Page 1 of My Road Trip with a Vampire: Season One
1
PLEASED TO EAT YA
I'm five minutes away from ending my shift when I catch him staring at me. I noticed him earlier, of course.
How could I not? He's gorgeous and just my type—tall with dark hair and thick black eyelashes. But it’s the way he’s glancing over the rim of his wineglass that makes him appealing. Sexy in a broody sort of way.
I didn't think he was looking my way at first, but now those deep brown eyes are definitely on me. He’s not even trying to hide what he’s up to.
I run a hand over my hair. I didn't bother to style it today, so it's in its usual wavy-poofy state. I catch myself mid-thought. It doesn't matter how I look or how the dude at the bar is looking at me. I don't go home with guys like him. I'm not going to jump into bed with someone who waited until the end of the night to flirt. It just means he didn't get lucky with anyone else.
I like no-strings-attached fun, but I don't like being someone's last option.
I hurry away, nearly bumping into Bob.
“Whoah! You heading out, Bea?"
No shit, Bob. It's nearly two in the morning, and you already asked me to pick up this extra shift. Everyone is leaving. I'm not staying while you dance around asking me out.
"Yep, I've got to get some shut-eye before we open for the brunch special tomorrow morning!" I smile even though I'm cursing on the inside. I don’t love Bob’s recent efforts to attract new customers. Dealing with the brunch crowd is proving to be a pain in my ass.
Bob crosses his arms over his chest and cracks a big smile. With his muscular build and 80's Tom Selleck 'stache, he's kind of hot in a DILF way, but I know him too well to be into him like that. He's too nice to ever actually confront me with his feelings, which I'm thankful for—because I'm never going to return them. He likes his daily routine: the bar, the gym, and going home to mow his lawn a couple times a week.
I just... well, I'm just not like that.
I want more. I want mystery. I want fun.
I shoot one last glance back to where the sexy stranger was sipping red wine. He's gone now. I guess he did get lucky.
I’m not surprised. I could see that he had plenty of admirers who were all dolled up in pixie wings and sparkly makeup.
Not that it matters. I cut myself off from one-night stands a few weeks ago when a guy refused to accept the definition ofone night.I have too much going on right now to get caught up in bed with someone that pretty.
In fact, I have somewhere I need to be tonight.
I'm brimming with nervous anticipation when I leave the bar and the first weekend of Bob's Halloween Bash. It's the place to be every Friday and Saturday night in October, and now we get Bobtober Brunch tomorrow.
Woo-hoo.
Cold air bites through my fishnets. The costumes Bob chose for his bartenders don’t hold up well against Pennsylvania's fall weather.
I pull my pea coat over my skimpy outfit and make a kissy noise.
"Come on, you can come out now!" I pat my hand against my thigh and make the noise again until a corgi runs up to my ankles. "Good girl. Hello, Darling, let's get in the car."
I open the door to my Honda Civic and let her bounce over to the passenger's side where I've tossed my rhinestone cat-ear headband. "I told Mama the bar won't close up 'til four, so we've got some time to get shit done, baby girl."
The streetlights linger in my rearview mirror as we head toward the mountains. They drop out completely as the road snakes further into the wooded area. I flick on my high beams to cut through the thick curtain of darkness. My tires jolt and spit rocks when I hit the unpaved gravel portion of the road, so I slow down.
Darling whines in the seat next to me.
"Shh. It's ok, baby girl," I say, chancing a look at her. A white figure blurs in the passenger side window, and my heart jumps to my throat.
Don't look, don't look.
But who am I kidding? I know I'm going to look. I tap the brakes and take a deep breath, adjusting the mirror until I can see the woods behind me. It's hard to make out anything aside from the line of trees.
"Must have imagined it. You know I get nervous when it's this dark out.”
