Page 41 of Never Invite a Vampire to Dinner

“I want to.”

We walk.

The fog rolls in off the water the way it does here, thick and grey. It swallows the harbor lights one by one until Water Street is a corridor of soft glowing smudges and the ocean is a sound rather than a place. The whole town goes quiet and close and strange. There’s only the wet crunch of the lane under our feet and his body beside me, close enough that our arms nearly touch. Neither of us talks. It’s not the kind of silence that needs filling. It’s the other kind, the rare kind, the kind I’ve spent my whole life too busy to find.

Our shoulders brush once, and neither of us moves away. A few steps later his fingers close around mine, cool and strong. I look down, then back up at him.

“You’re holding my hand.”

“I had noticed.”

“Just checking.”

“Do you object?”

I tighten my fingers.

“No.”

We keep walking. My feet hurt. There’s chowder on my sleeve. My hair is beyond rescue. I’ve been awake since six and working since seven.

I honestly cannot remember a day I have loved more.

We walk half a block before I say, “Theo likes you.”

Julian glances at me. “Does he?”

“He handed you a hammer.”

“I was there.”

“That’s practically an adoption ceremony. Another six months and he’ll let you use the good drill.”

“I will try not to be overwhelmed.”

“I’m serious. People like having you around.” His expression changes slightly. “That surprises you.”

“No.”

“It absolutely does.”

“I am familiar with people liking me, Penny.”

I laugh. “God, that’s arrogant.”

“It is also true.”

Unfortunately, it is.

“Fine. People like you. But that’s not what I mean.” I swing our joined hands lightly. “You’re good here.”

“At repairing docks?”

“At all of it. Theo. Mabel. Eunice. Arthur pretending he doesn’t like you. Harriet ordering you around my kitchen.”

His mouth curves. “Mrs. Coyne is formidable.”

“She criticized the way you wrapped egg sandwiches.”