“I’m sorry.”
He was sorry? “No, don’t be. I was the one who overreacted. I seem to have a lot to learn about being around people again.”
He kissed my forehead. “Can I help teach you? I know a few good punishments if you don’t learn the lessons well.”
And sproing! Just like that, in the middle of the diner, my dick was hardening.
My face burned as I slid into the booth, not wanting anyone to see me. Of course, Ryan had to notice, because he was standing there smirking at me.
“So, this is new.” Ryan was always the master of understatement.
“Yes. I didn’t know how he felt, but I’ve always loved him.”
Tim sat next to me, placed a hand on my bouncing knee, and grinned at Ryan. “He’s a little skittish, but I think one day I’ll break him.”
Fortunately, Noel came over and took our orders right then, so I didn’t have to splash cold water on my face to get it to stop flaming.
The three of us sat in that booth and talked. Ryan showed me the pictures of his kids and his wife and told me he hoped one day I could meet them. It tugged at my heart, knowing that even though I ran, he still wanted me to be a part of his family’s life. I wanted nothing more than to be a part of—
“Can you help me?”
I closed my eyes, trying to blot out the voice. She sounded young, maybe twelve, and scared.
“Sir? Can you help me? I don’t know where I’m supposed to be, and I’m afraid.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. I reached for Tim’s hand and squeezed sharply. “I have to go.”
“What? Why do you—oh. Here?”
I nodded. “Behind us.”
He spun around. “I don’t…. No, you know what? Let’s go.”
“What’s going on? Where does he have to go?” Ryan’s voice cracked, and I knew he was pissed.
“We’re going over to sit in the park. It’s a nice day out, and Scotty needs some sun. He’s shut himself away for too long.”
There was confusion on Ryan’s face. “But what—”
“We have to go.”
Tim slid out of the booth, with me right behind him. I turned for the door, and that’s when I saw her. She was barely a preteen. Her blonde hair was down to her shoulders, and her big blue eyes were filled with tears as she reached for my hand.
“I’m scared.” Her words were little more than a whisper.
The pain in her voice ripped through me. I actually reached out to take her hand, but then Tim was there, a solid presence next to me.
“Scotty, move.”
A big hand on my back propelled me forward toward the door. As soon as he got me outside, Tim turned back to the diner. “I’m going to ask them to wrap our food to go. I’ll meet you over in the park. That’s okay, right, Scotty?”
I nodded.
Ryan’s gaze darted between me and Tim. “What the fuck is going on? Why are you so scared?”
Hell if I knew. She was nothing more than a baby, and she was alone and afraid. Then I’d seen the marks on her throat, red and harsh against her pale skin. As much of a fuckup as I felt with my family, running from that little girl was infinitely worse.
My mind drifted back to my younger self, sitting on the floor, playing with my Superman and the blond boy who’d appeared in my room. We played together and had fun. When Mom came into the room and I asked him about getting cookies with us, he said he’d only wanted someone to play with, and then he disappeared.
I never saw Jeff again, even though I looked for him when I was alone and wishing I had someone to play with.
“Scotty!”
Ryan’s grip on my arm was punishing. I turned toward him, and the look on his face had me freaking out.
“You almost walked right into that car. What the hell is wrong with you?”
Pulled from my thoughts, I realized how busy the traffic was on the street. If Ryan hadn’t stopped me, I would have been a splat on the pavement.
But with what happened in the diner and what happened all those years ago, a new line of thinking was starting to form.
Maybe I was seeing ghosts for a reason.
Chapter Seven
“HE TOOK it a lot better than I thought he would.”
Tim handed me a glass of water, which I drained quickly.
“He’s making me promise that I’ll come meet his kids and, as he said it, as their second uncle, I should be prepared to spoil them rotten.” I put my hands on my hips. “He’s my brother. How did I get to be second uncle?”
“I changed them, babysat, washed puke out of my hair, and got a golden shower from Carter. What have you done?”
Missed out on my niece and nephew. Never got to know my sister-in-law. And wasn’t there for my brother. Fortunately, Tim picked up my slack. Again.
“Fine.” I frowned. “You win this round.”
He chuckled. “Wait until you meet them. You’ll have a hard time saying no to them. Every Christmas I put five thousand dollars into a college fund for each of them. When Ryan asked me to be their godfather, I was thrilled. I love those kids like they were my own.”
Five…. “Where’d you get that much money?”
He eyed me cautiously. “Did you really never look me up? Seriously?”
“Um….” How to say what I wanted without coming across like a bigger ass than I had been? “I stayed away from social media. I had to, because I wanted to come back home every day, and I knew that if I saw your face, I wouldn’t be able to stay away.”
He grinned, and my stomach fluttered. He walked over to me, took my hand, and held it up to his cheek. “You mean, this face?”
I swallowed hard as I stroked his skin. “Yes.”
“Can I tell you something?”
There were no words in my head, so I nodded.
“I don’t want you to go back to Chicago. I want you to stay with me. Or, if you really have to leave, I’m hoping you’ll let me come with you.”
“You’d move?” I slid my hand down to his chest, ignoring the hope that was taking root in my heart. To learn that Tim wanted me every bit as much as I did him was heady, but to know he’d leave his place and move to Chicago? Shit, that’s some heavy stuff.
“I stayed here because it was the only home I had, but when you returned, the only home I wanted came back.”
Holy crap, he knew the right things to say to make my legs turn to jelly.
“I know we have issues to work through—”
“Like you not believing me?” It slipped out, I swear. I hadn’t meant to hold on to that frisson of annoyance, but I couldn’t help it.
He sighed. “You have to understand something, and I hope you’ll listen to me with an open mind. It’s not that I didn’t believe you. I’d never believed ghosts were real. In fact, if you had been anyone other than you, I would have been certain you were either trying to scam me or make a fool out of me. When I saw that… thing come out of my chest, it freaked me the hell out.” He leaned over and brushed our lips together. “But never once did I not believe you. It’s just hard for me to wrap my head around.”
Which, if I hadn’t flown off the handle and stayed to talk, I would have understood.
“I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry for, I promise. We just need to find our rhythm again. We used to be so in sync when we were growing up, and it’ll take time to get back to that, but we will.”
“I hope so.”
He reached up and pinched my cheek between his thumb and forefinger. It wasn’t enough to hurt, but it was to get my attention on him. “I know so. You’re not going anywhere if I can help it, at least not without me.”
See what I meant about legs of jelly? As a teen, he’d been the object of every fantasy I ever had, but as an adult? He was the answer to them too.
“So, anyway…. Listen, there’s no easy way to say this, so I’m going to blurt it out. I have money. Quite a bit, in fact. That college fund I started for the kids? By the time they’re eigh
teen and ready to go to school, it’ll be paid for. Or if they decide college isn’t for them, they’ll have a fund to take them on a trip or help them buy a house, get married, or whatever.”
“And you became wealthy in the last five years?”
He opened his eyes wide. “Oh, so now who’s a disbeliever?” He sat down and pulled me with him. “Remember when I said I wanted to create worlds instead of playing in someone else’s?”
“Yes.” Of course I did. From the time he got his first computer, that had been all he ever—holy shit. “You wrote a game?”
His grin was enormous. “Ever heard of Kaliope?”
Who hadn’t? It was one of the biggest games out there, second only to Warcraft in number of active subscribers. Reviews of the game called it a masterpiece, building civilizations that would rival any of ancient times. I saw it and had wanted to buy it but couldn’t afford to.
“Sure.”
“After you left, I rarely went out of the house. I threw myself into a world where I was in control. I designed it, then sold the rights to Kreator, Inc, the people who are running the online version. I was smart, though. Instead of selling it outright, I took a smaller amount of money and said I wanted to get royalties from the game. If it bombed, I was screwed, but I had faith in it. And now, for everything they sell in the game, I get money. For lack of a better phrase, I retired when I turned twenty-one.”
“And I’m still a poor, broke schlub who can barely pay for his apartment.”
“Well, if we move to Chicago, we’ll get a nice place. I mean, it won’t be a palace or anything, but we could find one where we’d be able to live comfortably.”
It was all too much. The thought that he’d give up his mother’s house to follow me to Chicago was stunning. But in Chicago, I didn’t see ghosts. I could live a normal life with Tim.
“What’s the look on your face?”
“Hm?”
“You have that faraway look, and I was wondering why.”
“In all the time I was in Chicago, I never saw a ghost. If we lived there, I could be… normal.”
Tim chuckled and gave me a saucy wink. “You’ve never been normal, and you need to accept that. You’ve always been extraordinary. My mom saw it—I saw it. As much as I hate to admit it, maybe leaving helped you to reach a potential you couldn’t have here.”
He believed in me, even when I never believed in myself. He’d always gone the distance to show it, and I accepted it but had to wonder if I’d ever really given him anything back. When I looked at him, the warmth he’d always had was still there, but now, through adult eyes, I could also see the love he had for me. It made my next question easy to ask.
“What if I’m ready to come home?”
He leaned in close and captured my earlobe in his teeth. When I hissed, he drew back and smirked at me. “I happen to have a king-size bed and wouldn’t mind sharing it with someone.” His expression turned serious. “Are you ready to come home?”
I so was, and I told him as much.
REMEMBER WHEN I said my boss was a good sort? Yeah, forget that. He was pissed when I said I was leaving with no notice. Even after he heard it was for true love, he didn’t care.
Obviously not a Princess Bride fan, because they would understand.
After he hung up on me, Tim came over, sat behind me, and wrapped his arms around my chest, comforting me. “Bosses are like diapers. Always on your ass, and generally full of shit. Companies expect that you’re all in for them, but rarely do they return the favor. Don’t let it stress you.” He kissed my cheek. “This weekend we’ll go to Chicago and get your stuff and bring it home with us.”
I pulled away and turned to face him. “What if this doesn’t work out?”
He shook his head, then pulled me down into his lap and frowned at me. “Do you doubt my ability to make you happy? Because even after everything, I know that I will never be satisfied until we’re together.”
Melt.
“No, I don’t doubt you, but what if—”
He slid his big, blunt fingers through my hair and massaged my head. It felt amazing. “There’s always going to be a what-if. What if one of us gets sick like my mom? What if I lose you in an accident like I did with my father? The world offers no promises, no guarantees that we’ll be happy forever. We can only do our best to ensure we’ll love each other for as long as we can.” He bent and kissed my forehead. “Do I make you happy, Scotty?”
“Yes.” I reached up, grabbed him by the hair, and pulled him down to me. “Yes, you do.” A flash of heat zipped through me, and I wanted to preserve the moment forever. I reached for my phone, flipped it to the camera, and held it up. “Selfie!”
The click of the camera came a second before the image appeared on the screen.
“Wow, you look hot.”
“You think you’re getting laid, don’t you?” Tim snickered. “Only when I say so.”
I tried to sit up, but he put his hand on my chest to hold me in place.
“Told you, you had your way for far too long. Now we’re going to do things at my pace.”
“For how long?”
He stroked a hand over his chin. “Hm. Let’s see. How long were you gone?”
“No way!” That didn’t sound good at all.
“Five years, two months, thirteen days. I own your ass for that long.”
Own my ass? Well, I had to admit, that part didn’t sound so bad….
“Come on. I need to get you fed. I know you have to be hungry.”
“I am, but….” I didn’t move. “Can we talk first?”
He cocked his head. “Sure. Are you okay? I was only teasing about—”
“No! I mean, I’m fine with that part. We didn’t get to talk about what I saw in the diner.”
“Okay. I wasn’t sure you were ready. I know this stuff freaks you out.”
“It should, but…. Can I tell you about the first time I saw a ghost?”
He laid an arm over my chest. “You can tell me anything and everything. My ears are yours.”
I breathed out. “His name was Jeff….”
The story came out in fits and starts. Small things about Jeff were suddenly clear in my mind. I could picture him, hear his voice, see those freckles. I remembered his infectious laugh as he crashed Superman into the alien we created out of Legos. I also remembered him touching me softly, gently. And though it had been many years, something he said flashed back to me.
I don’t hurt anymore. Thank you for making the pain stop.
“And all this happened when we were kids? Weren’t you scared?”
I shook my head. “I thought he was another kid from the neighborhood. I didn’t question why he was there. I was just happy I had someone to play with. He wasn’t you, but then again, who was?”
Tim’s cheeks actually pinked.
“But when I saw that little girl, another memory came to me. Jeff had marks around his neck, and so did the girl in the diner. They were like the ones we saw on me earlier.”
He peeled the collar of my shirt down and ran his fingers over the bruises. “I’m sorry.”
“Why? You didn’t do it.”
A frown marred his face. “I should have been able to do something.”
“No. You can’t think like that.” I drew in a shuddering breath. “I’m not sure why this one is in you, but the others? I think I’m supposed to see them.”
Tim narrowed his gaze. “What are you saying?”
What was I saying? “I don’t know for sure, but I think they’re drawn to me for some reason.”
“Okay…. Like what?”
“They needed help. Jeff was happy when he had someone to play with him, and once I did, he disappeared. The little girl said she was afraid, the woman with the baby at the train station—”
“Wait. What?”
Sigh. Okay, I hadn’t told him that part. So I did, and his eyes grew wider.
“See, she asked me for help too. Maybe that’s supposed
to be my thing. What if I’m supposed to help them somehow?”
“Okay, let’s assume that’s right. Does that mean you’re meant to help that thing that came out of my chest?”
I recoiled at the thought. “No, him I’d never help. You didn’t see the face on the boy as that bastard killed him. The kid trusted him, actually cared for him, and for that, he died. No, most definitely not helping him.”
“Okay, so no on the nasty thing. But the kids?”
“The first person I know he killed was a teenage boy with blond hair and blue eyes. The girl from the diner? Blonde hair, blue eyes. Jeff? Blond hair, blue eyes. The… whatever he was, told me that the boy I saw him strangle was the one he enjoyed most, so it definitely wasn’t his first. What if he wasn’t his last? What if these ghosts that are coming to me now were all victims of his?”
Tim cocked his head. “Okay, let’s go with that train of thought. What about Jeff? What could you do when you were just a kid?”
I hadn’t thought of that, but the niggle in my mind said that I was on the right track. “I’m not sure.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, anything.”
“What are ghosts?”
I scratched my chin, trying to come up with an answer that would make sense, since even I wasn’t 100 percent certain. “They’re echoes of some sort. I believe everyone has something inside them, a part that gets set free when they die. Some call it a soul, some say it’s energy that’s released. I’m not sure what it is, but for some people it’s…. How do I say this? It’s louder than others. If I went to a canyon and shouted, my voice would carry. If you went there and shouted, yours would be louder than mine and would carry farther because you’re bigger, stronger, and a whole lot louder.” I grinned when he stuck his tongue out at me. “That’s what I think a ghost is. It’s an echo of a person. Some, especially those who had something gruesome in their lives, are stronger and refuse to go silent. Others are soft, like whispers that vanish over time. No clue if there is a light that they walk into, but they disappear.”
The Spirit Key Page 8