was for doing the waking. Post-shower coffee was for pleasure. Both were necessary.
Cristian lingered near the doorway, watching me like I was performing a ritual he needed to memorize. He looked at everything with the same silent intensity. Cabinets. Light switches. The refrigerator. He tracked all of it with an intense focus that suggested he still did not trust this century.
My phone buzzed on the counter, and I glanced at the screen, expecting Lena. But it was Mr. West. Video call.
My stomach dropped.
“Stay out of the frame,” I said under my breath. Cristian stood by the doorway, still as stone.
Alexa lit up beside him because he was tapping it again. “Why does this box respond to touch?”
“Because she’s nosy. Stop touching her.”
I accepted the call and pasted on my most professional smile. “Hi, Mr. West.”
He smiled back. “Just checking in. Everything going well?”
“Perfect,” I said brightly. “The house is beautiful. No problems at all.”
“Any noises at night giving you trouble?”
My throat tightened. My pulse picked up. If there were medals for bad lying, I’d have a whole display case. I flicked a quick glance toward Cristian, who was pretending to admire the ceiling. I had, in fact, unleashed a centuries-old vampire in this man’s house. If he caught even a hint of that, I was finished.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cristian lift his hand slightly, palm open in a silent question.
I frowned and covered the bottom of my phone. “What?” I hissed, keeping my voice low.
He tilted his head. “You’re anxious. Let me help.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. Your heart is racing. May I?”
Mr. West’s voice buzzed faintly through the speaker, asking something I didn’t hear. I muted the call for one second. “What are you talking about?”
“Contact,” he said simply. “It calms you.”
I sighed as my heart gave a little flutter. I unmuted the phone and gave Cristian the smallest nod.
He stepped closer, still out of view of the camera, and placed two fingers lightly on my wrist. Warmth moved through me, as if someone had flipped a switch inside my chest. The panic eased until I could breathe again.
Mr. West kept talking, completely unaware. I caught only the end of his sentence and forced my brain to focus. “Sorry,” I said quickly, “could you repeat that?”
“I’m electronically sending the first half of your summer pay,” he said. “And a bonus. You’re the first house sitter who hasn’t called me about the power, or the plumbing, or ghosts that don’t exist.”
Cristian withdrew his hand. The calm held for a few seconds. I already missed it.
“Thank you,” I said. “That’s very generous.”
“It’s the least I can do for a reliable house sitter. The building is far too historic to let sit empty. If you do have any problems, though, don’t hesitate to contact me.”
We ended the call. I stared at the screen for a moment, trying to remember how to function.
When I turned, Cristian was once again pressing on Alexa.
“Hey,” I said quietly, “thanks for the help. And for asking first.”
He nodded. “You were unsteady.”
