I got home at two, fell into bed and slept until noon. It was amazing and there is nothing more to say about it. When I woke up, I took a shower so hot it steamed up my bathroom.
I wasn't scheduled to work, so I had the day to myself until nightfall when Eric woke up. After poking through my closet, I decided to swing by Tara's and pick up something to wear tonight when I went to Fangtasia. I didn't really need a new outfit, and lord knows I should save my money, but I wanted to get out of the house.
I pulled on some shorts and a button-down and checked my phone on the way out the door. Sam left a message telling me to take time off until things got sorted out with the Governor. Since I wasn't expecting any more house calls from Baton Rouge, I figured that meant the end of the week. It was only a matter of time the next scandal popped up and everyone in Bon Temps forgot Sookie Stackhouse was married to a vampire. I had missed a call from Jason as well. Maybe he was taking this reconnecting thing seriously after all. I decided to call him back later in the day. Eric texted me twice around 5 am, probably just as he was getting to sleep. The first read:
i miss you –E
I was touched, until I opened the second text, which was the kind of picture Brad Pitt spliced into movies in Fight Club. I snapped the phone shut. Then I reopened it. My phone had automatically saved Eric's picture. Fudge. My finger hovered over the delete button, but then—for some reason—I pressed save. It wasn't like I was setting the picture as my background. Who cared? No one was watching me. And he looked pretty damn good. I fired off a quick text to Eric:
Is that a promise?
Blushing at myself, I jumped in the corvette. I felt a better about being flirty over text knowing he wouldn't read it for another few hours.
When the whole town is gossiping about you being married to a vampire, driving around in a red corvette with the license plate BLDSKR isn't the best thing to kill the rumors. When I stopped at a yellow light across from Tara's, Portia Bellefluer Vick leaned out of her drivers' side widow to gawk. Her mouth was catching flies.
"Hi Portia," I waved at her.
She didn't pretend that she hadn't been looking, which was probably a bad sign. "Nice car, Sookie," she called across the road.
"Thanks."
"Where'd you get it?" This was bad. She was asking me directly, which is something well-bred Southern women never do. That's doubly true if she had been a debutante (Portia had) and was a current member of the Junior League (Portia was).
I tried an Eric-type evasion. "Shreveport."
"Really? Where at?" I hated her tone of voice, like she couldn't believe I owned the car myself. My people had been the help and Portia's required the helping and she'd never forget that, no matter what kind of person I was or what I ended up doing for a living.
A green light spared me from lying or telling her it was on loan from my vampire husband. I honked, waved, and high tailed it over to Tara's.
When I walked in to the shop, Tara locked the door behind me and flipped the sign on the window from OPEN to CLOSED.
"Tara, what are you doing?"
"I didn't think you'd be out of the house," she said. "Let alone coming over here. Are you all right?"
"Of course I'm all right," I said. "Is this about the wedding? I told you I'd gotten married, Tara."
"Yeah, you told me. You didn't tell Bon Temps. Sookie, I hate to be a gossip, but people are just talking and talking. Most think you've been, I don't know..."
I heard it in her head. "Glamoured?"
"Are you sure this is what you want to be doing? Your vampire hasn't forced you or anything?"
"He won't hurt me." After her experience with Mickey, I figured Tara was trying to watch out for me.
Tara gave me a big hug. "I'm just worried about you, Sook."
"You worry about yourself. And that baby," I put my hand on her belly. She was just about six months along. "Have you and J.B. picked out a name yet?"
"It's too stressful," Tara said. "We've got a big long list, but I don't think I can make the decision until we meet him or her."
I nodded. Tara was serious about her impending motherhood. She had powered through all the parenting books Bon Temps library had to offer and was even taking one of those pre-birth yoga classes at J.B.'s gym. I thought, in a way, she wanted to make up for her own rough childhood by being the best Mom in Bon Temps. "It's already one lucky baby," I said.
Tara blushed and shook her head. "You hush. I know you didn't come in here to chat. What can I do you for?"
"What do you have by way of party dresses?"
"I got just the thing. I'd have grabbed it myself if I wasn't…" Tara nodded to her belly.
The dress was perfect. It was red and sleek and hugged me in all the right places without seeming cheap. It was also on sale. I paid for it right then and there, gave Tara a kiss on the cheek, and concluded my self-prescribed retail therapy before I broke the bank. When I walked out into the lot, I realized my new dress matched the corvette. Eric would love that. Smiling to myself, I tucked the garment bag in the backseat.
"Sookie? Sookie Stackhouse?" I turned around. Michele Schubert, my old vacation bible school classmate and Jason's new girlfriend, stood on the curb, holding a brown bag from the Grabbit Kwik. "How you doing, girl?"
"Great," I said. "What's up, Michele? How's Jason?"
She beamed. "He's fine. Listen, Sookie, I was just thinking about you. Would you and that man of yours like to come over for dinner sometime? I asked Jason to ask you, but you know how he gets." She gave me an indulgent smile.
I was totally surprised and totally touched. Jason had invited us before the news story hit and I just assumed the invitation had been rescinded. "Gosh, Michele. We'd love to."
"Great. How's Friday for you?"
"I'll have to double check with Eric, but that should be fine."
"Now about Eric," she said, "He doesn't eat anything? I've never had a vamper over, so I want to be sure I don't embarrass the company."
"He doesn't eat, but you cook whatever you were planning on and he'll behave himself."
Michele laughed. "Easy company." That was one way to put it.
"Is there anything I can bring?"
"Don't you worry about it." Michele started off towards her car. "See you Friday. Bye now."
"Sounds great." I waved goodbye. Michele's reaction was such a 180 from everyone else I'd encountered, I felt a little bit like I'd been hit for by a truck. A good truck. Probably.
I plopped down in the driver's seat and laughed out loud. I'd committed Eric to Friday night dinner with my brother. I didn't have the slightest idea how he'd react. The last time Eric had been to a family dinner (as opposed to having a family for dinner) was probably over a thousand years ago.
There was no time like the present.
----
When I got home, I greased myself up like a Christmas ham and lay out in the backyard for some off-season sunbathing. I must have drifted off, because the buzz of my phone woke me up just before five. The sun was tucking itself in behind the horizon.
It was Eric.
yes
My phone buzzed again.
you owe me
For what? I wrote back.
I folded my chair and was halfway up to the house when he replied.
?? last night???
Another text.
you forgot? now you owe double
Then my phone rang. I picked it up. "I am here."
"No, you are not," he said. "That is the problem. I am thinking, lover, how nice it would be to have you here with me in this big bed, in my big empty house." He lingered on the word 'big' and I was pretty sure it was not his 'big house' he wanted me to be thinking about. He was so bad.
I smiled. "I'll see you in a few hours."
"You stayed with Bill last night. I would like you to stay with me. Will you?"
I wanted to see Eric. I missed him. Maybe it was that simple. And he had asked me, instead of commanding. "Tonight?" My heart started thumping.
"Yes."
"Okay."
"Okay, you will stay?"
"Yes."
"Good." Eric hung up.
I was so excited I was tingling. I could feel the bond humming away somewhere at the back of my head. Eric was happy too.
Maybe this would actually work out. Once we negotiated the sleepover, I could start on his phone etiquette. "I am here" might work for your run-of-the-mill vampire mobster, but I wouldn't let him answer the phone that way if Michele started calling.
----
I sped through a shower, slid into my new red dress, stuffed a purse with the essentials (a sundress, toothbrush, flip flops, and a change of underwear) and was out the door and into the corvette. On the drive to Shreveport, I rolled down the windows and sang along to my Shania Twain CD. The speed limit was 70, but I was edging up on 85.
Eric had a smart head for business, so Fangtasia was just off I-20, situated to snap up all the all truckers, tourists, and bored locals travelling along the Jackson-Dallas corridor. I turned off the interstate and sped past an Econo Lodge and requisite off-ramp fast food joints and gas stations. I could just see Fangtasia's neon sign, blinking red. But when I got closer, I noticed a local news truck parked in front of it.
I switched my turn signal from right to left and pulled into the Circle K gas station across the street from the bar. I parked at the pump and filled up the corvette to give myself a cover while I sussed out the situation. A woman in a pantsuit with big hair was stood in front of a camera crew under the neon Fangtasia logo. She was gabbing into a microphone. I checked my phone. It was 6:18, still early enough for a live report on the local news.
I texted Eric. News truck outside bar?
come around back, he responded.
I didn't know what to do with the corvette. I felt irresponsible leaving a car like that parked at a gas station, but I didn't have any other options. I pulled my cranberry coat over my dress, slipped out of my heels and into the flip-flops, figuring they would attract less attention. I crossed the street, kept my head down, and walked the long way around the building to the employee's entrance. The news crew didn't notice me.
Eric was waiting by the back door.
"Did you see the news crew?" I asked. "Did they call you ahead of time?"
"No, but Pam has her eye on them."
"Are you watching the report?"
"No."
"Don't you want to know what they're saying about us?"
"I don't care. In a week no one will remember."
"I hope so."
"I have lived a thousand years. May I share my wisdom? Many things that seem important do not turn out to be." He held the door open and I stepped inside. "That is a very nice coat, lover. You have very nice taste. May I take it?" I rolled my eyes and handed it to him. His smile grew. "The dress is even nicer."
"Thank you. I bought it today."
"Any occasion in mind?"
I shrugged. "You're always an occasion, Eric. I'm glad you think it's nice."
"It is nice because you are in it." Eric walked me backwards. My back hit the wall and he leaned over me. He was so close I could have bitten his neck if I wanted to. I sort of did. "I'm glad you came."
"Me too." I kissed him. I had to stand on my tip-toes because of the flip flops. His lips were cool, as always. Eric growled and ran his hands in my hair, feathering kisses along the side of my mouth. I sighed and leaned into him. I missed him. In some ways, I missed him even now, bond humming in the back of my head, hands running up his arms. "I'm sorry about last night."
"Don't make me talk about it. Are you finished with Bill?"
"We're okay for now."
He put his arms around me. "I want you to myself tonight."
I put my head on his chest and breathed deeply. "You got it, buddy."
"Unfortunately, I don't." Eric reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small black velvet box-- the kind of box you would keep a ring in. He flipped it open. A honker of a diamond sat inside. "Sookie, wear this."
I gaped at him. Things might be all right and I thought we'd been having a moment, but we weren't that hunky dory. "It isn't for me," he corrected. "Felipe is sitting outside in the bar. And Victor."
Eric had me convinced at Felipe. "So I'm your wife?" I put on the ring. I could move quick when I was cornered.
"You're my wife tonight."
I stared at the diamond. It looked so big, more like rock candy than a real diamond, but maybe that was because I wasn't used to fancy jewelry. "Where did you get it?"
"It's Pam's. From her human life. " He held up his hand. He'd been wearing a plain wedding band the whole time. I hadn't noticed. "This is Bruce's."
"Bruce your accountant?" Eric nodded. "Did you glamour him?" What kind of man would take off his wedding band and lend it to a vampire? Imagine trying to explain that to your wife.
"I paid him." Eric looked offended.
I stared at Pam's ring. I couldn't help it, it glinted at me. "Eric, you know this isn't real. When I wear your ring, if we decide that, it will be because I want to."
"I asked you to wear the ring so you don't get stolen to Las Vegas. I don't need you to wear anything to prove you are mine. "
"I am my own person."
"That may be, but you are my woman." His fangs were out. "And it is in your best interest to appear devoted to me."
"Well, remember it's an appearance."
Eric snarled. "When we go into the bar, every vampire will see the ring and think I humor you too much. They think you make me weak."
"Do I?"
"Yes." Eric said. "You make me crazy."
"Likewise. But Eric—"
"But what? I have lived a thousand years and I have never heard 'but' so many times."
"It's good for you," I said. "And I'm trying to be serious."
"If you want to have a conversation, I will remind you that Felipe is waiting."
"He was waiting while you made out with me up against that wall and he can wait while I say what I want to. You just don't want to talk."
"Can you blame me?"
"Give me a minute. " I said. "I know you plan things out like, I don't know, a smart robot. But do you actually have a plan? I don't want to rush into something."
"What about this is rushed?"
"Don't make fun of me." I said. "If something happens to you, I'm toast. You're the only thing standing between me and Felipe."
He raised his eyebrows. "It is nice to be valued."
I rolled my eyes. "Stop it, Eric. You know I don't want you to get hurt."
"How considerate."
"You know what I mean."
"I don't."
He was going to make me say it. "I care about you." Eric's mouth sort of twitched upwards, almost into a smile. "I missed you today. I miss you all the time, even though you're a passenger the back of my head because of the damn bond. I even saved your dirty text, god knows why." Eric smiled. I scowled. "Don't think that means I'll start letting you get away with that kind of crud," I said. "It's only a matter of time until Jason or Sam looks at my phone."
"You liked my text message?" Eric said. Of course that was what he would take away from my confession.
I wouldn't lie. "Yes."
"Good."
"So do you have a plan?"
Eric shrugged. "What is your idiom about the ear?"
"Play it by ear?"
He smiled and slung his arm around my shoulders. I could hear the faint thumping of KDED on the far side of the door leading to the bar.
"Really?" I said. "That's it?"
"Relax, lover," Eric said. "We have each other." Eric traced his fingers down my spine. I shivered.
"Eric, do you remember my idiom about the hand?"
"The high hand?" He smiled. "Are you suggesting that I am being high-handed?"
"Yes," I said, then thought about it. "Well, sort of. I would have appreciated advance notice, but it's not like we can avoid Felipe."
"That's right," he said, "so stop whining. You are good at improvising. I have noticed this about you." Eric opened the door to Fangtasia. "After Midnight" drifted in on a wave of cigarette smoke. "Ready?"
My real answer was no, but the situation was sort of beyond choice, so I nodded and we stepped through. Eric's hand was on the small of my back.
----
A/N: All Charlaine Harris's and HBO's. Thanks for reading!
