Page 9 of Vampires and Violas (A Vampire’s Guide to Gardening #2)

8

The farmer’s market is hopping tonight, and it hasn’t even officially started yet. Kids will go back to school in a few weeks, and it feels like parents are making the most of the summer.

“I bet you’ll sell out tonight,” Olivia says as we load my cart with flowers.

“That would be nice.” I pull another bucket of zinnias out of the truck. “Max’s band is playing this evening. Are you going to hang out with me or go be a groupie?”

“I think you’re going to need my help. Besides, he said earlier that Emma is coming.”

I try not to smile when she rolls her eyes. “Is that a problem?”

“No.” She follows me as I pull the full cart down the street. “But he doesn’t need me if he has her.”

“You know Max is as dense as a brick, right? If you don’t tell him you’re madly in love with him, he’ll never figure it out.”

She gasps like I said something outlandish. “I’m not in love with Max.”

“Okay…then why do you care about Emma?”

“I don’t really.” She wrinkles her nose. “I just don’t think he should ditch his friends for some new girl.”

“First off, I’m not his friend. I’m his sister, so I don’t really count in this argument. Two, remember when you were dating Tyson? I swear we didn’t see you for a solid month.”

“That’s different.” She bristles as she plays with her bracelets.

I smile to myself as I navigate around a small cluster of people who have gathered in the street. “Max didn’t think it was different. He was miffed that whole time.”

She gives me a sideways look. “He didn’t like me dating Tyson?”

“Nope.”

A smile plays over her lips, but she presses them into a flat line to contain it. “Well. Whatever. This isn’t the same situation at all.”

“Sure.”

We reach my stand, meeting the subject of our conversation as he finishes setting up the canopy.

“Hey,” I say to my brother. “It’s crooked. You need to bring that leg up another notch.”

“Hey,” he parrots. “You’re awfully naggy when I’m doing this for free.”

I grin. “Thank you for setting it up for me.”

He turns his eyes on Olivia. “Hi, Olive.”

She eyes him, nodding once in greeting.

“You going to watch the show?” he asks her.

“I’m going to help Piper tonight.”

“It looks like it’s going to be crazy.” He seems a little disappointed, but then he flashes us a grin. “Probably because tonight’s band drew in the crowds, don’t you think?”

“Go get ready,” I laugh. “We can get the rest of this.”

“Have fun,” he says, already heading off.

“You too.”

“Not too much fun,” Olivia mutters, unloading the cart. Then she says to me, “I thought he might have to quit the band when he joined NIHA.”

“Conservators have pretty regular hours,” I say. “I don’t think it will be an issue unless he becomes a hunter.”

“Has he told your parents about the new job yet?”

“No.” The mention of them fills me with dread. “They don’t even know about my stuff.”

“ Are you going to tell them?”

“Yeah.” I frown at a bucket of snapdragons. “Eventually.”

“How do you think they’ll take it?”

“About as well as any parent would take learning their daughter is a vampire.”

“At least you’re just a pre-vamp. I think the biggest hurdle you’re going to face is Noah. A parent wouldn’t want their daughter to be a vampire, but they wouldn’t want her dating one either.”

“I’m not dating Noah,” I remind her.

“It’s only a matter of time.”

“I saw all his prescriptions a couple days ago,” I say quietly.

“Okay?” My tone must concern her because she gives me her full attention.

“It kind of freaked me out. I knew he was on them, but seeing them all… Livi, it’s a lot. Just to keep him from going full monster.”

She gives me a sympathetic frown. “Are you worried he’s going to stop taking them?”

“Not really—not Noah. He’s so responsible. It’s just unsettling, you know?”

“I do.”

I drop my voice, glancing around to make sure there’s no one nearby. “And there’s something else.”

“What?” she whispers.

“I’m not sure I could resist temptation if we were together. I’m afraid if we start dating, I’ll end up a final-stage vampire, too.”

“Temptation? You want him to bite you?”

“The virus messed up my brain a bit.”

Her eyes are huge. “So do vampires…drink each other’s blood?”

“Yuck, no.” I shudder, horrified at the thought. “That’s illegal and disturbing. They just…um…”

“Bite?” She giggles, so ridiculously amused I’m afraid she’s going to draw attention. “Little love nibbles?”

“Yes, okay. Now, tone it down a little bit. People are watching.”

Getting control of herself, she whispers, “It’s just like the books.”

“Sort of, I guess.” I sigh. “I’m just afraid if I’m not careful, I’m going to end up with all those drugs in my medicine cabinet.”

Olivia gives me a sympathetic look. “You probably shouldn’t have invited him to live with you.”

I groan, dropping my head into my hands. “No kidding.”

Laughing, she loops her arm around my shoulders and directs me back to the truck, pulling the empty cart behind her. “Look at the bright side.”

“Is there a bright side?”

“Yeah, there totally is—your parents are out of town for the summer. Imagine what a mess this would be if they were home.”

“I don’t even want to think about it.”

Some people have hands-off families. My family…we’re not like that. We’re in each other’s business constantly. It’s never really bothered me before, even if my dad’s views on my diet and career have gotten old.

But now, I suspect it’s going to be inconvenient. And I don’t think they’re going to like this new diet any better than my last.

Thankfully, I still have another month before I need to worry about that.

Olivia and I get the last load of flowers and finish setting up the booth. People start browsing right away, and I make my first sale before the market officially starts.

About halfway through the night, I spot a familiar face in the crowd.

“Hey, Sam,” I say when my newest bouquet subscriber stops at my stand. “In the market for new flowers already?”

“Not yet.” He gives us a friendly grin. “I just saw you and thought I’d come over to say hi.”

“Are you here alone?”

“No.” He glances around as if looking for someone. When he locates her, he points down the street. “I’m here with my sister and her kids.”

Sure enough, I spot the boy who greeted me at the door on Wednesday. He and his sister are fighting over a bag of popcorn as their mom talks to Sandy, a woman who sells sourdough bread.

Beside me, Olivia is bursting with questions, so I say, “This is my friend Olivia. Olivia, this is Sam. He’s my newest weekly subscriber.”

“That’s great,” Olivia says. “How did you find Piper?”

“The market. I bought flowers a few weeks ago.”

He did? I don’t remember. And he has a unique look about him, with all those tattoos and his pleasant smile. You’d think I would.

“I took a business card.” He nods to the small stand next to the pre-made mason-jar bouquets, which are lined up to the right of the table. “I thought it would be nice to surprise my grandma with flowers each week.”

“Oh, that’s sweet,” Olivia says, melting a little. “I bet she loves them.”

“She does.” He offers us a smile when his sister starts our way. “I’ll let you get back to it. Piper, it was nice to see you.”

“You too. You guys have fun.”

I wave at Sam’s nephew when he recognizes me. The family continues down the street, heading toward the pie booth.

“He’s kind of cute,” Olivia says. “In a rough and tumble, let-me-count-your-tattoos sort of way.”

“Absolutely not. I swore off customers after Ethan.” I roll a loose tail of ribbon around its cardboard holder. “Besides, I don’t even know if he’s single.”

“You could find out.”

But I’m not going to because I’m not interested in Sam. My heart, foolish thing that it is, is perfectly enamored with Noah.

Speaking of Noah.

Olivia sighs beside me as he and Cassian walk through the crowd toward the stand—two vampires looking wicked hot. And we’re not the only ones who notice. People watch the pair, giving in to the human urge to admire pretty things.

“Becoming a vampire isn’t looking too bad,” Olivia says with a quiet giggle.

Truth.

“I thought you were working late,” I say when they reach us.

“We finished up for the weekend,” Noah says.

“Perfect timing.” Olivia leaps off her stool. “I was just leaving to go watch Max’s band.”

“Traitor,” I murmur.

She grins and then turns her eyes on Cassian. “You wanna come with me? I’ll buy you a turkey leg.”

“You know the way to a man’s heart,” Cassian responds smoothly, offering her his arm.

Noah steps into the booth and claims Olivia’s stool. As soon as they’re gone, he turns to me, his eyes affectionate in the glow of the event’s twinkle lights and streetlamps. “Hey.”

My stomach flip-flops, my heart picking up its pace. “Hey.”

“I’ve missed coming to these things with you.”

I swallow, reminding myself we’re just friends. “How was work?”

“Reid covered his tracks better than I expected. I’ve hit a lot of dead ends.”

“Sounds frustrating.”

“I’ll worry about it on Monday.” He leans his elbow on the table and angles toward me. “You have me all weekend.”

I pull my eyes away from his dark hair and inviting eyes and straighten a mason jar. “Are you suggesting we plan another friend-date?”

“We’re past friend-dates, Piper.” Noah tilts his head to the side, his smile edging into a smirk. “How about a real date?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“It’s my birthday tomorrow.”

“Um, okay. Happy birthday?”

“My parents insisted we do a thing at their place. Dinner, a cake I can’t eat—all that. Come with me? I’ve managed to make an excuse to get out of it every year since I hit final-stage, but I couldn’t this time. Not now that I’m back in town.”

“That’s right—your parents don’t know either.”

“They don’t.”

“Why haven’t you told them?”

He looks away, exhaling slowly. “It never seemed like the right time. And now Britta’s getting married…I don’t want to rain on her happy parade.”

“When’s the wedding?”

“The end of August in Estes Park. Why? Are you hoping to be my plus one?”

I laugh, scoffing like it doesn’t appeal to me. But in my heart, I’m secretly crying that I can’t be that for him.

“Come with me, Piper,” he urges. “To the wedding, to the birthday. To all the things.”

I lift my brows. “As friends?”

“No.”

“Noah, I?—”

“I’m not going to bite you,” he vows solemnly.

“Because it’s illegal?”

“Because I don’t want to deprive you of your vegetables.”

“I do love my cucumbers…”

“I know.”

“I’ll go with you tomorrow so you don’t have to face your birthday alone—but as your friend, not your girlfriend.” I meet his eyes. “Okay?”

“Baby steps.”

“Baby larva steps?” I say, trying to diffuse the heat building between us. This whole time, Noah’s been leaning closer to me. I’ve been leaning closer to him, too.

“I thought we were going to retire that?”

“I am. Last time, I swear.”

He smiles as his hand settles on my knee, and my eyes drop to his lips.

“How much are these jar arrangements?” asks a shrewd-looking woman carrying a canvas bag, jerking me back to reality.

I quickly face forward, feeling my cheeks flame red. “Fifteen dollars for one or two for twenty.”

“Will you take five?” She offers the bill like she’s going to tempt me with an Abraham Lincoln.

“Sure,” Noah answers for me. “As long as it's joined by a few more of its friends.”

The woman rolls her eyes and wanders off.

Unfortunately—or maybe fortunately—the moment has been lost. Noah gives me a knowing smile and then turns his attention to the next customer browsing my flowers.

For the rest of the evening, I try to focus on my business and not the handsome vampire sitting beside me.