“Uh-huh.” A pause. “Where’s Julian?”
My heart stutters. “He went for a walk. Early morning thing. He doesn’t sleep much.”
“That tracks. Mysterious billionaires probably don’t need sleep like us common folk.” I can hear her settling into her couch, probably with coffee. “So. How are you really? Scale of one to ten, one being ‘totally fine’ and ten being ‘actively questioning all my life choices.’”
I look at myself in the mirror. At the woman who spent the night curled against a vampire, who kissed him goodbye before he went to confront a monster, who is currently pretending everything is normal while her hands shake.
“Solid four,” I say. “Maybe a five. But that’s just standard wedding stress. You know how hard it is to be a bridesmaid, but then you throw my mom into the mix—”
“Oh, I know. Remember Cousin Dana’s wedding? Your mom made the photographer cry.”
“She made two photographers cry. The second one was just collateral damage.”
Sage laughs, and something in my chest loosens. This is normal. This is my best friend, three thousand miles away, having no idea that the man I love is currently—
Don’t think about it. Don’t think about what’s happening on those cliffs.
“Okay, but seriously,” Sage says. “Julian. How’s that going? Last update I got was that you guys were saying the L-word to each other and then you went radio silent for twelve hours.”
“It’s going well.”
“‘Well.’ That’s the most boring adjective in the English language. Give me something, Poppy. Details. Romance. Drama.”
You want drama? My boyfriend might currently be killing his vampire progeny who’s been murdering his lovers for 146 years. That dramatic enough for you?
“He’s... perfect,” I say instead. “Annoyingly perfect. Like, suspiciously perfect.”
“Suspicious how?”
“Like maybe he’s a robot sent from the future to make all other men look bad by comparison.”
“Hot robot boyfriend. I’d watch that movie.” Sage’s voice softens. “You really like him, don’t you?”
“Yeah.” The word comes out quieter than I intend. “I really do.”
“Then I’m happy for you. Even if he is mysterious and probably hiding a bunch of dark secrets.”
You have no idea.
A knock at the suite door makes me jump. My heart slams against my ribs.
“Hey, I have to go,” I say. “Hair and makeup starts in an hour and I need to find my strapless bra.”
“Okay, but text me pictures! And video of your speech! And—”
“Goodbye, Sage.”
“Love you! Tell your hot robot boyfriend I said hi!”
I hang up. Set the phone down with hands that are suddenly shaking again.
The knock comes a second time. Softer now. Almost hesitant.
I cross to the door. Look through the peephole.
Julian.
I have the door open before I finish processing. He stands in the hallway, still wearing the dark clothes he left in, looking like he’s aged a decade in the hours since I’ve seen him.
