“You think broody is cute?”
She shrugged, hugging a pillow tight. “Not cute so much as bad boy hot. And speaking of hot...we’re agreed Zane is totally BBH?”
“Don’t tell Jared,” I said, “but OMG, yes. With his hair and that jawline? Why he’s here and not on some sexy streamer is beyond me. And he’s nice,” I added. Because that’s important, too.
Mindy shifted on the bed. “I know, right? You saw him at dinner? He got Sophie to laugh twice, which I think qualifies as a miracle since she looked terrified all morning. Plus,” she added, a little breathlessly, “ he’d had a pretty solid conversation with Ren and Ana, and he’d even gotten Trevor to grunt in response to a question, which waswaymore than anyone else had managed.”
“This could be Fate, Min,” I teased. “Maybe he’s the Demon Hunter of your dreams.”
“I wouldn’t shove him away. That’s for sure. Plus, he’s like the Newbie Whisperer.”
I shook my head, completely confused.
“Oh, come on. You saw how he got Trevor to put his phone away during orientation without your mom having to go full headmistress.” Mindy clutched the pillow to her chest. “That’s like...social superpowers. Which are way better than actual superpowers.”
“I don’t think they’re better than actual superpowers.”
She shrugged. “Yeah, well, you have actual superpowers. You don’t understand the struggle of us mere mortals.”
“You’re not mortal. I’ve seen the crazy magic you do with a computer. I’m pretty sure that’s some serious form of witchcraft.”
She only smiled serenely.
I twisted around to watch Timmy, who’d stacked up a lot of sheets of paper, all adorned with red rectangles of various sizes.He pushed the current one aside and began a new one, like a preschool Mondrian on crack.
“What are you drawing, Timster?”
He looked up and flashed his best smile. “Doors! Lots of doors!”
I tossed that one around in my head, wondering about deep psychological meanings.
None jumped to mind.
“Why?” I asked.
He shrugged.
Mindy peered down at his work. “You’re right, RugRat. That’s a lot of doors.”
He didn’t look up but shook his head. “They’re all one door.”
“Deep,” Mindy said with a grin. “Very philosophical. So,” she continued, “Speaking of boys...”
“Subtle much?”
“I’m a master of subtlety.” She leaned forward. “Well?” she asked, her voice rising with her brows. “How are things with Jared today? I mean after yesterday’s peep show for your Mom? Any awkwardness? With him or Aunt Kate?”
“Will you stop?”
She had the grace to look abashed. “Sorry. It’s just, well, it’s got to be both mortifying and awesome, right? I mean, you two are like really serious. And I’m living vicariously.”
“Fine,” I said. “Yes, awkwardness. It’ll be a month before I can look at Mom and not blush.”
“Did she sit you down forthe talk. Not the sex one—I remember you telling me about that years ago. But the dating a vampire one.”
I shook my head. “No. But she pulled me aside and told me that she knows I’m responsible and she trusts me.” I rolled my eyes a little. “We were supposedly talking about the school andme taking on more of the training and all that. But then she added that she really likes Jared and trusts him, too.”
“So basically she’s heavily guilting you with the truth, but at the same time giving Jared her thumbs-up.”
