An Ever Fixéd Mark (64 page)

Ben waited until they were out of hearing
before he started laughing. “How on earth did I pretend to like
that woman?”

“She was different at Springs.”

“You were always there,” he pulled her
against him.

“She’s a good soul. Her heart is in the
right place. She just thinks you are odd. Probably because she
realized at some point you didn’t really like her all that
much.”

“And I’m living in sin with you,” he kissed
her cheek.

Lizzie laughed as they arrived at the table
of her friends. “The band is on in a few minutes. I should probably
go find the guys,” Jack offered his chair.

“Thanks, Jack.”

“How’s the food?” Andrew twisted out of
Davis’ arm to glance at the buffet.

“Things are quieting down. I told the kids
they can put out the apple cobbler when Jack starts playing,”
Elizabeth explained as Ben presented a beer. She didn’t enjoy
alcohol as much since Kate told her she had to wait six months
until their next blood share. It seemed more like medicine every
night. But the damp bottle was perfect at the end of her long
day.

“It’s a success,” Davis lifted up his bottle
to clink hers. “I know this is a charity gig, guys, but it’s one of
the best spreads you’ve put out yet.”

“It’s the biggest spread,” Andrew moaned in
exhaustion. “Although, those firefighter friends of Mr. Benson were
a big help with the grills.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you both liked their
company,” Meg laughed over her beer.

“I’m sure both Mr. and Mrs. Benson
appreciate everyone’s help today,” Nora lifted Rose to her shoulder
and beamed at Elizabeth. “This is a really impressive crowd.”

“All of Lizzie’s groupies,” Meg grinned.

“We came to support Jack, too,” Nora nudged
her husband to nod in agreement.

“Did they do anything like this for Oliver’s
memorial fund?” Jen asked Ben.

“There wasn’t a barbeque like this,” Ben
pulled a chair beside Elizabeth. “But there has been an
overwhelming response to his memory.”

“It really is impressive how many people
rallied to his cause,” Jen interjected. “I read in the paper how
some of his students started a recycle center - and how another
group is lobbying in Congress. The memorial fund is for
scholarships, too, right?”

“At his college in California,” Ben nodded,
squeezing Elizabeth’s hand. “His widow set that up and got many
alumni who took his classes to contribute. He inspired a lot of his
students. ”

“Another Coldbrook boy who made good,” Jen
smiled at Ben.

Elizabeth looked at the rest of her friends,
who only knew Oliver as the brother for whom she left Ben so
abruptly less than a year ago. They didn’t know the hero of the
debate team, or the boy who gave Melissa Benson rides home from
softball practice, or the madman who came to her apartment two
months ago. None of them knew what he really was. None of them knew
the vampire. None of them knew Thomas.

“
That’s an amazing
legacy,” Nora breathed out. “There are people who live for eighty
years who couldn’t accomplish that much. It’s really impressive
what he was able to do in his short lifetime.”

“Yes,” Elizabeth’s voice faltered. She saw
the quick glances of all her friends and smiled. “So I hope in his
honor, we will all recycle our bottles tonight.”

Mark was the first to laugh. “Sure thing,
Lizzie,” his humor revealed a note of encouragement. “So what’s the
next job for you two? Is it another party we can crash?”

“Nothing until they get back from their
romantic getaway,” Andrew chuffed.

“Oh that’s right!” Meg exclaimed.
“London?”

“A week in London. Then France. Then Italy,”
Ben explained proudly.

“Hey what about the Fulton House?” Meg took
a sip of her beer. “Do you think you’ll ever go back there?”

“I haven’t been there for almost a year,”
Lizzie glanced at Andrew.

“But you loved that place,” Nora patted
Rose’s back.

“We need our Saturdays,” Andrew
shrugged.

“Did you leave, too?”

“I’m going to finish out the summer until
Paula can find someone new.”

“You don’t think you’ll go back again?”

“Maybe I’ll find a new museum,” Elizabeth
lifted her beer.

“Yeah, the Fultons are boring,” Meg shook
her head. “You need something more dramatic.”

Elizabeth laughed quietly. “The Fultons
aren’t boring. Not all of them.”

“Eh,” Meg shrugged her shoulders. “I think
you’ll be okay without them.”

“Yeah,” Elizabeth nodded. “I think I will.”
Ben wrapped his arm around her. Elizabeth rested her head on his
shoulder and smiled at her friends as the band began to play.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessie Olson grew up in a
small Central Massachusetts town with lots of trees and a complete
lack of restraint on her imagination.  She has given tours in
several local museums, discussing everything from gothic armor to
the whimsical design of a Dabsville mainstay. Jessie finds a
pleasant occupation of time whilst performing in local theater,
cooking up something for a dinner party, or watching a ridiculous
amount of BBC television on Netflix.
An
Ever Fixéd Mark
is her first
novel.

Find Her On:

Website and Blog:
www.jessolson.com

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/everfixedmark