Mick felt the anticipation of glee as he entered Josef's office. "Sandrina was leaving the building as I arrived. I thought you broke up."

"We've seen each other a couple of times since then."

"A couple is twice."

"Four times, maybe five."

"How did you get back together?"

"She called and said she missed me."

"If I ask her, will the answer be the same?"

"Actually, she called back and said she missed me, too."

"So you called her first and left a message that you missed her."

"What's your point?"

"I just made it."

And there it was, the glee of catching Josef not in an absolute lie perhaps but a definite glossing of the truth to his advantage. To his credit, he always came clean when caught, and Mick was pretty sure Josef didn't get much past him anymore. Fifty years of friendship had given Mick some insight to the master manipulator that was Josef. Plus, Mick had been certain this break-up had affected Josef more than he admitted.

"So Sandrina was willing to take you back."

"I told you the break-up was mutual and amicable."

"I thought you were hunting humans for mindless sex."

"One human. It was an enjoyable night and then it was over."

Enjoyable wasn't the way Josef usually described these things. "Didn't live up to your expectations?" Mick asked.

"It was fine but once was enough."

Fine was an even worse description and once had never been enough for Josef. Mick decided not to let him off the hook. "And then you called Sandrina?"

"Pretty soon after that."

"Did you try dating humans again?"

"Kind of."

Well this is painful, Mick thought, I have to drag every word out of him. "What happened?"

Josef shrugged.

"Something must have changed your mind."

"I didn't really want to be with a human again after all."

"What about serial dating and non-commitment and pumping blood?"

"I missed her," Josef said quietly. "I missed Sandrina."

With that admission Mick couldn't keep pushing. "Well, I'm glad you worked it out. You guys seemed good together."

"I'm afraid Sandrina will become my next Lola."

"Are you going to give her a million dollars to poison vamps with silver and make drugs?"

Josef smiled a little. "I was thinking of the part where we got together every 10 years for mutual satisfaction."

"You don't want to get together with Sandrina every 10 years?"

"I'm hoping for something more frequent."

Mick was starting to realize how serious this was and what Josef was possibly trying to say. He should have caught on quicker but he wasn't used to uncertain or vulnerable Josef. "Are you in love with Sandrina?"

"If I'm not, it's the closest I've been since 1955."

"Since Sarah."

"It's a different feeling than I had for Sarah. But it might be even stronger."

Okay, Mick thought, a little wallowing is good but it's time for the tough love. "It sounds like you've got it bad this time. I hope you mean it. It would be good for you. That being said, don't over think it. Relax and enjoy it. She's already a vampire. That's one less complication."

Josef looked more like his usual self. "And she likes my room freezer."

"Who wouldn't?"

"How is yours coming along? Are you using my guys?"

"Of course. But the name 'Fly By Night Contractors' is not going to expand their customer base."

"They don't have to work much. They take occasional jobs and only for vampires. If a human thinks their name is whimsical and tries to hire them, they're too busy or too expensive."

"They're doing good work. It'll be finished by the end of the week."

"Beth probably won't want to sleep there all night but is she going to help break it in?"

"There has been talk of playing Eskimo. She got that fake fur outfit in Alaska. It must have been a premonition because she has no reason to wear it anywhere else in L.A."

"Will 'The Iceman Cometh'?"

"I certainly hopeth."

They were laughing when Josef's personal cell buzzed. He glanced at the ID. "Hi."

Mick could hear Sandrina very faintly as he got up and left. As he closed the door he heard Josef say, "I miss you, too."