Page 65 of Sunsets & Other Dangerous Things

Ashley pulled it back from her. “The nineties is hardly vintage.” She continued to find her list, embarrassed she’d kept the notepad so long.Oh god, it’s older than Esther.

“Wait.” Esther stuck her finger in the way as Ashley flipped to the next page. “Was that my name?”

“No, definitely not.” Ashley ripped the page from the notebook and stuffed it in her mouth.

Esther watched her chew with a look somewhere between disappointment and laughter. “Oh,” she deadpanned as Ashley struggled to swallow. “I am definitely convinced now.”

“Yes, yes, I’m a believable person. That’s what vampires are known for. Their trustworthiness. Anyway, ooh look! A list of vampire things that Ashley wants to be able to do.”

“Are we talking in third person now?”

“Sometimes we do that. Please, be distracted by this list of cool vampire things I can do.”

Esther laughed and, thank everything holy, looked at the list. “You can change into a bat? That’s a thing?”

“Okay, yes, it is a thing, but no, I haven’t quite gotten that one yet. The closest I got was changing my arms.”

Esther’s eyes grew wide, and she sucked her lips into her mouth.

“Are you trying to not laugh at me?”

Esther’s eyes watered.

“I am an intimidating vampire.”

Esther held her arms to her sides, bending them so her hands were by her shoulders, and fluttered them. “With little bat wings?”

The question was barely out before she burst out laughing. And then they were both laughing, grabbing their sides and in danger of falling off the couch.

In a flash, Ashley grabbed Esther’s chin and held her so they were inches away. “Okay. Enough of what I can’t do. Time for the Twilight montage of cool and intimidating vampire stuff that Icando. You ready, spider monkey?”

“Yes, and please don’t call me that.”

“Okay, good.” Ashley placed the notepad in Esther’s lap, jumped to her feet, and rested her hands on her hips in a hero stance. “I’m ready. Call them out.”

“Well, we can check off ‘look hot,’” Esther mumbled.

“Oh my gosh, stop.” Ashley pulled her scarf up to cover her cheeks and turned in an embarrassed half curtsy.

Esther blushed. “And super hearing?”

“Oh, that was nothing. Wait here.” The next second Ashley was across the yard and pulling out her phone.

Ashley

whisper something and I’ll answer.

“That white sweater you had on today was super sexy.”

Holy fuck. Was Esther flirting with her? Did she just call her sexy? No. No, that was just the sweater. Esther had good taste. That was all. But she also called her super-hot just before that. That obviously meant something. Unless it was just a friend complimenting a friend? Female friends called each other sexy all the time. What was straight and what was gay anymore?

“I’m thinking of the number four,” Esther added, a little bit louder. She must have assumed her first comment was too quiet. How long had she been standing there struck senseless?

Ashley texted back the number with no other comment.

“I checked off running really fast, for obvious reasons.” Esther spoke at a normal volume despite still being across the yard. “Next on the list is lifting heavy things and…ooh! Mesmerizing.”

Ashley ran back to Esther’s side instead of texting an answer. “There isn’t anything impressive for me to lift around here.” She scanned the grass and miles of empty cornfield, lit only by the moon. “I could bring the car over.”

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