Disappointed, but not wanting to cause the man further anguish, she tried to assure him. “That’s okay, Frank. You don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want. Maybe we can visit another time.” Standing, she signaled to Colt it was time to leave.
“I’ll stop by and see you tomorrow,” Colt told Frank. He gently clapped him on the shoulder.
“It was a pleasure to meet you,” Shay said, squeezing his hand. “Thank you for talking with me today. I’m sorry if I upset you. I hope you feel better soon.” As she strolled from the room, she looked over her shoulder to see he fixed her with a poignant stare. She realized he most likely knew his days were numbered.
* * * * *
After Opal had showed Colt and Shay to the door, she entered Frank’s room to discover him in an agitated state. She rushed to his side. “Frank, what’s wrong? Are you having an attack?”
“No. Get me the picture,” he wheezed. “You know which one.”
Opal pulled open the bottom drawer of the same dresser where the photo album had been stored and retrieved a five-by-seven picture frame. Since she’d been working for him, he’d only asked her one other time to bring it out. The frame usually stayed hidden beneath old shirts Frank no longer wore. She handed it to him. “You haven’t asked to see this in a while.”
Opal fell silent as Frank studied the faded color photograph. When he finally spoke, his voice cracked. “Don’t she look like the woman who was just here?”
Opal examined the photo and then patted Frank’s arm. He was becoming more sentimental and befuddled as each day passed. She was afraid he wouldn’t last much longer. To appease him, she said, “They’re both real pretty gals, no doubt about it.”
Frank laid the photo face down on his chest and closed his eyes.
“Let’s take your blood pressure,” Opal suggested, reaching for the cuff. “Then I’ll give you a pill so you can sleep.”
She felt terrible he had no family to be with him in his final days. Colt was as close to family as Frank had left. Frank was a nice old man, and she hated to see him fading. Unfortunately, watching patients die came with the territory. Still, it broke her heart.
Twenty-Five
“Frank didn’t give us much,” Colt said, helping Shay into the truck. He jumped in on his side and backed up and headed for Main Street.
She sighed. “I get the feeling he had paranormal experiences in the saloon when he owned it, but I didn’t want to push him. He looks so fragile.” She felt Colt’s eyes on her. When she turned her head, he was smiling.
“You really didn’t see the likeness between you and Cynthia Averill?” he asked.
It was impossible to deny that both Colt and Frank thought there was a similarity, but it was just one of those things. What she’d told them was true. All her life, people had mistaken her for someone else.
“I guess we look a little bit alike, if you consider us both being short and having long hair a resemblance. The photo was grainy. Don’t think too hard on it. You told me Frank has his senile moments.”
“True.” Colt reached over and grasped her hand.
The familiarity between them was growing more comfortable with each touch and kiss. His hand felt warm and comforting and strong.
“I think you need to forget about ghosts for a while,” he suggested. “My brother’s birthday is tomorrow and Mama asked me to invite you over to the house for supper and cake.”
That caught her off guard. Apparently he hadn’t told his mom that there was nothing between them. “That’s so sweet of your mother to invite me. Does she think we’re dating?”
A sheepish grin filled his face. “Yes. She’s been trying to hook me up with ladies for a few years now. She just assumed . . .”
“You haven’t told her you’re not interested in a committed relationship?” Shay was confused. Why wouldn’t his family know that, if he were so opposed to marrying again?
“She worries about me being alone. You know how mothers are.”
Shay did know. Her mother had been a caring and loving woman, and Shay missed her every single day. Colt’s mom seemed just as loving. She supposed it wouldn’t hurt to accept her invitation. Some down time with Colt’s family might be what she needed to take her mind off of all that was going on.
“Do you want me to go?” she asked, not wanting him to feel pressured.
“Sure. I wouldn’t have told you if I didn’t.”
“You don’t think your brother will mind my being there?”
“Hell, no. The more the merrier.”
“Thank you, Colt. It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed a family celebration of any kind. And your family seems so nice. You’re right. It’ll be good to forget about ghosts for a day.”
He squeezed her hand. “We’re glad to have you. Especially me.”
He flashed a dazzling smile that caused her insides to melt like hot butter. Despite the mixed messages she’d been getting from him since they’d met, she had a hard time controlling the way she felt. She was so attracted to him, but still afraid of getting hurt. Could be he was acting one way, but felt another when it came down to brass tacks.
When he slammed the gearshift into park, she realized they were already at the Buckhorn. “That didn’t take long to get back.”
“We hit all the green lights this time.”
They were still holding hands with their fingers twined. “Do you have any plans for tonight?” she asked, immediately wishing she’d left well enough alone.
“Yes, I do. I have a dinner meeting with some other realtors.”
“Oh.”
“Why? What’d you have in mind?”
She had no idea what she’d had in mind. Her brain had not caught up with her big mouth. “I thought I could cook for you. Pay you back for the pizza. Maybe another night.”
He scooted to the center of the seat and gazed into her eyes. “I could come over for dessert.”
She shivered when he leaned in and grazed her neck with his lips. How did he know that was one of her sensitive spots?
“That would work,” she breathed. She tilted her neck and closed her eyes, and relinquished herself to the tingles that raced through her body as Colt lightly nibbled the arch of her neck. The musky scent of his aftershave drifted into her nostrils, causing her to feel lightheaded. She knew she should stop him, but it had been so long since a man had wanted her.
When his lips found hers and they melded, he put his arms around her and crushed her to his chest. The pounding of his beating heart matched hers in perfect rhythm as they kissed.
She finally pulled back and rasped, “I guess I’d better let you go.” If she didn’t put an end to this, they’d end up lying on the seat making out in broad daylight. She wasn’t interested in giving anyone in town a show, but the devilish twinkle in his eyes revealed he wouldn’t care if that were to happen.
Passion flashed in his eyes when he replied, “I’ll be over at eight o’clock. Sharp.”
Shay couldn’t speak. She could only smile as she pushed open the door and slid off the seat. When he winked, she waved and stepped onto the sidewalk with her insides jumping. After he’d pulled away, she inhaled several deep breaths and wondered what trouble she’d just agreed to.
“Dessert. Nothing more,” she murmured, trying to convince herself that was all there would be. “He’s coming over for coffee and dessert.”
Well aware of his double meaning when he’d said the word dessert, she was determined not to let him get the upper hand tonight. Although her foot was still sore, she decided to take her time and stroll to the corner grocery. She had nothing in her kitchen, and she fully intended to have something edible for him when he came over.
While browsing through the aisles, she had no idea of what to buy. Was Colt a cheesecake man? Did he like ice cream? Was he partial to pie? All men liked pie, but she’d never made a homemade one before. The freezer section of the small store had three types to choose from. She picked the cherry and b
ought a container of vanilla ice cream, too.
As she ambled home, she was more than aware of the fact that, besides not knowing what kind of sweets he liked, there were a million other things she didn’t know about Colt. That was all the more reason for her to keep her emotions in check tonight. Falling for a man too soon had gotten her in trouble before.
Unlocking the door to the saloon, she stepped in and angled her head. All was silent for the moment. There was plenty of time to bake the pie, so after popping it and the ice cream into the freezer, she walked up the stairs, feeling light as cotton.
It was not easy to get a man like Colt out of her head. No matter how many logical protests she considered, there was no denying the connection she felt to him. If she was a believer in reincarnation, she would have thought they’d been lovers, or husband and wife, in another time and place.
Lovers. The word conjured up images best put into the locked corner of her mind. At thirty-three, she’d had a few, including the two men she’d been engaged to. But lovers came a dime a dozen. That was a lesson both men had taught her. They’d used her to get to her father’s money. Being a man’s lover no longer meant to her what it once did.
Colt was forty. He’d made it clear he had no intentions of marrying again. She had no intention of entering into a relationship in which she’d have to wonder if someone wanted her for who she was or for her bank account. That much they had in common—feeling the same way about relationships.
Shay flopped onto her bed, smiling with a sudden epiphany. She and Colt were grown adults who were clearly physically attracted to each other. He did not hide the fact that he wanted to have sex with her. Why should she be any different? Women had the same needs and desires as men. A couple didn’t need to be in a relationship to enjoy sex. Gary and Tom had proven that people could pair off the same as animals, driven by one purpose only—physical need. Lots of people made love with no strings attached. Why couldn’t she?
Twenty-Six
The sweet and tangy scent of warm cherry pie wafted out from the kitchen and up the stairs. It was seven o’clock. Colt wasn’t due for another hour, so Shay ran a tub of water, added scented oil, and slipped out of her clothes. Her legs needed shaving and her hair washed. As she scrubbed all her bits and pieces with liquid soap and moved the razor under her armpits, her nerves began to dance.
Was she actually going to seduce Colt tonight? That had never been her style, to make the first move on a man. Maybe that was another reason Gary and Tom had both left her, she thought. I wasn’t sexy or seductive enough.
Well, that was all going to change. Colt was going to be the lucky guy. She’d show him just what kind of a wildcat she could be, and give him one erotic night he’d never forget.
She sank lower into the tub. The hot water combined with the oil soothed her muscles and helped her relax. Before long, her eyes grew weary. She laid her head back and closed her eyes, letting sleep wash over her.
* * * * *
Shay woke with a start, struggling to breathe. Ice-cold hands gripped her throat, attempting to squeeze the air out of her lungs. Before she could catch a breath, someone pushed her face down into the water. She opened her eyes underwater and saw Callie leaning into the bathtub, holding her down, with her own face twisted in anguish.
From below the slick bubbles, Shay heard her grit out, “Ev…er...ett.”
Nearly out of breath, Shay kicked her feet and water splashed over the sides as she jetted herself to the surface. “No,” she gurgled, trying to pry the hands from her throat. When her gaze connected directly with Callie’s, the spirit vanished.
Sputtering and coughing, Shay gripped the side of the tub with one hand and massaged her neck with the other. She pulled the plug and climbed out of the tub and hurriedly dried off. Her gaze darted around the bathroom. A peek into her bedroom assured her Callie was not waiting to ensnare her again.
She’d just thrown on a robe and quickly toweled off her hair when she heard a knock at the front door. The bedside clock read eight o’clock. In bare feet, Shay limped down the stairs and flung open the door.
“Callie choked me,” she cried to Colt.
He pushed his way inside. “What? When?”
“Just now. Do you see marks on my neck?” She stretched her neck out like a goose so he could inspect.
“No. Tell me what happened.” He took her arm and led her further inside.
Shay explained. “I was taking a bath, and I guess I fell asleep. I woke up and Callie was strangling me. She tried to drown me. Her face was twisted, and she spoke Everett’s name again.”
Sliding his hand under her wet hair, Colt examined her throat again and announced there were no bruises, and no scratches or marks of any kind.
“Does she want to kill me?” Shay asked. “How can I help her if I’m dead?” Alarm turned to resentment. How dare this ghost continue to assault her! “I’ve been doing my best to figure out what she wants, and this is how she repays me?”
“That’s a helluva way to convince you to help,” Colt answered with sarcasm.
Shay felt more confused than ever. Had Callie been the one to choke Colt that night? She didn’t think so. That had been a male. Why all the choking? Why was Callie angry with her? Was she angry? Or was she simply trying to send her another message?
“I don’t think she really intended to hurt me,” Shay decided after calming down.
“Darlin’, I don’t know what they call it where you come from, but around here we consider strangulation the act of a homicidal maniac. You should, too.”
“I believe she’s trying to tell me something.”
“Then why doesn’t she tell you already, instead of wrapping her damned dead hands around your neck?”
Shay felt his frustration, but her mind was functioning with more clarity now. “I don’t know, but I need to learn more about Everett. He’s the key. I’ll go back to the historical society tomorrow and pick up where I left off reading the newspaper articles. Hopefully I’ll find something that will confirm a murder did take place here.”
“If there was a murder. You don’t have proof of that yet.”
“No, but I intend to find it.”
Colt didn’t argue with her. Seemed he wanted to end the conversation. As his gaze slid up and down her body, his mouth curved into a grin and she realized how she was dressed—in a short silk robe, naked underneath, with wet hair and bare feet. Her plan to seduce him wasn’t going as expected, but he seemed willing to roll with whatever she had in mind.
“If you’re trying to turn me on,” he said, “you’re doing an excellent job of it.” She followed his wide gaze to the cleavage popping out of the folds of her robe.
This was the make it or break it moment. Colt looked ready to sweep her into his arms and haul her upstairs like Rhett Butler. She could go with it and release her inner vixen, as she’d convinced herself she would, or she could serve him pie and ice cream and then say good night and go to bed alone. She cinched the belt around her waist tight and pulled the robe together. “I’m sorry, Colt.”
He chewed his lower lip and sighed—loudly. “I know what you’re going to say. No need to apologize. It’s been a long day for both of us.” He blew air from his mouth like a horse would. “Try to get some rest tonight, and I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”
Disappointment seeped from his voice, which made her feel bad, but not bad enough to stop him from leaving. It would have been a big mistake to sleep with him tonight. Call her old fashioned, but she simply wasn’t the kind of woman to jump into bed after a few dates. If he was the kind of man who liked that type of woman, they weren’t right for each other.
Neither of them mentioned dessert. It seemed ridiculous to offer him pie now.
“Do you still want me to go to your brother’s birthday party with you?” she asked as he skulked to the door.
“Sure. Mama’s counting on it.”
Mama was counting on it, but what about him? She didn’t want
to ask. “Okay, then. Guess I’ll still go.”
He stepped outside and told her he’d pick her up at six o’clock tomorrow night. No kiss and no mention of getting together during the day tomorrow. He didn’t even wave after he’d gotten into the truck. Just drove away.
She sneezed from her wet hair and glared at his taillights fading into the night. Maybe a one-night stand was what he’d been interested in after all. She locked up, covered the pie with tin foil, and struggled to tamp down the longing twisting in her heart as she climbed the stairs and crawled into bed alone.
Twenty-Seven
After a restless night, Shay rose early the next morning and dressed. She was anxious to put the previous evening behind her and start a new day with a fresh attitude. She had no regrets when it came to her decision about Colt. She had to remain true to herself, and that meant holding out for true love, or steering clear of men altogether. Since she didn’t believe in true love anymore, it was better to keep her distance from Colt, no matter how good looking he was or how great he smelled, or how sweet he could be.
She’d go to Colt’s parents’ house with him tonight, but once the party was over, she’d tell him they couldn’t see each other anymore. She’d miss him, but the sadness of loss would pass. It had before. He wasn’t interested in anything but a fun time, and being used wasn’t her idea of fun. She’d been there, done that.
Today, the plan was to delve back into the binder of newspapers at the historical society. Callie’s trouble obviously had to do with Everett, whoever he was. Being murdered seemed problematic enough, but there must be more, Shay thought. Callie had originally asked her for help. It was still to be seen what kind of help was needed. Everett was involved. That much Shay knew for sure.
A Haunted Twist of Fate Page 11