Chapter 5
Ephie didn't love her mother's last-minute invite, but there was no way to graciously turn it down. When Justice Leonie Moreau summoned you, you came. It helped that shrimp and grits were on the menu.
Her mother's cook, Alphonso, made the best shrimp and grits this side of Mr. B's Bistro. Definitely a better offer than the microwave meal Ephie had been planning.
She picked an outfit she knew her mother would approve of: slim black pants and a trim V-neck knit tank top in deep teal. She added the diamond E pendant her mother had given her for a birthday some years ago, thin gold hoops, and her most prized possession, an antique diamond and sapphire pansy ring.
Her mother thought Ephie had picked it up at an estate sale for a song. Ephie couldn't tell her where it had really come from or how dear it was to her. Her mother had never cared for vampires. Chief among them was the one Ephie had fallen for in college.
She'd only met him because her mother had insisted she take an elective that had nothing to do with computers.
Ephie stared at the ring. What had ever happened to him? She'd reacted poorly to his proposal. It had been so sudden and so unexpected, she'd been caught off guard. In a big way. She'd made a hasty excuse and gone straight home.
She couldn't marry him. And she couldn't even think about becoming a vampire. Her mother would have died from the very suggestion.
But Ephie had cared about him a great deal. Truthfully, she'd thought of him as her first love. Still did. That night, after she'd gone home and had a long think, she'd promised herself that she would find him the next evening and tell him exactly how she felt.
That never happened. She'd never been able to find him. In fact, after that night, he'd disappeared, at least from her life.
She had looked. All over campus and in the French Quarter at the places vampires were known to frequent. Nothing. Not a hint of his location. It was as if he'd disappeared into thin air. Maybe he had. Vampires were creatures about which she knew less than she should.
Her mother's doing. Not exactly her fault but definitely her influence. Vampires were not a subject for discussion at any time. Her mother's dislike for them bordered on phobic.
Ephie shrugged. She felt the same way about spiders. Terrifying leggy nightmares.
Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, she loosed her hair from the messy bun she'd put it in earlier and revived the mass of curls with a spritz of water and some scrunching. She was due for a trim. Her hair hung past her shoulders and was nearly just as wide. She ran her fingers under the tap water and corkscrewed a few curls at her temples to frame her face.
She did her makeup with a light hand. Too much and her mother would give her the eye. Too little and her mother would say she looked tired.
Being the only child of a prominent woman was tough at times. Ephie loved her mother very much and was inordinately proud of her, but they had different ideas of success. And that was just fine with Ephie.
Not as fine with her mother, but maybe someday her mother would get that what Ephie wanted was a more laid-back kind of life. One not nearly as public but still devoted to helping others. Just in a different way than her mother.
She took a final look at herself, determined it was as good as it was going to get, and went to the bedroom. She put the essentials in a small purse. She wouldn't need much. She made her way to the living room to say goodbye to Jean-Luc.
His translucent form was balanced precariously on the curtain rod, seemingly asleep. Not something any creature but a ghost cat could accomplish. "Jean-Luc bebe, I have to go. I'll be home as soon as I can, I promise."
He stretched one paw out in response.
She went up on her tiptoes, reaching to touch it. Her fingertips passed through his paw, and he pulled it back. She blew him a kiss. "See you later."
The drive into the Garden District wasn't bad. Traffic was light.
Her mother lived in one of the smaller houses. It was still a beautiful place. And not really that small. The house had been divided into two residences well before her mother had purchased it. Both sides had been modestly restored prior to her mother's ownership.
As soon as the contract was signed, her mother had remodeled the side she planned to live in. She went for a much more luxurious style, bringing the home back to its original glory with marble floors and thick crown molding and dark wood polished to a glassy sheen.
The other side she left as it was, and she continued to rent it out.
Ephie pulled into the driveway, her mother's black Mercedes parked under the porte cochere at the side of the house that led to the carriage house. At the time her mother had taken ownership, it had been an apartment, but her mother had turned it into a combination storage space and workout studio.
Ephie parked and went to the front door. As usual when her mother knew she was coming, the door was unlocked. Ephie walked in. The savory aromas of the meal they were soon to eat greeted her, making her mouth water. "Mom? It's me."
"In the sitting room, sweetheart," her mother called out.
Ephie went straight back. Her mother was at the bar cart, making herself a gin and tonic.
Leonie smiled at her. "You look lovely."
"Thanks. So do you." Her mother was in a navy pin-striped suit with a pale blue silk blouse and vintage Chanel earrings. Probably what she'd worn to the office. Ephie set her purse on the couch. "How was your day?"
"Another day of justice done, in the books." Her mother lifted the glass in her hand. "Would you like one?"
"No, I'm all right. I have to drive." Ephie wasn't much of a drinker. There was enough of that in this town, and the results were often reason enough not to drink. She sat by her purse. "Thanks for the invite. What's the occasion?"
"Occasion?" Leonie frowned and moved to the couch as well, where she took a seat at the other end. "Can't I just have my daughter over for dinner? I hardly see you anymore."
They'd seen each other less than a week ago, but Ephie wasn't going to argue. "Well, thanks for the invite. I do enjoy Alphonso's shrimp and grits."
"Best in town," her mother said brightly before taking a sip of her drink. "Do you want anything to drink? Water? Juice? Coffee?"
"Water's fine, but I can wait until we eat. How's work been? Anything new and interesting?"
"Nothing I can talk about, but you know how it is. Always busy. Always another case waiting."
Ephie nodded. Her mother was always busy. When she wasn't at work, she was going to some kind of function. Charity benefits, fundraisers, award ceremonies, social events. It was hard to keep up. But then, New Orleans was a very busy town, and her mother was much in demand.
Just thinking about it made Ephie want to go home and get into bed.
Her mother set her glass down on the mahogany and marble coffee table. She seemed unsettled. Not herself somehow. Like she was waiting on something. "How about you? Have you been busy?"
"Very. Just talked to a potential client today. A restaurant in the Quarter. Used to be Tom's Grill but now they're going by Cardinal?" Her mother shook her head. "Anyway, they want to talk to me about giving them a brand-new website. I'm looking forward to working with them. Besides that, it's just been the usual stuff. Updates on existing websites and the pro bono work I do."
"That's wonderful, honey. It's great of you to do that."
Her mother had never actually said that before. Something was definitely up. "Thanks. I like helping."
Leonie studied her flawless manicure. "Listen, I ran into an old friend of yours and invited him for dinner. I hope you don't mind."
Ephie frowned. "Who?" She couldn't think of anyone. No one her mother would invite, anyway. That had to be what this was all about. Was her mother trying to set her up with a guy? Wouldn't be the first time.
"Hello, Ephie."
She turned to see where the voice had come from, and all the breath left her body. A shiver ran through her, raising goosebumps on her skin. She shook her head, her words barely audible. "How … It can't be."
Looking exactly like he had the last time she'd seen him, Remy Lafitte stood at the entrance to the sitting room in jeans, a T-shirt, and a black leather jacket. An ache she couldn't name filled her chest.
Without realizing she'd moved, she found herself on her feet. "W-what are you doing here?"
His dark brows lifted slightly. "Hello to you, too."
"Sorry, I just—"
"It's all right." He stayed where he was. Like he wasn't sure coming closer was a good idea. "Professor Boudreaux isn't well. He's in hospice, actually. I wanted to see him one last time."
She nodded. "That was … nice of you. I didn't know he was sick. I always liked him."
"Me, too," Remy said. His gaze lingered on her face a moment longer before taking in the rest of her. "You look … unbelievable. How have you been?"
"I've been all right. You?" Had he always been that handsome? He hadn't aged, but somehow, he'd changed. He seemed more … more.
"Same, yeah."
"Did you move back? No, you said you were just visiting the professor. Sorry." Her mind was three steps ahead of her mouth. Or maybe it was behind. She couldn't think straight. The very sight of him had befuddled her. She'd never expected to see him again. Certainly not in her mother's house, of all places.
Remy smiled, and her heart broke into little pieces. His smile had always done that to her. "It's really good to see you."
"You, too." Was it, though? She thought she'd broken his heart. He'd broken hers. Why was he here? In her mother's house? There was no way her mother was behind this. Leonie had no love for any vampire, even less for this one standing a few feet away from her.
Ephie turned. Her mother was still sitting on the couch. Ephie pinned her mother with a hard stare. "What's going on?"
Leonie shrugged like nothing unusual had occurred. "I found out Remy was in town, and I thought you two might like to catch up."
Maybe Remy had glamoured Leonie into doing this. Ephie was pretty sure vampires could do that. Some vampires anyway. She took a breath and tried to get ahold of what was actually happening, but she couldn't. None of this made sense.
Alphonso appeared at the side door. "Dinner is ready."
Leonie stood and smiled, but her eyes held something darker. "Remy, if you could just give us a moment? There's something I need to speak to Ephie about. Alone."
Remy nodded, glanced at Ephie, then excused himself.
Ephie turned toward her mother, eagerly awaiting an explanation. "Go ahead. I'm listening."