Chapter 4

When the vampiress left Matt's office an hour later, Matt just sat in his chair feeling a little numb. Lazily he raised one hand to his neck to take his own pulse.

Good, it was still there.

"And I thought Elena's life was weird"

Turning his chair to face the window he suddenly wondered how Elena was. He had made sure to not keep in touch with anyone from Mystic Falls after graduation and he hadn't looked back. Yet, he had been involved with vampires again and for the first time he asked himself if cutting all contact was a mistake. Lord knows how useful the wolfed up flame thrower Jeremy had come up with during his hunter days.

He set his hands to neatly filing Jackie's paperwork for the approved loan, to give himself time to think. This often worked, but not this time. He just felt baffled and unsure. Finally he sighed a little and stood up.

Throwing a glance on his watch he saw that Roger would still be at work so he made a bee line for the door grabbing his light jacket from the back of the door.

"I'm taking a break"

He called at Grace as he jogged down the corridor of the bank and then the street. He only stopped when he reached the park and the coffee shop that was full of teens. He ignored the line and went in a side door.

"Cover her"

He called to the teenage employee as he grabbed Bella's hand who was behind the counter and had barely handed a strawberry ice cream to an elderly woman with an infant and twirled her backwards.

"Whaa?"

Bella exclaimed as she found herself being sat on the counter with a frantic Matt in front of her.

"I need to tell you about something that just happened to me,"

He began.

"Sure, it's not like I'm swarmed with customers"

Bella snarled quietly. Her shop was moderately busy but she always made time for her friends.

"Well. You remember how we all first met? When you found me wandering in the streets freezing?"

"Yes, of course. You looked like a pitiful puppy. One I'm glad I took in, too, since it meant that my weeping and moaning BFF found the love of her life and stopped bitching about us going home to Forks"

She teased. Matt grinned. This was why he really liked her. She adored poking fun which kept him on his toes.

"Anyway, I told you about what happened. How I'd had a one-night stand with some vampire chick I couldn't even remember. Right?"

"Sure. Why?"

"She just walked not my office about an hour ago."

Astonished Bella's mouth fell slightly open.

"What?! The same girl?! But how do you know it's her?"

Andy sighed.

"Because he remembered me, even though I couldn't remember her. Apparently she's never forgotten me even after all this time."

"Wow. You're that good of a lay even when drunk?"

Matt mock glared at her and pinched her thigh.

"Hey! So what's she like? You're obviously still alive so..."

"Hot,"

Matt said succinctly.

"Oh, really? Details, give me details"

She urged. So he told her all about his meeting with Jackie West. She listened and commented occasionally, and when he was done she sighed.

"Some vampire woman who picked you up at a bar and let you live, found you ten years later by accident and you threatened said vampire that we have no clue if she's alone or with little helpers and yet gave her a loan. That is either the most romantic thing ever or the stupidest"

"Yep"

He said simply.

"Please tell me your hunter pal left you his magic ring in his will because I'm not willing to bury you"

"Let's hope she won't be back then"

"Did you tell Angela and Roger?"

Bella asked him. Matt's eyes widened

"Are you insane? Those two have more to lose than me"

Bella unwrapped her legs from around his waist. The move had been so natural; neither had paid any attention as to how they had become entangled.

"Be careful?"

"Promise"

"Good, now shoo"

She pushed him lightly away

"Why?"

Matt frowned

"You put me to sit on the ice machine. My butt froze"

Matt began laughing as Bella hopped, and tripped slightly, off the counter and turned to the toaster.

"Are you busy or will you have some lunch now?"

Matt went on the other side of the counter and sat on a stool to wait for his usual toast 'n' eggs lunch. He felt bemused and rather dazed, as though he were in some strange dream that he was going to wake up from presently. He pinched his wrist, then yelped and rubbed at the spot with his hand.

Well, he was awake. It was really true. The last vampire he'd ever slept with had come back into his life, and yet what he kept thinking was how nice he felt with a pair of thighs around his waist.