My Best Man is a Vampire
Josef Kostan was discussing finances with a business associate over the phone, when Mick St. John entered his office. The older vampire flashed his friend a smile around the phone receiver, and gestured for him to sit in one of the chairs across from him. Mick did as Josef suggested, finding the highback leather chair surprisingly comfortable.
Mick studied his friend as he waited for Josef to finish his business call. By all looks and appearances, Josef looked to be only a man in his early thirties. He had boyishly handsome good looks, impeccable manners, and an expensive taste in clothing. It was hard to imagine that Josef was a centuries old vampire.
Immortality definitely had its perks, Mick had to admit. He, himself, was not yet a century old, and had already lived a lifetime. He had been changed in his early thirties as well, was in prime physical shape, had roguish good looks, and a head full of thick hair.
He had a job he enjoyed as much as Josef loved his. It was a lot less fancy, and didn't have all t he perks that Josef's job did. His office was a lot smaller and less opulent too, but he didn't care. It paid his bills and gave him the opportunity to help people.
He was a private investigator. People sought him out to find missing children, spouses, or other relatives. Sometimes they hired him to get the proof of a cheating husband or wife. There were times he also solved someone's murder. Many of those didn't involve vampires either.
Most of all, there were many times when the cases he worked on had him and Beth Turner crossing paths. Which he especially enjoyed, as she was intelligent, beautiful, loving, and brave. She was the woman he loved more than life itself.
She was his everything. Beth was the reason why he had come to see Josef today. He was planning in propose to Beth on Christmas Eve. Josef had a personal jeweler who had custom made a ring for him to give to Beth that he had personally designed.
Josef had called him earlier that evening to let him know that the jeweler had finished the ring. Beth was working late on a story, and wasn't due at the loft until eleven or so. It had given him the perfect way to leave home without having to come up with an excuse.
"Mick? You okay?"
Josef's voice brought Mick out of his reverie. Mick met his friend's eyes across the desk.
"Sorry. Was just thinking is all."
"Having doubts about asking Beth to marry you?" Josef queried.
Mick smiled. He knew Josef was the one who had doubts about him marrying Beth. It wasn't that his friend didn't like Beth. He knew that Josef not only admired Beth, but considered her a friend. His friend just had doubts that any vampire-human relationship had longevity.
"No. Mu mind is set on asking Beth to be my wife." Mick told him.
Josef sighed. He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a blue velvet ring box. He set it on top of his desk in front of Mick.
Mick picked the box up and opened it. Inside, a heart shaped diamond set in white gold sparkled up at him. Mick pulled the ring from the box so he could read the inscription on it. 'Eternally yours'.
"It's perfect." He told Josef, slipping the ring back into the box, before depositing it in his jacket pocket. " What do I owe you?"
"Consider it my engagement gift to you and Beth." Josef said.
Mick smiled. He knew it was Josef's way of giving him his seal of approval, without actually saying it. "I have another favor to ask you?"
"Name it."
"Will you be my best man?" Mick asked.
He and Josef locked eyes. He could tell that the question not only surprised Josef, but touched him as well.
"I would be honored to be your best man." Josef replied.
"Good." Mick flashed him a smile full of fangs. "I've got to head back to the loft and get this hidden away before Beth comes home."
He rose to his feet and headed for the door.
"Tell Beth hello from me." Josef called after him.
"I will." Mick promised and exited Josef's office.
Now that he had the ring safely in his possession, he could move onto the next phase of his plan to surprise Beth with a proposal on Christmas Eve.