Page 14 of Monster Diner

Her eyes widened, and he could see the question there. He found he was desperate to tell her the truth. He rarely talked about his creator or the events that led up to Frank taking him in and teaching him how to cook. But he’d seen how she shut down before when he’d mentioned her dad, and he didn’t want to ruin the rapport they’d built. They lingered a beat, neither speaking, but they didn’t touch their food either.

Igor had no such qualms and was tearing into his food, squawking happily.

“Yep, same old Igor. Who’s a pretty bird?” she cooed.

He clacked his beak in appreciation.

And Victor found himself suddenly, irrationally jealous of a bird. She turned, noticing him staring, and he coughed to cover it up. She watched him, puzzled, for a moment, and he contemplated what to say. Should he compliment her, or would that be too forward?

They were interrupted when Brayden came shuffling into the kitchen. He paused upon seeing Lizzy, and his dark gaze slid between the two of them. Igor cawed in greeting, and Brayden gave him a short nod.

“I made patty melts. Would you like one?” Victor offered.

“No thanks.”

“This is Lizzy, Frank’s daughter,” he rushed to explain.

“I didn’t ask,” Brayden grumbled and shuffled to the fridge and opened it.

“You hungry? Want me to make you something else?”

“Shake is fine.” He grabbed a meal replacement shake and held it up for Victor to see. Then he shuffled out, heading back to his bedroom.

Victor turned to Lizzy and plastered on a smile. “Sorry about that. Brayden is newly undead, and it’s been an adjustment period…”

“You said teenager, but I guess I imagined a young teen, but Brayden is…?”

“A senior in high school. He turns eighteen in April next year. Most regular teens end up in group homes, but for undead teens, it’s usually worse. There’s not a ton of resources for kids like him, who were formerly human, entering this world. I volunteered with an organization that helps them. And then when I met Brayden, his biological parents were terrified of him. After hearing his story, I offered to adopt him to help him get through school and start his undead life.”

“They abandoned me. Is what he’s saying.” Brayden had reemerged from his bedroom, overlarge headphones slung around his neck. “I’m going out.” He gave Victor a defiant look, as if challenging him to argue.

There were house rules they’d established. He was trying to give Brayden a normal teenage life, as much as he could anyway. But Victor also wanted him to go out and have friends, even if it made him nervous to let Brayden out of his sight for long.

“Be back by ten, okay?”

“Yeah.” Brayden put his headphones on and shuffled out the door. They both watched him go.

“He’s a cute kid,” Lizzy said.

“You don’t have to humor me.”

“No, he is. I’m actually relieved he’s a teenager. They’re so much easier to relate to than small kids.” She smiled at him, and he felt his chest explode.

“I’m glad you like him. I hope we can all get along.”

“Totally. It’s just for a month anyway, right? I’ll be out of your hair before you know it.”

“Right.”

“He seems to trust you,” Lizzy commented before taking a bite of her patty melt.

Victor stared at her, mouth agape, as she chewed. He couldn’t have heard her right. “What makes you say that?”

“I can feel it, his comfort around you. The way he talks with you. You’re a good dad, in case you were worried.” She smirked at him, challenging him to argue. “I know you want to be the best at everything. Too bad there are no awards in child-rearing.”

Victor felt something unspool in his chest, and he was reminded of what had made him fall for Lizzy the first time—the way she seemed to pierce him down to his very core, leaving him bared open before her. Either this month would break him, or he’d fall hopelessly in love with her.

7