Page 92 of My Big Fat Vampire Wedding

“It was good to talk to someone about things,” he said.

“I’m really proud of you,” Pandora said. “For knowing what you want and working toward it. But, please, get some rest. And get some blood. You’re wasting away.”

“I’ve just been busy. I will take better care. You’ve got enough to worry about. Don’t need to go adding myself to that list.” His colleague called his name again. “Coming!”

“Go ahead,” Pandora said. “I’ll see you at home.”

With that, she watched her brother rush back toward the jetty, smiling and laughing with his coworker.

Sure, he looked ridiculous, covered head to toe.

But he was also happier than she’d ever seen him.

For a moment, she watched him in his element, getting down on the jetty to dangle his legs just over the water as he watched the shoreline and the kayakers.

Finally, she moved out of the woods and made her way back toward Victor. She stopped a few feet away from him as well, watching him as he sat there engrossed in his story.

The wind kicked up, making his hair fall into his face a bit. It was in need of a trim. She just barely held herself back from reaching out, from brushing the soft strands back. The edge of his book curled in, making his hand spread out to flatten it so he could continue reading.

Her mind immediately thought of that hand. When it was holding hers with gentle pressure. Of it teasing the edges of her hair when they’d sat at the restaurant. Of it pressed into the small of her back in a way that always felt comfortingly possessive to her. Or, of course, as it moved over her body in the cupboard, sparking little fires of need until her body was an out-of-control wildfire.

“Oh, hey,” Victor said, looking up and catching her standing there watching him.

“Hey,” she said.

“Everything all right?”

“We had a good talk,” she told him as he stuck his book back in his backpack then got to his feet.

“I don’t want to pry …”

“It turns out he just has this job that, I guess, he doesn’t think our parents would approve of. And he looks so tired because after he comes home from work, he’s been working on building a sort of business that has been consuming all of his extra time. He really wants to become independ­ent. And not have to rely on our parents’ money.”

“That makes sense. Strange how he felt the need to keep it from you.”

“He probably figured I was overwhelmed enough as itwas,” Pandora told him. “Did I tell you that we have more family visiting?”

“More?” Victor asked, eyes widening. “How many more can there be?”

“Quite a few,” she said. “This crowd is younger, though. And they’ve been helping me out when the aunts or my mum are being a little crazy.”

They walked back to the Tube, discussing the many things Pandora had messaged him about when it came to wedding planning.

She was pleased to realize they agreed on pretty much every point. And the only one he differed on was about a menu item that he learned Ravenna really wanted to include. Since he had a soft spot for her, he went ahead and sided with her on that. Pandora, charmed by his affection for her great-aunt, wasn’t bothered about giving in on that one point.

“Oh,” Victor said, patting down his pockets when they were climbing the stairs from the Tube.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I’ve misplaced my phone,” he said, turning his backpack to dig around in it. “Maybe I left it in your house?”

He had put it on the table when they’d sat down to discuss her texts. He could have easily forgotten it.

“We’ll check,” she said as they walked back to the house.

It was still too early for her to worry about any of her family. Or so she thought.

Until they walked into the dining room to find her great-great-grandmother standing there.