Blood and Buttercups (A Vampire’s Guide to Gardening #1)

Chapter 14

14

“Look at the bright side,” Noah says to me from the porch as Max pulls out of the driveway. “This is the first time you’ve gotten fruit in a while.”

I give him a bland look and then go inside. But he’s right—the strawberry, banana, and yogurt smoothie tasted like fruit and not blood, which is a big win in my book.

“I noticed you didn’t tell Max I’m moving in,” Noah says, following me back to the kitchen.

“He didn’t ask.”

“He will eventually.”

“And eventually, I’ll cross that bridge. But today is not that day.”

“How’s your stomach? It can take a few days to get used to the prescription.”

“So far, so good. When will I be able to go into the sun without covering every inch of my skin?”

“Let’s give it a few days. Why don’t you show me where I’ll be sleeping?”

I point through the arched kitchen entry toward the living room. “On that couch there.”

“We’re going to have to renegotiate my rent.”

“Fine,” I say with an exaggerated sigh. “You can have the guestroom. I should probably wash the sheets, though. It’s been forever since anyone’s stayed in there.”

Noah looks at his phone when it vibrates with a text. “You have an appointment with your dietitian at nine on Monday.”

“You were able to book it on the weekend?”

“Clark is a workaholic who keeps his schedule on his phone. He’s easy to get a hold of.”

“Does he work for NIHA?”

“Yeah, we have a whole slew of doctors and professionals who specialize in patients infected with Vampiria B.”

“Does that mean I have to change doctors?”

“You’ll still need your general practitioner. Most people in Stage One visit their dietitian, go to support groups, and sometimes schedule sessions with our counselors, but they don’t have a reason to see our doctors.”

“And you’ll do all that scheduling for me?”

“I can, or you can call your doctor and her office will set it up. Sometimes, insurance requires a referral. It depends on the situation and your insurance company.”

I’m getting a headache just thinking about it.

“When are you going to get your stuff?” I ask, deciding it’s time to change the subject.

“You said your friend Olivia is coming this evening? I’ll go then.”

“You’re never going to leave me alone again, are you?”

“Not until we find Ethan. Speaking of him, I have a few calls to make.”

“Go ahead. I have some computer work to do.” A smile twitches at my lips. “Am I allowed to go upstairs by myself?”

“It’s probably safer.” He smiles as he scrolls through his contacts. “We already know the effect I have on your knees.”

I roll my eyes and go upstairs. Before I get to work, I strip the guestroom bed and haul the sheets down to the laundry room.

A few hours later, Olivia arrives, and Noah takes off.

Olivia watches him through the front window and then turns to me, fanning her face. “That man is blazing hot. He’s really your bodyguard?”

“Something like that.”

“Please tell me you’re shamelessly going to use him as a rebound.”

“He’s moving in, but don’t tell Max.”

Olivia covers her mouth, barely hiding her delighted horror. “Your mom’s going to disown you.”

“Mom’s not here.”

“Your dad might have a heart attack.”

“We’re not telling him.”

“And Max?—”

“Had better keep his mouth shut.”

She grins. “Your life is becoming a soap opera.”

“I’ve noticed.”

Abundantly amused, she plops onto the couch. Then she scowls like something is wrong, sticks her hand between the cushions, and pulls out the pregnancy test box. “Why?”

“I hid it the first time Noah came over, and then I forgot about it.”

Shaking her head, she returns it to its spot between the cushions. “If you end up getting pregnant with Noah’s secret baby, I want to be the first to know.”

“That will not be happening. And don’t just put it back— give it to me so I can throw it away.”

“That thing cost fifteen bucks. You can’t just toss it.”

Rolling my eyes, I shove it in her purse. “There.”

“Maybe you should keep it. That man is so full of testosterone, you might get pregnant just from looking at him.”

“I don’t think it works that way,” I say wryly.

“Wait.” She sits up straighter. “Can vampires get pregnant?”

“Final stage vampires can’t, but I’m not a vampire. So, I can, according to my doctor.”

“She actually covered that?”

“Just a minute.” I leave the room and return with the stack of pamphlets. Dropping them in her lap, I say, “Everything you need to know about vampire life is right here.”

“Whoa.” She blinks at the massive pile.

“Yeah, I know.”

“So…you’re not just messing with me? This is actually a thing?”

“It’s actually a thing.”

“Weird,” she breathes, flipping through the pages and pamphlets. “Is it even safe for me to be here?”

“Yeah, I snacked on a guy at the hardware store earlier.”

Horrified, her eyes fly to mine. “Really?”

“No, not really,” I scoff, laughing.

Her eyes are still the size of an owl’s. “Do you…eat people? Like…donors? You know, like you see in movies and books?”

“No, that’s very illegal.” I cringe. “And disturbing.”

“So, you’re not gonna sample Noah? He looks like a B negative to me. Do you have a blood type preference?”

I laugh at that ridiculous statement. “The sugar fast is affecting your brain.”

“Oh, come on—tell me you haven’t thought about taking a little nibble.”

“Well, yeah . But not because I’m hungry.”

She snorts, and then her expression becomes solemn. “You’re okay, right?”

“Yeah. My doctor said it’s easy to manage in this first stage.”

“What if it progresses to a later stage?”

“It can’t on its own—I’d need to be bitten again.”

“No wonder Noah is stuck to you like glue.” She pauses, looking thoughtful. “It was Ethan, wasn’t it? Ethan bit you on that awful date?”

“Yeah,” I answer softly.

“Ethan is a vampire.” She shakes her head. “Who would have thought?”

“A massively rich vampire. He not only owns the restaurant we went to, but the entire building.”

“And he wants you to become one of the undead with him?” she whispers.

“Well, technically, that undead thing is a myth. They’re alive. Just…really physically healthy. Mentally, though…not so stable.”

“I wonder how old he is?”

“Who?”

“ Ethan. ”

“I have no idea.”

Nor do I have any desire to ask him.

“And I know he’s stalking you and all, but do you feel intense loyalty to him?” She leans forward, lowering her voice. “Because he sired you?”

“First of all—that’s super creepy, so let’s not use that term again. And no, I feel no loyalty toward him whatsoever. All I feel is fear and a little bit of guilt.”

“Why guilt?”

“Part of me wonders if it’s my fault. Did I lead him on? Did I make him genuinely think I wanted to be with him for life?”

“Piper,” Olivia says sharply. “You know better than that. Did you say, ‘Ethan, I’m simply mad about you, and I want you to bite me so we can live together in perfect vampire bliss?’”

“No, I definitely didn’t say that.”

“Then this isn’t on you.”

“I mean, technically, I didn’t know he was a vampire, so I couldn’t have said that even if I wanted to.”

“Exactly—he threw you into this without even telling you what he was signing you up for. You did nothing wrong.”

I pull my knees up to my chest, glad we can finally talk about this. “I let him kiss me.”

She smiles a little. “Before or after the bite?”

“Before.”

“Was it good?”

“Not really.”

“That sucks. He could have at least had the decency to be a good kisser. Come on, vampire guy, sell yourself a little—forever is a long time. If he wants a life mate, he needs to up his game.”

I laugh even though my eyes are stinging a little. “I love you, Livi.”

“I love you too, Pip.”

“Don’t call me that.”

She shrugs as her eyes wander the room and land on the framed photo of Kevin and me.

I don’t know why I’ve left it there. Every time I see the two of us smiling for the camera, my stomach rolls. It’s time for it to go.

Before I can change my mind, I snatch it up and walk into the kitchen, feeling immense relief when I drop it into the trash and close the lid.

That chapter of my life is officially over.

It’s about time.

“What about Mr. Bodyguard?” Olivia calls from the couch. “Is he a good kisser?”

I return to the living room. “I don’t know.”

She smirks. “You don’t know yet .”

“I told him I friend-zoned him.” I return to my spot on the couch.

“Excellent. Make him work for it.”

I smile. “Don’t tell Noah, but it’s a relief to have someone around. Ethan texted me this morning, and it was pretty terrifying.”

“He texted you?” Olivia demands.

I hand her my phone and let her read the messages.

Her face goes a little pale. When she looks up, she whispers, “This isn’t good. You locked the front door, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Are vampires super strong? Or fast?”

“I don’t think so. They’re just immune to natural death, and their senses are heightened. They’re not superhuman or anything like that.”

She returns the phone to me. “You should take some self-defense classes.”

“That’s not a bad idea.”

Her face brightens. “Maybe Noah can teach you. He looks…capable.”

Because the idea of that sounds a little too appealing, I nudge the conversation toward her appointment with Alessio.

She’s happy to be distracted by the handsome masseur, and I’m happy to let her carry the conversation.

“So anyway, he’s not dating anyone right now,” Olivia says. “But I’m too chicken to ask him out.”

“Alessio is fun, for sure, but do you really want to date a guy who has his hands on other women every day?”

“He’s totally professional,” she argues.

“I know. I just?—”

I’m cut off by a knock at the new front door Max and Noah just replaced. Olivia and I both freeze, our eyes locked like we’re five and playing a staring game.

“Is that Noah?” she mouths.

I shake my head and whisper, “I gave him a key.”

So it must be someone else.

Maybe someone fanged.

Again, I remind myself Ethan said he wasn’t going to visit me until I was ready. But what if he came by for a quick bite? You know, to hurry me along to Stage Two? If he’s keeping tabs on me, he would know Noah isn’t here right now.

And then I hear voices from the front step—and one of them is Noah’s. Relief crashes over me like a tidal wave, and I slump against the couch.

Not even a minute later, my conservator opens the door with the key I gave him.

“Who was that?” I ask Noah, looking past him to the dusky front yard.

“A guy wanting to sell you solar panels. You need a no soliciting sign.”

Olivia eyes Noah’s duffle bag and stands. “Okay, well…I’m gonna go.” She grabs her purse and edges toward the door. “You guys have fun.”

I shoot her a look, and she gives me a pixie grin. With a wave, she’s gone.

Noah locks the door behind her and then looks back. “What was that about?”

“Secret babies, self-defense, and my snacking habits.”

Looking mystified, Noah shakes his head like he doesn’t want to know. “Where’s my room?”

“Upstairs. I washed the sheets, so it’s all ready for you.”

“I would have helped you make the bed.”

“I thought you were only around to pull the wagon, make sure I take my blood, and keep my stalker away.”

Noah follows me as I start up the stairs. “I can add bed-related duties to my resume.”

Grinning because he can’t see me, I say, “You’re slightly more roguish than I first realized.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The stairway opens to a den that still houses Max’s pool table because he doesn’t have room for it at his place. The master bedroom is off to the right, and two more rooms, along with a guest bath, are down a hall to the left. One room has a bed. The other doesn’t.

“What is all this?” Noah asks, pausing outside the one that doesn’t.

“It’s my seed-starting room,” I say. “Since it’s in the house, I don’t have to heat my greenhouse when I start seeds in the middle of winter.”

I have six large carts that have four shelves each, all fitted with long grow lights. I only have a few things in here now, as I lost a lot of my spring-planted seedlings while I was sick. I just didn’t have it in me to water them, and I didn’t want to ask Olivia and Max to come over every day to check on them.

Noah wanders into the room, and I follow him. It’s a fabulous space that smells like sterile potting medium and happiness, and I breathe it in deep, glad I’m finally feeling well enough to enjoy it again.

“These are succulents,” Noah says, pausing in front of one of the carts.

“They are—the lone survivors of the worst May of my life. They don’t care that I didn’t water them.”

“What do you do with them?”

“I sell them in the winter. After Christmas, a lot of people are getting antsy to get outside, and they buy houseplants.”

“Winter must be a hard season for you.”

“Yes and no. I sell dried flower wreaths, make holiday arrangements, and I have the succulents. I also force bloom spring bulbs and sell those displays.” I turn away from the dead seedlings and lead Noah back to the hall, stopping at the doorway of the room at the end, right next to the bathroom. “And this is where you’ll be staying.”

It’s the room I always spent the night in when I was young, and I haven’t changed it much. Grandpa and Grandma left me all the furniture, and it has a quaint sort of charm, with the quilted yellow and white floral bedspread and ivory sheers over the windows. The painted wooden blinds are open, but I close them after I turn on the light.

Noah hovers awkwardly.

“What do you think?” I laugh to myself as I imagine him lounging in this sunshiny space, his dark hair and leather jacket against the sunflower print fabric. And then…then it’s not so funny.

Flustered, I brush past him. “The bathroom is the door just outside this one. I have my own, so do whatever you want with it. There are plenty of towels and things in the linen closet. And feel free to put your clothes in the dresser.”

Noah catches my arm as I try to flee, keeping me from escaping. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

My mouth goes dry, and I look up, meeting his honeyed eyes. “I’m not putting a mint on your pillow.”

Smirking, he takes my hand and deposits an envelope in it. “I stopped by the bank. Here’s this month’s rent.”

“Oh.” I look down at the envelope, pulling back the flap and studying the green bills inside. “I actually feel a little guilty now.”

“Why?” he asks curiously.

“We’ve already gone on four or five friend-dates. I should probably let you stay here for free, especially considering the circumstances.”

“And here I thought you were an entrepreneur,” he teases lightly.

With a heavy sigh, I offer him the envelope. “You don’t have to pay me.”

“As your friend, I don’t like the idea of some random man living with you unless you’ve established a legitimate boarding agreement.” He lifts a brow. “So, you better take the money.”

“Even if that random man rescued me from the worst date of my life?”

A smug smirk plays over his face. “That random man should have asked you out like his sister suggested, and maybe you wouldn’t have gone on the worst date of your life.”

My heart gives an extra thump. “You think highly of yourself. For all you know, a date with you could have been worse.”

“You think I’d rate below a vampire attack?” he asks, mock offended.

I shrug. “Your social skills are a little lacking. Too bad we’ll never find out, because you’ve been?—”

“Friend-zoned.” His eyes flicker with challenge. “I know.”

“Let me know if you need extra washcloths.” I turn, needing to put space between us before I do something stupid. “And don’t forget to close the door when you go to sleep. I don’t want to accidentally see you in baby bunny pajamas—it’ll ruin your big, bad bodyguard image.”

“No worries there, Miss Landlord,” Noah responds, walking me out. “I don’t sleep in pajamas.”

He then closes the door.