Chapter 2
Chapter Two
AIDAN
That woman is infuriating.
She’s like an insect in overalls, following me everywhere I go, incessantly buzzing in my ear.
Anyone else in this suburban circus attraction of a town would simply ignore my surly attitude and walk away. But this woman, Joanna, has never ceased to push back against me. She always has to have the last word in every conversation. But not this time.
Though her constant chatter makes me want to rip out my eardrums, it’s hard not to notice she doesn’t fear me like the others. She doesn’t like me, that’s for sure, but she’s not afraid.
I like that.
There are few people in Shadow Hills who have taken the time to talk to me.
Being a vampire isn’t like being any other paranormal—we are outcasts among outcasts, a monster other monsters fear.
Luckily for me, I did not come to Shadow Hills in search of companionship.
It’s only because of the persistence of people like Jamie to include me that I have friends at all.
And now, since the incident with his mate, Raegan, almost getting attacked back in the fall, I’ve gotten closer to her as well.
Joanna, however, is a different story. She’s nowhere near as open and receptive as her friends.
It’s odd, because when I see them all together, her attitude and demeanor are categorically conflicting—she emits joy and participates in the conversations, but there’s always a small part of her that looks like it’s holding back.
I never hear her share much about her own life.
I didn’t know she owned a dog rescue until Raegan told me.
But with me, it’s like she desperately wants a sparring partner, and I’m the only one who can keep up.
It’s because of this that her quips roll off my back.
I am completely unfazed by her irrational loathing.
If poking fun at me makes her feel better about herself, she can have at it.
It makes no difference to me when her opinion means little to nothing.
I continue my walk as intended, not stopping until I’m inside Double Double.
The crowd is unpleasant, but I was unable to make my routine visit this morning due to the meeting I held with Mayor Musthaven about the ribbon cutting ceremony.
A few months ago, I donated the remaining funds necessary to restore the walking path in the park.
Over the years, the trail developed the usual wear and tear, but after several residents reported tripping over the divots on their walks, something had to be done.
Not only did I help out with what was required to fix the path, but I also made sure to allocate funds towards proper lighting and a designated pet area.
The mayor has been so overwhelmingly grateful for my involvement that he wanted to properly honor me. And so, I now have a park in my name: Ward Park.
Marvelous. Whenever I get the itch to offload a chunk of my wealth, typically I put it towards something anonymously.
It’s what I did when I purchased the building I live in.
Everyone in town assumes I rent the basement apartment below the movie theater, but really, I own the whole thing.
It’s not like I’ve purposefully kept it a secret, but it’s been quite an unexpected source of entertainment choosing the movies that show each month.
But because I’ve attached my face to the park renovation, I’m now forced to wait in line for my latte, four hours off schedule. Luckily, when it’s me versus a crowded room, most people have no interest in talking to the vampire.
“Hey Aidan!”
Apparently, I was wrong.
Raegan shuffles toward me, the bell above the door chiming softly as another customer enters the shop.
She’s wearing a bright, eager expression that matches the vibe of her daisy patterned sweater and sets my teeth on edge.
She’s about to ask me something, and I’m almost certain I’m not going to like it.
“Hello,” I greet her cautiously.
She beams up at me, the freckles on her nose more prominent than ever. She’s happier than I’ve ever seen her, and only one thing can be attributed to that. I glance behind the counter, looking for that source, but he’s nowhere to be found.
“You want something,” I say bluntly, keeping my eyes to the front of the store while still acknowledging her.
“Well…” Somehow, she maneuvers me out of the way of other patrons, preventing me from taking my spot in line.
“Being Jamie’s bestie,” I cringe at the word, “it was sort of a given you’d be one of the first I’d ask, and since I kinda already signed you up, I was hoping you’d accept the honor of being one of Shadow Hills’ representative singles tonight. ”
I frown. “What on earth does any of that mean?”
She holds her breath as she asks, “Will you be a contestant in speed dating?”
“No.”
I turn abruptly, hoping that will be the end of the conversation, but as I should have guessed, Raegan remains on my heels as I firmly plant myself at the back of the line.
What’s got everyone so excited for coffee all of a sudden? I never see Double Double this crowded in the middle of the afternoon.
Raegan stands next to me as we move up one person at a time.
She shows me a bright pink flyer with a lot of cutesy doodles and a swirly font.
“It’s just for one night,” she explains.
“I’ve had you down from the start, because you’re basically the perfect participant.
You’ve been single for as long as you’ve been in Shadow Hills, and you’ve got that mysterious vampire thing going for you. ”
She nudges my hip, and I stiffen awkwardly at her casual show of platonic affection.
I like Raegan. She’s a good person—the perfect woman for Jamie and a great friend—but it’s not in my nature to be openly affectionate. Perhaps the problem isn’t not knowing how to show affection, but how few people there are in my life to show it to.
“I do not have an interest in finding a partner,” I tell her honestly, though the admission stings.
“You don’t have to actually find someone,” she says hurriedly. “You just have to participate.”
I’m not budging. Raegan’s blood pressure, previously raised from excitement, lowers back to a normal level. Her face falls, then I hear her quietly say to herself, “I shouldn’t have waited until the last minute like I always do.”
She should know that I can hear her, but at this moment she seems to have forgotten about my enhanced hearing, so I act as if I haven’t.
“What happens if I don’t participate?” I ask. “Is there anyone else to fill the spot?”
She looks up at me, still under the impression she’s lost the battle, and shrugs. “I’m sure I can find someone.” Her brow scrunches as she continues to work through the problem out loud. “Maybe I should ask the mayor. It was his idea in the first place.”
That ghost is responsible for a lot of crazy ideas, but I must admit, this isn’t too far-fetched. Hosting a speed dating event for Valentine’s Day is a decent way to gain back the tourism we just lost after the holidays.
It pains me to say it, but I can’t stand to see the look of disappointment on Raegan’s face any longer.
Last year, leaving an interaction like this behind would have been easy, but things have changed since I’ve grown closer to her mate, Jamie.
I never used to get involved with town affairs but given my goddamn conscience having grown three sizes like the Grinch, I now give a shit, especially with Raegan.
She’s been nothing but kind to me and making her upset tugs at pieces of my heart I didn’t know had feelings.
Shit. I really have to do this for her, don’t I?
“I’ll do it.”
She’s still going over alternate solutions, so it takes her a second to realize I’ve agreed. “Wait, really?!”
I roll my eyes. “Sure. What the fuck else do I have to do?”