by Anya Nowlan
And for whatever reason, Kayla’s mind jumped straight to Ezra. The same Ezra who would probably be waiting for her at home, looking like he just stepped out of the pages of a magazine.
Oh boy. I think I’ve gotten myself into more than I can handle.
8
Ezra
“I’m telling you, I’ve found a woman that I think could be the one,” Ezra said into his phone, listening to Stephen’s silence on the other end.
“You arrived in Cleveland barely a week ago,” the man said after a couple of seconds. “But you’ve already found a candidate you feel strongly about,” he stated, not even trying to hide his suspicion.
“I told you I would take this seriously, and I have,” Ezra replied. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“I just didn’t expect you to find someone so quickly. To be honest, I thought you were going to give me the runaround as long as you could,” Stephen said.
“Who, me?” Ezra replied, laying the shock and disbelief on thick.
“Don’t think I won’t want to meet her soon,” Stephen warned. “So she better not be a figment of your imagination.”
“Now you’re just hurting my feelings,” Ezra clucked his tongue. “And for your information, she’s very real. I would like to get to know her a little better before you charge in and start assessing her or whatever it is you want to do.”
“Fine,” he could hear his Maker sigh on the other end. “We’ll keep in touch,” was all he said before hanging up.
Ezra had barely put his phone away when he heard a key turning in the front door lock. Kayla stepped inside a moment later, unwrapping the scarf around her neck and shrugging off her jacket. Her hair was slicked back into a bun, and her skirt, modestly knee-length as it was, still did a great job of showing off her shapely legs.
“Let me get that,” Ezra said, zipping to her side and taking her jacket.
“Ahh,” Kayla jumped, her hand flying to her heart. “You gotta stop… speed-sneaking up on people or whatever it was you just did,” she said, as Ezra hung up her coat. “I’m not totally used to supernatural creatures living with me yet.”
“Point taken,” Ezra nodded. “So, how was work?”
“You don’t have to ask me about my day,” Kayla replied, brushing past him. “We’re only pretend-engaged, remember?”
“I was just curious,” Ezra shrugged. “I have no idea what a production assistant does.”
Kayla gave him a slightly suspicious look as she plopped down on the couch, and Ezra couldn’t help but wonder if there was another reason for her to be so guarded, in addition to the fact he was a strange vampire she was now stuck with.
“It’s not that exciting, really,” she finally said. “I’m more of a secretary than anything. My goal is to get into news, though. Hasn’t happened yet,” she shrugged.
“You want to become a news anchor?” Ezra asked, sitting down next to her.
“God, no,” Kayla laughed. “Me, in front of the camera? No way.”
“I bet the camera would love you. I mean, look at you, you’re gorgeous,” he said, not really meaning to go that far with it, but the compliment slipped out nonetheless.
There was a slight flush to Kayla’s cheeks as she looked back at him.
“Thank you. But it has nothing to do with looks. I’d rather be the one to break a story than the one reporting on it. And I’m more of a tinkerer, anyway, polishing stuff behind my computer screen.”
“Okay, I get it,” Ezra nodded.
“Ooh, what time is it?” Kayla suddenly said, pushing pillows aside until she found the TV remote.
“I think it’s about seven…” Ezra replied, slightly confused.
“The Walking Dead is on,” Kayla announced, turning on the TV.
“Am I supposed to know what that is?” Ezra asked.
“You really don’t know?” Kayla stared at him, like he had just told her he had a second head. “Here, I’ll educate you,” she said, flipping through channels until she found the right one. “I have a feeling you’re going to be into it,” she grinned, and all Ezra could think about was how much he liked seeing her smile.
Ezra sat on the couch, hand on his chin, as the credits rolled and Kayla stared at him excitedly.
“Well?” she asked, clearly impatient.
“I’m certainly glad that despite being dead, I’m not a gross, decomposing mess,” Ezra commented.
Kayla sighed, rolling her eyes at him.
“But what did you think of the show?” she asked.
“I liked it,” Ezra admitted.
“What other shows have you not seen?” Kayla asked, pulling her knees up and resting an elbow on the side of the couch. “You must have Netflix, right?”
“Is that a TV channel?” Ezra replied, enjoying the shock and horror on Kayla’s face. “I’m just kidding,” he laughed. “I might be a little behind on the times in some aspects, but I’m not a peasant.”
“Oh, thank god,” Kayla said with an exaggerated sigh. “For a second there, I was beginning to think you were some kind of weirdo.”
“Just your regular old modern day vampire,” Ezra replied.
“Wait, what are you still behind on? Obviously you get computers if you know about Netflix,” Kayla said, looking at him in genuine interest.
“I still have a flip phone, for one,” Ezra admitted.
“How do you even survive,” Kayla laughed. “But no, seriously,” she added.
“There’s this small problem with me and touch screens. You see, a touch screen responds to a tiny electrical charge from your finger. But since I’m technically dead…” Ezra trailed off.
“No electricity,” Kayla said quietly thinking it over. “Wow, I wouldn’t have even thought of that.”
“The whole immortality thing kind of makes up for my inability to swipe right on Tinder,” Ezra shrugged. “I could use those special gloves if I really wanted the experience, but I’ll let you in on a secret – I don’t like change all that much,” he said in a mock whisper.
“So you’re human after all,” Kayla said, a smile tugging at her lips.
“You would think time starts to slow down after a while, as decades pass by, but for me, it just keeps speeding up. I still vividly remember a time before the internet, when getting your picture taken was a big deal and traveling overseas took forever.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love all the advancements humanity has made. But sometimes I feel that if I look away for too long, I might get left behind and become one of those people who live in the past,” he said, getting far more serious than he’d intended.
“I think a lot of people feel that way. You’re not alone,” Kayla replied. “It’s easy to start thinking about the past as a ‘simpler time’. But it’s important to acknowledge we always look at our past through a filter of the future.”
“How very wise of you,” Ezra remarked.
“Don’t make fun of me,” Kayla chuckled, throwing a pillow at him.
“I wasn’t,” he insisted, catching it effortlessly. “Maybe just a little,” he added, drawing a laugh from Kayla.
“You know, maybe having a vampire for a roommate isn’t so bad, after all,” Kayla said, tapping her chin.
“Thanks?” Ezra replied.
“You know what I mean,” she tilted her head at him. “I was sure this was going to just be so strange, but you were right. At the end of the day, you’re just a guy. A guy who still uses a flip phone like some sort of grandpa, but still,” she jeered.
“Grandpa, really? How far I’ve fallen from the days I commanded fear and respect,” he sighed theatrically.
“You know, one of these days I’d like it if you told me more about yourself, and vampires in general,” Kayla commented, hiding a yawn behind her hand.
“Maybe I will. But not tonight. You look about ready to pass out,” he replied.
“I didn’t sleep that well,” she said. “First night of sharing my apartment with a creature of th
e night and all that.”
“And your predictions for tonight?” Ezra asked.
“Sweet dreams, probably,” Kayla smiled, and Ezra appreciated her willingness to trust and feel safe around him.
Having people be scared of him because of what he was is never a good feeling, and all things considered, Kayla was handling everything he had thrown at her incredibly well. It was nice to just hang out and chat with someone who didn’t have first-hand experiences with horse-drawn carriages and a lack of indoor plumbing.
“I’ll see you in the morning then,” he said, and Kayla nodded.
“Good night,” she replied, getting up from the couch and padding toward her bedroom.
For Ezra, the night was just starting. Watching Kayla disappear, he suddenly realized he was hungrier than he had been in a long time.
Time for a little midnight snack.
9
Kayla
“So, tell me more about this new roommate of yours,” Melanie asked, as Kayla was absentmindedly stabbing her salad with a fork.
The little café near the news station was relatively busy, but they were tucked away near the back, so it was quiet enough to have an uninterrupted conversation. The lunch crowd was milling about, people hurriedly downing their coffees and getting pastries to go.
“There’s not much to tell,” Kayla shrugged. “He just moved in, so I don’t know a lot about him.”
“Alright, but is he cute?” Melanie prodded.
Kayla didn’t know what to say. Thinking back on last night, the way Ezra only seemed to have eyes for her, and how comfortable talking with him had been, she was more confused than ever.
“He is, isn’t he?” Melanie exclaimed. “Look at you, you’re blushing!”
“That’s ridiculous,” Kayla argued, but Melanie wasn’t about to back down.
“This is just perfect! You need something or someone to distract you from Seth, or as he is now known, Shithead. So how hot is he, on a scale of one to ten? Wait, is that a sexist question? Never mind, tell me anyway,” Melanie gushed.
“Slow down, Mel,” Kayla warned. “I can’t get involved with Ezra, that’s just a disaster waiting to happen. We’re living together, for god’s sakes. I don’t want to make it awkward.”
“Who cares about awkward,” Melissa waved a hand. “You worry too much. This is about you having fun for once. You wasted way too many years on Shithead, start making up for lost time! Or do you think he’s not already moving on?” Melanie arched a brow.
The thought of Seth already having his eye on someone else was something that Kayla had avoided thinking about, and Melanie bringing it up definitely touched a sore spot. She had to suppress the urge to defend him to Melanie, like she was so used to doing.
“It’s only been a couple of days,” she muttered under her breath instead.
“Yeah, like that’s stopped him before,” Melanie rolled her eyes. “Remember when you went on that ‘break’ and then several of our friends saw him macking on some blonde at Rooney’s? That man has no shame and no consideration for anyone’s feelings,” Melanie huffed, slamming her cup of green tea down on the table a tad too forcefully.
“You’re right,” Kayla sighed. “I don’t even know why I liked him, let alone loved him.”
“Now that’s a true mystery, but never mind that. I’m not saying you have to get in a new relationship with anyone, just have some fun. Maybe ask that Ezra guy to join us for drinks after work…” Melanie wagged her brows at her.
“I don’t think he’d be interested in that…” Kayla tried to argue.
“Why? You said he just moved here. I bet he’d appreciate you involving him in things,” Melanie countered.
“Maybe when I know him a little better,” Kayla said, hoping to put this topic to rest.
She didn’t want to put Ezra in a weird position, and her asking him to drinks might sound like she’s angling for a date or something. And despite them being ‘betrothed’ she wasn’t ready to date him.
That makes about as much sense as square wheels, but I guess that’s my life now.
Besides, why would a vampire want to have drinks with a bunch of human strangers anyway? He probably had better things to do.
“You’re no fun,” Melanie commented, getting her wallet from her purse as they were done with their meals.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Kayla grinned back at her.
Rooney’s was a cozy little place, somewhere between a pub and a bar, drawing in a crowd of young professionals. Kayla and Melanie, along with three of their coworkers were huddled around a table near one of the walls, drinks in hand, doing their best to unwind.
“I think Edgar should switch to decaf altogether,” Andy, another production assistant said, long fingers wrapped around a scotch glass. “That man is way too high-strung.”
Andy was young, his skinny frame and mop of unruly hair making him look even younger than he actually was. On either side of him were Lainey and Maura, a research assistant and a computer systems manager, respectively.
Lainey was short, with an elaborately colorful hairstyle that she offset with the clothing style of an aging Harvard professor. Maura on the other hand was statuesque and always immaculately put together, with a thin face and a fantastic set of cheekbones.
“I wouldn’t try telling him that,” Kayla replied. “Oh, and by the way, am I now officially the only one whose name he doesn’t remember?”
“He still calls me Andre,” Andy sighed.
“He hasn’t gotten mine wrong ever since I told him he was pronouncing ‘Qatar’ incorrectly,” Lainey said, sipping on a Cosmo. “But there’s always an echo of disdain in his voice when he speaks to me, so I don’t know if I should be happy I’m not ‘Lana’ anymore.”
“I don’t think he’s ever called me anything but Ms. Turner,” Maura shrugged. “Then again, I manage to pretty much avoid him on a daily basis.”
“Lucky,” Melanie commented. “I had to explain to him the difference between maroon and burgundy the other day. It was the most frustrating twenty minutes of my life.”
“You know, I’ve always wondered, is burgundy more brown or…” Kayla said, squinting as if she was really giving it a lot of thought.
“Oh, don’t you start,” Melanie warned. “I haven’t even finished my drink yet.”
“I’ll get the next round,” Andy said, downing what was left in his glass and heading for the bar.
“And I desperately need to pee,” Lainey announced, getting a nod from Maura.
“I’m with you, girl,” she replied, and the two women left the table.
“So, don’t be mad, but I kind of did something you probably didn’t want me to do,” Melanie said as soon as everyone had cleared out.
Alarm bells immediately started ringing in Kayla’s head at the giddiness in Melanie’s voice.
“Melanie,” she said firmly, fixing her friend with her gaze. “What did you do?”
“I swiped your phone when you were out getting Edgar’s coffee and I texted Ezra to meet us at Rooney’s. He should be here any minute,” Melanie replied, looking way too excited.
“Mel,” Kayla shook her head. “You shouldn’t have.”
“Well, I did, and it’s too late to back out,” she stated proudly.
Kayla started scanning the crowd, her heart suddenly beating out of her chest. Something about hanging out with Ezra outside of the apartment scared and excited her, and she didn’t know what to make of these feelings.
Her arrangement with Ezra was just too complicated, not to mention he was undead and only in town to stall complying with his Maker’s wishes. Yet all that aside, when she spotted him walking in the front door, she couldn’t deny she was happy to see him.
“That’s him,” she whispered, not even bothering to look Melanie’s way.
“Wait, that hunk who just came in the door is Ezra?” Melanie asked, clear surprise in her voice. “Well, damn. Now I know why you were blushing earlier.
”
“Shh,” Kayla quickly said, as Ezra’s eyes snapped to their table, and a grin spread across his face.
“What? It’s not like he can hear us from all the way over there,” Melanie replied.
But Kayla wasn’t so sure.
This night is about to become more than I bargained for.
10
Ezra
Honing in on Kayla, Ezra made his way through the crowd to her table, where she was sitting with a friend. There were three other empty or half-empty glasses on the table, so he knew it wasn’t just the two of them.
I’d prefer if it was just the two of us, he caught himself thinking, as Kayla unabashedly stared at him with those huge hazel eyes of hers.
“Hello, ladies,” Ezra said as he got to the table.
“Hi,” Kayla replied quietly. “Oh, uh… This is my friend, Melanie,” she hurriedly added, gesturing toward the auburn-haired woman at her side.
“Very nice to meet you. I’m Ezra,” he said, reaching out a hand.
Melanie shook it, giving him a polite smile.
“So you’re the one shacking up with my Kayla here,” she commented.
“What can I say, I like living in sin,” Ezra replied.
“There’s no sin,” Kayla interjected, eyes growing wide. “I mean, between us, there’s no…” she rattled on, looking adorably flustered, while a man struggling with five glasses he was holding against his chest approached the table.
“That’s Andy,” Melanie helpfully interjected, as Ezra grabbed some of the glasses from him and placed them down on the table.
“Thanks, man,” Andy said, sitting down with a glass of scotch.
“This is my new roommate, Ezra,” Kayla explained, just as two other women were approaching the table.
“Nice to meet you,” the taller one said, giving him a once-over. “I’m Maura.”
“And I’m Lainey,” the other woman introduced herself, and Ezra couldn’t not notice the pink and blue strands in her hair.