Page 9 of Vampires and Violas

“Okay.”

My best friend Olivia calls as I’m rummaging through the closet in the mudroom.

“Hey,” I say. “How was dinner with your parents?”

“My mom sent me home with a plate of brownies and told me if I wouldn’t eat them, I should bring them to you.”

“Doesn’t she know you gave up processed sugar?”

“She’s an evil woman. Can I drop by? You can pawn them off on Max if you don't want them.”

“Why don’t you just take them to Max? You know he’ll eat them.”

“You could call him and have him come to your place to get them…”

Seeing right through her brilliant plan, I say, “Cassian isn’t here right now.”

“Dang it,” she sighs.

“You nabbed those brownies just so you had an excuse to come over, didn’t you?”

“Your new conservator is really yummy.”

“He’s off limits.”

“I just like looking at him.”

I locate several dusty boxes of lightbulbs on the top shelf. “I’m having the same problem.”

“You like Cassian?” she asks, startled.

“What? No.” I wrinkle my nose at the thought. “Noah’s in my spare bedroom right now, and he brought a suitcase.”

The line goes quiet.

I glance at my phone screen. When I see the call wasn’t dropped, I say, “Olivia?”

“Isn’t he in Denver?”

“He was. Now he’s back.”

“Did he apologize?”

“Yeah.”

“And you’re all good? Just like that?”

I rub the back of my neck, feeling like an idiot. “Yep.”

“Thenwhyare you on the phone? Go tackle him.”

“No—no. He concealed the truth twice, once about being my conservator and once about being a vampire. I’ve forgiven him, but only a fool would trust that man again.”

She sighs, disappointed. “But he’s so yummy.”

“I thought Cassian was yummy?” I say wryly.

“I mean, I personally think Cassian is yummier. But Noah is pretty tasty himself.”

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