And he remembered her sister too.
“Yes. We’re both good.”
Well, good enough, considering everything they’d gone through. Mollie had no idea why she’d been compelled to call this man. She was moving into a new future and a new life; digging up the past was never something she intended to do, but for some reason, this was something sheneededto do. She wouldn’tlet her father’s memory taint what she had with Mike, and Mollie suspected if she didn’t resolve her feelings with him at least a little, it would.
“I’ve met someone,” she said.
“Is it serious?”
“Yes.” The stilted awkwardness of this conversation only made it worse, but she couldn’t bring herself to hang up.
“Is he a good man?”
Better than you. He won’t leave us.Mollie bit the words back. She hadn’t made this call to throw things in her father’s face.
“Yes. I love him very much, and he loves me. We’re married.” Or the vampire equivalent of marriage anyway.
There was a long silence, and then her father blew out a breath. “I wish I could have been there.”
Mollie had no idea how to respond to that.Hewould have wanted to be there forhermarriage when he’d been there for so little else of her life?
“I’ve made mistakes, Mollie, so many of them. I wish—”
“I didn’t call for an apology or anything like that!” Mollie interrupted. If he said he regretted the things he’d done, she’d probably start ranting, and she didn’t want that.
“Then why did you call?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted.
“Do you need anything? I can help if you do. I can send money if you need it.”
“No. We don’t need anything.” She’d done quite well on her own with Aida, and she would only do better with Mike at her side. “I guess I called because I’m moving on with my life and I have to let go of my anger at you. Otherwise, it will haunt me for the rest of my days, and I won’t have that.”
Silence followed again, but this time it extended so long she thought he might have hung up.
“I understand,” he finally said.
She didn’t see how he possibly could understand, considering his father had been a wonderful man who never would have walked out on his family. Mollie buried her resentment before she crushed the phone. She’d spent most of the day trying to adjust to her newfound vampire senses and strength, but she still had a lot more to learn and control.
“I should probably go,” she said.
“Wait!” he cried, and Mollie heard the panic in his voice. “Don’t go yet! So many years ago, I messed up, and I never knew how to fix it. I understand if you hate me, but I’d like to know more about you and Aida. If you hang up, I won’t blame you, but… but if you can talk for a few more minutes, I’d like to speak with you.”
The hitch in his voice and his desperation froze her. He’d walked out of her life and never looked back, but she found she couldn’t hang up on him.
“What would you like to know?” she asked.
“Anything. Are you or Aida in college? What do you do for work? Are you both happy? Please tell me you’re happy.”
Mollie’s shoulders slumped. “Yes, I’m happy.”
* * *
Mike steppedinto the hotel room and frowned when he spotted Aida sitting in the dingy brown chair in the corner as she flipped through the TV channels. He’d left her and Mollie in here, but he didn’t see Mollie.
“Where’s Mollie?” he asked as he set a paper bag of food on the bedside table. He’d gone out to get food for Aida and to feed for him and Mollie.
“In the other room,” Aida murmured.
