Today Tomorrow and Always (Phenomenal Fate 3)

Mary swallowed. “Is it…nighttime?”

“Just about. I figured we could knock those items off your wish list, then keep driving. There’s no need to come back to the safe house, but depending on how long we take piercing ears and hunting for candy, we might have to pass the daylight somewhere else. And then…” He trailed off, leaving it unsaid that they would reach Hadrian by tomorrow night. “Are you sure everything is okay?”

Mary tucked a sleep-mussed strand of hair behind her ear and nodded. “Can you bring me to my suitcase—”

“It’s right here, honey.” He took her hand and laid it on the hard exterior of her luggage. “End of the bed. Do you…I can help you dress—”

“No, that’s fine,” she rushed to say when her nipples swelled. “I’ll be out soon.”

“Okay,” he said reluctantly, his voice traveling away. “Oh! We were low on options for your Halloween costume, so I cut holes in a sheet. You’re going to be a ghost. I figure it would be easy to get on and off without changing. Plus, you know, kid, you glow.”

Her heart was somewhere near the ceiling. Had she really woken up furious at this man? With the intention of ignoring him and cutting their time together short? The guilt descended all the way down to her toes. “Thank you,” she whispered. “A ghost is perfect.”

“Are you sure? It sounds like a ghost ate the last pancake once and you still haven’t forgiven him for it.”

A laugh bubbled out of her.

Turned her face in his direction.

In that moment, Mary wished she could see him so badly, a tremor wracked her.

“I dreamed you were having pillow talk with your mate,” she blurted to hide the physical reaction. “She isn’t even a real person. Yet. But I wish her to hell, all the same, and I hope she has toes growing out of her forehead, if that’s all right with you.”

She could hear paper crunching and knew he was crumpling the itinerary in his fist. Out of anger? Because she spoke ill of his future mate? She was getting ready to defend herself when Tucker spoke instead.

“Mary, how about tonight we pretend like there’s no future mate for me? And there’s no Hadrian for you. All right? There’s only each other. We’re going on a date.” He laughed under his breath. “A weird one, but a date nonetheless.”

The organ in her chest swelled until she worried her ribcage might crack. “I would love that.” But…priorities. Priorities. Tucker might be the most wonderful being to ever walk the earth, but she had to keep herself from falling for him irrevocably.

Might as well admit it. The more time that passed in his presence, the more she started to question if getting her sight back, if reuniting her family, was what she wanted the most. She’d existed without both for so long, but trying to imagine a single second of the future without Tucker? It shook her.

No. Stay the course.

Don’t be selfish. Don’t abandon everything you’ve dreamed about.

Everything her mother had dreamed about. They’d come too far.

“An innocent date,” Mary said, holding her breath.

“I’ll be a complete gentleman,” Tucker agreed, reaching out to chuck her chin. “So there really is a first time for everything.”

Her laugh lingered in the air as the vampire left the room, closing the door behind him.

Was she delusional expecting a platonic night with Tucker?

She’d know by sunrise.

* * *

Arriving at Love Ur Lobes right before closing time was a strategic move.

With only one employee remaining in the store and all customers gone for the day, Tucker and Mary ran the lowest risk of human discovery. Nonetheless, Tucker was pretty sure he’d be erasing a lot of memories tonight. To say he was out of place among racks of girly accessories, manicure kits and hair extensions would be the understatement of the century.

When he opened the door for Mary and guided her into the place, the girl behind the counter looked up from the glow of her phone, her eyeballs damn near popping out of her head. “Christ,” he muttered for Mary’s ears alone. “She acts like she’s never seen a giant pale guy leading a blind girl with a light-up crown before.”

Mary laughed into his shoulder. “You always remember your first.”

He sighed. “Not in this case, kid.”

“Ah. So that’s the plan. You’re going to make her forget we were ever here.” She tipped her chin up. “We’re still going to pay, though, aren’t we?”

“Of course. I’m not ripping off a place called Love Ur Lobes. That would just be bad karma.” He reached up with his free hand and rubbed at the prickling nerves that danced on the back of his neck. “But I’m warning you in advance, Mary, if you cry, I’m probably going to cry, too. It’s been a while since I wept, but if memory serves, my repressed male emotions cause me to do a lot of dry hiccupping. It’s uncomfortable for everyone.”