“About that…I am planning on being there, but not as early as I had hoped. Tommy wasn’t being very cooperative, so I had to demonstrate why it was wise to change his mind and work with me. It kind of set me back a little bit, but I will still be there before the night is over. Sully will be with you, so you should have no worries, and if worse comes to worse remember my father is only a mind channel away for Sully.”
He didn’t realize he was leaving me in the hands of not just his brother, but also a vampire that was lusting after me, who was convinced I was meant to be with him instead.
“Your mind is blocking me, yet I can feel you’re troubled about something else, what’s going on?” He sounded genuinely worried. I liked that he couldn’t fish around inside my head for once.
“Nothing more than what should be wrong given the circumstances.”
His cell phone began to crackle, and his voice was breaking in and out.
“Ever…y…thing will be…okay. I have to go now. I…l…ove…you and remember, don’t leave Su…lly tonight.”
The other end clicked, leaving only dead air on the line now. With the flip of my thumb my phone closed, leaving me in utter silence for a few short moments before the doorbell chimed down the hallway. Sully had arrived and not a minute late.
My mother had already answered the door before I made it down the flight of stairs. She looked to me, then back at Sully with a peculiar expression strewn across her face.
“And you are?”
“Sully, ma’am.”
He shot his arm out towards her gesturing a handshake. She obliged but pulled back still curious. He slid his fingers through his hair pushing the strands that had fallen back into place.
“This is Davin’s brother, mom. We’re meeting him at the dance because he hasn’t quite made it home from Lebanon yet.”
“I thought you said he went to Manchester.”
“Yeah, that’s where I meant.”
Sully laughed under his breath. Her shoulders loosened, and all curiosity left her expression.
“Oh, I see. Well, you kids have fun. Be careful, it’s supposed to be the first snowfall tonight. Remind Davin about dinner tomorrow night.” She looked at Sully again. “You’re more than welcome to come too, if you’d like.”
I answered before he could, quickly turning down her good hospitality. “No, he’s fine. He’s got other plans. Bye, mom.”
He smiled politely in agreement. I grabbed my jacket off of the coat rack, motioning for Sully to head towards the door. Once outside, he opened my door casually, holding onto my arm to help me into the low car. I was used to getting in and out of a more lifted vehicle (Davin’s), so the dress I was wearing made it rather awkward trying to keep myself covered. But I managed, before he closed the door gently behind me.
It felt as though I was leaving on a date rather than being watched by a vampire bodyguard. Unusual didn’t wholly explain the atmosphere inside the Mustang between the two of us. I didn’t know what to say to him, but the ice had to be broken because I was stuck with him for the remainder of the night, or at least until Davin returned home.
“So, you’re fine not going to this thing with Gretchen?”
“Yes. Should I not be?” He continued to look forward.
“Well, I thought you liked her at least a little bit. I figured maybe it bothered you some.”
He shook his head. “No. She’s a good kid, but I know I am not the man destined to be with her. So, why should she throw away something that may work out really well for her and Andy?”
Referring to her as a kid showed his true age. It always tended to slip my mind that they were a couple centuries old.
“I was thinking about how you said that you hope what happened today didn’t ruin our friendship. Do you consider us friends?”
He continued to keep his eyes on the road ahead of us. “Yes.”
Man, getting any kind of conversation out of him was like pulling teeth. Maybe bringing up today’s earlier episode wasn’t the best conversation starter, but it’s all I could think of at the moment. It wasn’t every day I was stuck in a car with a vampire I had always thought to be an asshole but come to find out he was secretly in love with me.
“I never considered you my friend. You haven’t talked to me much before.”
“If that’s all it can be, then that’s what I’ll take. But, forgive me if I sometimes avoid you like the plague. It’s not intentional.”
He still was not making any eye contact with me, instead he kept himself fully focused out the front windshield. Why did he have to say anything to me about how he felt? He should’ve just kept it to himself, then it wouldn’t seem so strange being in the same vicinity as him, and he wouldn’t feel the need to avoid me either.
“That’s fine I suppose.” Why the hell did I say suppose like it bothered me he didn’t want to have anything to do with me if I wasn’t with him? “Will you please just look at me Sully?”
He closed his eyes for a moment, then turned his head to look me in the eye for the first time since we had gotten in the car.
“If I didn’t know with all my heart and soul that I was meant for Davin, then maybe I would have the same feelings for you that you have for me.”
“Please Adelay, save me your pity.” Yep, he was back to his normal cocky self.
“Okay then, I would
