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“You might have a shot, being a vampire. Except then I’d have to be human. If I had a nickel for every rom-com that pairs the human girl with the vampire guy,I’dbe financially comfortable with investments.”

“I wouldn’t be here if you were human, Leslie.”

“You have a whole network of vampire friends and acquaintances, but you want to date some small-town girl?”

“I want to dateyou.”

She studied him for what felt like an hour. At last she said, “Okay then. Let’s go on as many dates as we can before you have to get back to that epic job of yours.”

“I have three days.” But he already knew three days weren’t enough.

“And no doubt you slept eight hours in preparation.”

“Six.”

Her forehead crinkled. “Don’t you need eight?”

“Nope. Haven’t since I was a teenager.”

“No wonder you live such a productive life.” She was trying to hold in the smile, then shrugged and gave herself permission to show it. “But unlike you, I didn’t know I was going to meet my one true match today,andI’ve been awake for nine days getting ready for the fair between shifts at the restaurant,andI prefer nine hours when I do sleep.”

“But I can take you out again tomorrow, after the fair? Five o’clock?”

“I’d like that.”

Ryker resisted the desire to pump his fist in the air. He was on his way to success in winning Leslie Snow, and he was only getting started.

Four

At three a.m. Leslie said good night though she didn’t want to. Ryker promised to see her at five tomorrow evening, but it seemed too far away. She drove home in the trusty old van, left her exhibits in the back, and waltzed up the walk to her little bungalow. Inside, she dug her phone from her purse. Much too late to call Hannah. Instead she dialed Mom—her other best friend, the one who was definitely awake, who tended to sleep only on Tuesday nights.

“Les? Haven’t you been awake for nine days?”

“Yeah, but it’s fine. Listen, the most unbelievable thing happened at the fair.”

“Ooh, I’m all ears.”

“Remember when Hannah took that anthropology elective and needed more participants for her enormous semester-long group project?”

“Sure, the matchmaker test. Wasn’t it some kind of dare?”

Leslie couldn’t help laughing, picturing Ryker’s face if he could hear her mom’s response. “Not to everyone, as it turns out.”

She launched into an account of the last ten hours. She didn’t need to be in person with Mom to experience her full reaction, reserved though she always was. Hums and encouraging commentary fueled Leslie’s story the whole way through. A surprised breath close to a hiss came over the line when Leslie mentioned Ryker’s father.

“The man’s a decent politician,” Mom said after a moment. “I don’t agree with him on every issue, but he’s respectful and honest. And I remember Senna Maddox now too; I’ve seen her interviewed after winning a big case. That woman is whip-smart and struck me as really compassionate too, in the work she does with crime victims. If they’re the same in private as they are in public, I’d be fine with them as your in-laws.”

“Mom!” Leslie fell back onto her bed and covered her eyes with her free hand. “I’ve been on one date.”

“Maybe there’s something behind that test though, Les. I’m trying to remember—did you ever meet him in person back then? For some reason I don’t think you did.”

“Nope. I took the test to appease Hannah, and then I went on with my life.”

“Well, that’s all water under the bridge anyway. He’s in town and wants to take you out. The only question is, do you want to disrupt your singleness long enough to give him a chance?”

One of the great things about Mom was how she never second-guessed Leslie’s relationship status. If she wanted to date, Mom would be in favor—but no more in favor than if she maintained happy singleness for the next couple centuries.

“You know,” Leslie said, “there’s something about him that makes me curious.”