Page 34 of My Big Fat Vampire Wedding
Besides, she’d done the hardest part.
Breaking the news to them.
While she was on the topic, though …
“Oh, one more thing,” Pandora said, watching both her parents’ faces tighten, bracing for what she might say next.
“Yes?” Ophelia prompted her.
“My chief bridesmaid? It’s Lucy. My colleague … the werewolf. Just wanted you to know that too. OK. I have to go and meet Victor,” she said, lying, but needing to get out of the oppressive mood in the kitchen, as her parents tried to figure out where they’d gone so wrong with their daughter to make her not only fall in love with a human … but befriend awerewolf.
There. Pandora made her way out of the house. The most stressful part was behind her.
Or so she thought.
11
“Idon’t know,” Lucy said, head tilted to the side as she inspected Victor as he came out of the dressing room. “Is it trying too hard?” She eyed the black suit he was wearing. With a black shirt under. And a black tie. “Does he look like he’s cosplaying a creature of the night?” she said musingly.
Pandora’s eyes bugged out at that, but Lucy ignored her as Victor let out a small huff of a laugh.
“It is very dark,” he said, glancing down his reflection.
“Here.” Lucy jumped up to pass him trousers and a smart button-down shirt. No jacket, no tie. “Try this instead,” she said, pushing Victor back toward the dressing room.
“Easy with the vampire stuff,” Pandora whispered to her.
“Victor thought it was funny,” Lucy said.
“It won’t be funny when he’s got vampires on the brain and then meets my family full of them.”
“His thesis is on vampires. They’re always on his brain,” Lucy said. “I just think this will go better if it doesn’t look like he’s trying to emulate them, y’know? That he shows up as himself. It will make him more comfortable. And that’s better for the both of you.”
That was fair.
Pandora was already having daily panic attacks at the idea of Victor meeting her parents. Would they remember not to serve blood? To actually servefoodif it was a dinner party? It had been so long since they’d been human that she was terrified they wouldn’t be able to fake it even halfway believably.
She’d forgotten to mention it to them.
And now it was too late.
They’d all been kind of tiptoeing around one another since the announcement. It should have eased some of Pandora’s nerves. But it was having the opposite effect.
Now, she was overthinking every little thing.
Hence sitting in the men’s department with Lucy just an hour before they were due to show up at her parents’ house for the official introductions.
She was overthinkingeverything.
“I’m less concerned with what he’s wearing,” Lucy said, gaze moving over Pandora. “And more concerned with you. This is what you wear to introduce your fiancé to your parents?” She shook her head at Pandora’s casual jeans-and-sweater ensemble.
“They’remyparents. I’m not trying to impress them.”
“No, but you need tosellthis, right? And I think a realwoman who was recently engaged would be all excited and dressed up to reflect that.”
New anxiety unlocked, Pandora pressed a hand to her chest. “I’m gonna have a heart attack.”
“Your heart doesn’t beat,” Lucy said, laughing.
