Page 151 of The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood & Boyfriends

When Brennan returned to the ballroom, the celebration was on. Mari and Tony were dancing, twirling around each other and laughing. Now that the threat was gone, even Brennan could almost get into the upbeat tune the quartet was playing.

But Cole was nowhere to be found.

He scanned the ballroom once more before venturing into the lobby. The staff eyed him suspiciously, which was fair since the vampire ball had trashed their venue, but still. He was about to give up and return to the others when he heard from outside—

“Yes, Mama.” A Southern accent, the voice that Brennan knew from beginning to end by now, distorted through walls. All Brennan had to do was follow the sound.

It took him to an exit into a courtyard at the center of the hotel. The night was dark, a few bright stars making it through the city light pollution.

The courtyard was a paved patio with lush trees and garden boxes surrounded by the Gothic exterior of the building. At the center, sitting on an iron bench with intricate floral patterns, was Cole, his back to Brennan, just a pair of suit-clad shoulders and a messy swirl of hair. He held a phone to one ear and was hunched into himself.

“Yeah,” Cole said. “Love you, too.”

He hung up.

Brennan sat beside him.

“Hey,” Brennan said.

Cole nudged his knee against Brennan’s. “Hey.”

“You okay?”

“That was, um,” Cole said, and his voice got thick and teary so Brennan tugged him in. “That was my mom?”

“Oh?” In all of this, Brennan had thought Cole was still ignoring their calls.

“She said—” Cole took a shaky breath. “—um, that she loves me no matter what I do with my life. And that my dad will come around.”

“Well, that’s… good, right?”

“It is. Of course. I just, I wasn’t expecting this tonight. I don’t even know why I answered this time. I don’t really know what to do with it.”

Brennan smoothed a hand up and down Cole’s shoulder while he processed that, then smiled. “I don’t know, it sounds like cause for celebration,” Brennan said. “Luckily I know a pretty good party nearby.”

“I love you,” Cole said.

Brennan froze.

“You said it earlier and I didn’t say it back, and I stand by the fact that that wasterribletiming.”

“I love you, too,” Brennan said. “Now come inside and dance with me.”

Cole smiled. “I can do that. But… let’s stay here for a minute.”

Eventually, they would go inside and join their friends and celebrate the ongoing secrecy of the vampires. Eventually, they would dance. For now, Brennan held him close. The two of them together in the night, as always.

BRENNAN’S PHONE

Brennan

Hey, you mentioned a new pamphlet?

I had another idea.

A better system than the pamphlets.

Any chance I can get involved? Maybe digitize some things?