Page 3 of Smolder (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter 29)

“No, we came here to figure out what’s happening to us,” Edward said, then tugged on the jacket as if it didn’t fit right, but I’d never seen him in a piece of clothing that fit him better and that included the tux he’d worn for his own wedding.

“And to try on beautiful wedding clothes,” I said, smiling.

The seamstress rejoined us then; she had the pants that were supposed to go with the jacket instead of the temporary ones that she’d forced Edward into so she could see how the jacket fit. The pants were black leather.

“You are so going to owe me for this,” Edward said.

“One, I’ve seen you wear leather for undercover work before. Two, I wore a formal-length dress on a beach with bedazzled flip-flops for your wedding.”

“That was not this bad,” he said, motioning at the pants that the patient woman was holding up for him.

“I tried on dresses that were so low that I flashed an entire bridal store when I tripped over the hem.”

He grinned, then shook his head. “Okay, that’s fair.”

“If I said I’m sorry I missed you trying on dresses, would you be mad?” Peter asked.

“Yes,” I said firmly.

He and Edward both laughed. I tried to hold out, but I finally gave in, and we laughed until Edward had to go into the changing room and get into the freshly hemmed leather pants.

2

PETER AND Iwere still sitting in the chairs listening to Edward curse as he wiggled into the pants when my phone rang. It was my dad’s ringtone; my stomach dropped into my shoes with dread, but I answered it.

“Hey, Dad, what’s up?”

“You’re going through with this wedding no matter what I say, aren’t you?”

I stood up and said, “Jesus, Dad, yes, I am marrying Jean-Claude no matter what you say.”

Peter startled in his chair and stared up at me like he couldn’t believe it either. Who could? My father just kept talking all the hate about the man I loved. “He’s a vampire, Anita; in the eyes of the Church he’s a suicide at best, and at worst he’s a demon-possessed corpse.”

“We’ve discussed the Catholic Church’s view on vampires for a few weeks now, Dad. Tell me something new.”

“I know the wedding is a big event, but can’t you just live with each other without getting married?”

“I can’t believe you’re encouraging me to live in sin with a vampire. I thought that was one of the things you hated about all the people in my life?”

“If it’s a choice of cohabitating with one of them or marrying one, then I know which is my preference for my daughter.”

“I am not canceling the wedding, Dad, and the fact that you keep asking is really starting to piss me off.”

“No need to use language like that, Anita.”

“The hell there isn’t. You’re the one who’s insulting me and Jean-Claude. You wouldn’t even come to St. Louis and meet him in person before passing judgment on him.”

“He’s a vampire, Anita, I don’t have to meet him.”

“Fine, then if that’s your last word I guess I’ll find someone else to give me away, or walk my own damn self down the aisle.”

“I’m coming to St. Louis to meet your fiancé.”

“What?”

“I’m coming to meet him and I’m coming to get fitted in the wedding clothes. I don’t understand why there will be multiple fittings for a tuxedo, but you told me if I don’t come now for the first fitting I can’t be in the wedding at all.”

“So, you’re going to be in the wedding, just like that?”

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