Page 51 of My Big Fat Vampire Wedding
“And my parents,” he said.
“Oh, right. Of course. Have you told them?”
“Yeah. That’s how I got the ring,” he said, glancing down at Pandora’s hand.
The ring had already started to feel like a part of her. She was anxious to take it off for the short amount of time she spent in the shower. Whenever she thought about how she was going to need to give it back to Victor when they divorced, she felt an unexpected pang. Despite knowing she would have the money to have an exact replica made, should she want to.
It would be different.
It wouldn’t be fromhim.
“Will we be having dinner at their house?” she asked.
“If anything, I think they would come to London,” Victor told her.
“Maybe we could arrange a dinner somewhere. For me to meet your parents and for both our parents to meet. I imagine they will all ask about that eventually.” At Victor’s tense look, Pandora rushed to add, “I will have a talk with my parents about being on their best behavior.”
“It’s silly to be worried about what your mum thinks of me when we aren’t even going to genuinely be—”
“What are we discussing?” Elias cut in, making Pandora jump so much that she almost fell out of her chair.
“Our parents meeting,” Victor told Elias, pointedly not bothering to move his jacket and backpack off of the chair at his side.
Pandora wasn’t as quick, so Elias slid in beside her.
“That should be … interesting,” Elias said, making Pandora glare at him.
“You’re not invited,” she told him.
“I did not expect to be. So, Victor,” Elias said, making Pandora’s stomach clench.
“You walked me to work,” Pandora said. “Why don’t you head back? I’m sure Mum would love the opportunity to fawn over you some more.”
Elias shot back, “I’m just as certain she would be happier knowing I am here.”
“Why are you so—”
“Pandora.” Lucy’s raised voice made Pandora turn to look at her friend, who was jerking her head toward the break room.
“Go ahead,” Victor said, giving her a soft look, then Elias a much colder one. “We’re fine here.”
She didn’t want to leave the two of them alone. Both had secrets of hers that she desperately needed to keep.
She rose from her seat and made her way over toward Lucy, who promptly hooked her arm through Pandora’s and half dragged her into the break room.
“From underwhatrock did that asshole crawl out?” she asked, cheeks flushed with frustration. “And can we shove him back under it? And roll it over and over him until he becomes vampire goo?”
“Yeah, that was so unexpected. He’s been really cordial to me. Kind, even. What did he say when I walked away?”
“More of the same, really. He’s annoyingly collected when he’s being a jerk too.”
Lucy’s anger ran hot and wild, like her true nature.
Pandora supposed the same could be said for Elias; his nature was cold and controlled. So his anger was the same.
Oil and water, that was what he and Lucy were.
“I don’t like him talking to Victor.” Pandora moved into the doorway to watch the two. Elias had his back to her, but she really only cared about Victor anyway. While his posture was tight, he seemed relatively calm.
