“No. But she said I reminded her of a bloke by the name of Elvis Presley. Who is this man? Would you agree?”
Not in a million years.
“Marmi, I need to tell you something and I don’t want you to overreact. You and Myrtle are under the spell of a lust potion.”
He shook his head defiantly. “I’m afraid that’s impossible, my dear friend.”
“No. I’m telling you, it happened in The Witches’ Room last night at Spencer House. That’s why I had that dream. And the urges. It’s terrible.”
He shook his head again. “I’m afraid that you might be under the influence of some frightening lust potion, but I guarantee you this is not the case for Myrtle May and me. See, Sophie, we are not in lust, we are in love.”
CHAPTER TEN
I did not have time for ghosts in love.
Marmi was still floating, literally and figuratively, while I cooled off. Thank goodness I’d checked my hair in the bathroom mirror. My short do had gone all askew. I ran my fingers through it like a comb and tucked the stray strands behind my ear. Phew. Close call.
I’d barely settled into my chair when Cal stormed in full of fury. He plunked my lunch bag on the counter.
“Trouble locating light bulbs, old chap?” Marmaduke asked.
“Guess who just parked her car next to mine?”
The question answered itself when Dianne pushed the door open and Rachel followed her in. I was guessing that Rachel had driven them on their shopping adventure.
“I’ll be in my exam room,” Cal told me.
“Cal!” Dianne rebuked him. “Where are you going? Don’t be rude. I brought you a gift.”
“Listen to your mother, Cal,” Rachel teased.
Marmaduke spied Rachel. Curiously, he faded from my side, reappearing at hers.
“Mom.” Cal faced her. “Is this really necessary?”
She pulled a sweater from her shopping bag. “The days are getting colder. I thought you could use some warmer clothes.”
“I’m an adult. I do know how to dress myself.”
Dianne wasn’t thwarted. She held the blue and gray argyle sweater up to his chest to eye its fit. Actually, the blue was a nice color on him. I liked it. I found myself yearning for a few Cal kisses. Thank goodness for small miracles, I thought. At least the lust spell wasn’t affecting my passion for the man I really loved.
“And I got you something too, Sophie,” Dianne said, retrieving an unrecognizable bundle from her bag.
Marmi was still sizing up Rachel. “That handbag dangling from her shoulder,” he said. “Maybe I’ll just give it a tug.”
Keeping one eye on Marmi, I accepted the item from Dianne and unfolded it. “Oh,” I said with mock enthusiasm, “a sweatshirt.” I hung it up to my body. “A big, orange sweatshirt.”
“I hope it’s not too large,” Dianne said, “it looks bigger here than it did in the store.”
I peeked at the label. “It’s an extra large. I usually wear a small or a medium.”
“That’s my fault,” Rachel said. “For some reason I always think of you as...rounder.”
“Yes, well, I think someone needs to teach this fiend a lesson. And I think that someone should be me.” Marmaduke yanked hard on Rachel’s purse. She flinched and her forehead creased. “You have an awfully strong draft in here,” she said, pulling her purse tight.
“Not enough force,” Marmi mumbled. “Let’s try this again.” He yanked harder this time and the purse visibly swung away from her body, hanging in midair.
Rachel let out a yelp and fumbled to pull the thing back.
By the time Dianne turned to Rachel, Marmi had released the purse. It fell back to Rachel’s side.
“Is everything okay?” Dianne asked Rachel.
“My, uh,” Rachel spun in a full circle, searching for something. “I just think I’ll wait for you in the car.”
When she was gone Cal laid into his mother. “Tell her from now on she should always wait in the car. Or better yet, tell her to just stay home. I think they call it Hades.”
“If you had treated her with more respect when you were married, you wouldn’t feel the need to disparage her so rigorously now. This is the same sort of scorn I’m hearing from your father. And speaking of your father, could you give him a call and tell him to please back off. I need some space right now to discover myself.”
Deciding I’d had a bad enough day already, and knowing this was more of a personal issue between Cal and his mother, I picked up my lunch bag and excused myself. “I’ll be in the vision therapy room. Need to eat before our one o’clock patient.”
Cal joined me just as I stuffed the last bite of salmon burger into my mouth.
He plopped into the chair across the table and opened his own bag, staring into it forlornly. “I think I lost my appetite.”
“I’m sorry. How did the rest of that talk go?”
“It felt a little one-sided. From what I can gather, she and Rachel spend their time swapping bad husband stories.”
I reached across the table, taking his hand in mine. “You weren’t a bad husband.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know you’re a good boyfriend. Don’t you dare let that woman make you doubt yourself. You care genuinely for your patients, you coach soccer and those kids love you. You nursed me tenderly when I had that terrible cold. You’re a good man.”
“Thanks,” he said. He turned his wrist to check his watch. “That lunch hour flew by too quickly. We’d better get ready. Who’s in at one?”
“A new patient. I’ll let you know when she’s here.” I crumpled my lunch bag to throw away. “Tara canceled Ghost Group tonight. She has school commitments. But she’s meeting Shane here for just a couple of minutes so they can discuss Myrtle. Maybe see if she can help him with that.”
I felt guilty for holding back my latest discovery, but really, what was I supposed to say? Tell my boyfriend I was lusting after another man, but it wasn’t my fault? The witches did it? I don’t think so. Especially not while he still had half a day of seeing patients ahead of him.
His mood brightened. He stood. “That’s good news. Is it selfish of me to be glad that he won’t be relying on you anymore?”
I shook my head and the guilt deepened. “Not at all.” I gave him a long, warm kiss.
“Should we give date night a try again?”
“My place,” I said. “Be there or be square.” On the outside I smiled and joked, but on the inside, I was a conflicted mess. How in the world was I going to keep Cal from realizing that Shane and I were hot for each other? My stomach started knotting from nerves.
I glanced down the hall and spotted Ronald Ellison, the timid realtor from the other side of the building. Ron had actually died a couple of months back. On the first day I came to work for Cal as a matter of fact. The whole experience had been surreal as I watched Ron re-enter his body and revive. Ever since that day, he’d been able to see spirits around him. Unfortunately, his wife Dory wasn’t aware of his new gift, and he was terrified to tell her. Dory was more than a bit domineering and not at all open minded to the paranormal.
“Ron,” I said, still distracted from the Shane dilemma. “How are you?”
“I’m disappointed that Ghost Group was canceled,” he admitted. “I just got the call from Tara. I’ve been making progress and I was looking forward to sharing.”
“What kind of progress?” I asked him. “Did you tell Dory?”
“I’m continuing with the slow approach,” he said. “Dory isn’t the kind of person that you can just blurt out this kind of news to. But, last night, as part of my multiphase strategy, I ordered in a romantic dinner. We ate by candlelight, then after, we watched that movie Ghost, with Patrick Swayze.”
I nodded. “That’s Marmi’s favorite.”
“She didn’t frown or make fun once and even said that if a ghost came to her that looked like Patrick Swayze, she wouldn’t kick him out of her bed.”
I laughed. “That does sound like progress.”
“It’s not the ultimate goal, but I think I’m getting there.”
“Let me know if there’s anything I can ever do for you on that front.”
“Ghost group alone has given me more courage than ever. I hope they continue. It’s a pleasure to spend time with people like ourselves, don’t you think?”
“It is,” I said. “I couldn’t agree more.” Ron’s mention of people like us gave me an idea. Ron was a nice man. He’d be glad to help me keep Cal away while Shane and Tara met.
“Hey, Ron,” I said, lowering my voice, “could I ask a big favor of you?”
“Sure. What do you need?”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
On the nights we held Ghost Group, we usually said goodbye to our last patient around six p.m. and then began rearranging the vision therapy room to accommodate members. Tonight, with group canceled, we were able to close up shop ten minutes early and didn’t have to worry about moving furniture. I popped into Cal’s exam room and helped him cover the equipment for the night. “Ron is having a problem with a leaky faucet in the bathroom at their office,” I said. “He was hoping you could help him with it.”
“Why don’t I go up now?” he suggested. “We have to hang around here until Tara and Shane are done meeting, right?”
Wow. That went more smoothly than I’d dared to hope. My own shame at deceiving him was brewing though. I wouldn’t be able to keep my predicament from him much longer. Hoodwinking wasn’t the right way to continue a meaningful relationship. “Yeah,” I said, my voice cracking from the strain, “that works perfectly. In fact, I’ll finish here and you go ahead.”
“Okay. I’m getting famished though. I hope everything wraps up quickly so we can get home to dinner.” He kissed my neck. “And other things.”
Me too, I thought.
As I began wiping down the exam desk, Cal called from the front door. “Shane’s here!”
My eyes bulged and my heart pounded. Here? He was supposed to wait in his car.
I peeked into the hall and stared, speechless, as I watched Shane and Cal both watching me from the office door. Shane had that hungry look in his eyes and Cal had that glassy look in his eyes he gets when he’s hungry. They were different kinds of hungry.
“Shane. You’re early,” I said, keeping my distance behind the exam room door.
Shane, not resisting the magnetism of the spell, started my way. “No!” I shouted. “Stay there.”
Myrtle and Marmaduke materialized at the same time.
“Marmalade!” Myrtle cried with joy.
“My little Myrtle May Flower,” Marmi oozed. “You’ve returned at last.”
A crease formed between Cal’s eyebrows. He looked at me questioningly. “Marmalade? May Flower?”
“I forgot to tell you. They’re in love.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, old chap,” Marmaduke sighed. “We’ve fallen seriously in amour.”
“I’ll uh, go help Ron I guess.” He left shaking his head.
I waited until the door closed behind him before laying into Shane. “I told you to wait in your car, and I’d text you when Tara got here.”
“I can’t help myself. I keep having these thoughts. Maybe if I could just touch you they’d go away?”
“Nice try. That is precisely why you have to stay away.”
“And Myrtle is worse than ever now.” He cocked his head. “Where is she?”
“In the corner. Nuzzling with Marmaduke.”
Shane mimed a mouth with his hand. “Yappity yappity yappity. Marmalade Marmalade Marmalade. She insisted we come in.”
A familiar and friendly face appeared through the glass panels of the door.
“Shane,” I said, “that’s Tara at the door. Would you let her in?”
He pulled the door open, giving her room to enter.
She looked him up and down. “You must be Shane.” She extended her hand. “Tara Wiley. Sophie told me about your situation.” She waved at me. “Hi Sophie!” She squinted. “I don’t have anything catching,” she joked. “You can join us.”
“That would be nice, but there’s been a discovery since you and I last talked. It’s probably best if I stay down here.”
“Discovery?” Tara’s gaze fell on Myrtle. “Hello, you must be Myrtle.”
“Yes, ma’am I am,” Myrtle said.
Tara smiled. “And how are you today, Marmaduke?”
“Smitten,” he answered, barely taking his eyes from Myrtle. “Positively smitten.”
Tara smiled. “Is that the discovery?”
“Shane,” I said, “you stay there. Tara, can you come down here a minute so I don’t have to yell? We don’t have much time before Cal shows up.”
Tara moved down the hall while Shane paced like a big cat in the grasslands.
“I’m sensing an incredible amount of tension in the air,” she said.
I stared at the water bottle in her hands. “There’s tension all right. Can I have your water for a minute?”
She obliged. I poured some of the water into my hand and splashed my face and chest. I handed the bottle back. “Thanks. That helped. I think two witch ghosts cast a lust spell on us at Spencer House last night. It’s been unbearable.”
“You saw Bettina and Paloma? Oh boy. I’ve heard stories.” She tapped her foot, a definite sign of distress. “Listen, I had the time wrong for back to school night. I thought I’d just meet Shane quickly and arrange a better time to sit with him and Myrtle. Hopefully at Spencer House.”
“What about this spell?” I blurted in a panic.
“I’m thinking you should come now, too. The day manager there is a friend of mine. She’s happy to have us come around noon tomorrow.”
“Thank goodness. The night manager doesn’t believe in ghosts.”
She nodded. “She told me. So does that work? Can I tell Shane?”
“The middle of day is tough for me. Cal doesn’t have another receptionist.”
She cringed. “I’m afraid it’s the only time I have tomorrow. My day is crammed with other appointments.” She tapped her watch. “Noon tomorrow, yes?”
“I’ll take what I can get. Thank you so much. You’re a gem. Can you take Shane with you? Make sure he gets in his car and leaves.”
She laughed. “See you tomorrow.”
Marmaduke blew kisses to Myrtle. “Good night! Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow. That I should say good night till it be morrow.”
Myrtle tilted her head and waved. “Bye bye, Sugar! I’ll miss ya.”
Marmi sighed when the door closed. “Is she not an exquisite gem? A splendidly flawless diamond. Her beauty sparkles.”
“You have it bad for her, don’t you?”
“I do, dear Sophie, I do.”
“Marmi, just remember the spell. I know you don’t want to believe it, but I think you and Myrtle might have been affected too. The timing is, you know, a little more than coincidental. This might all end when I figure out how to get the spell reversed.”
Marmaduke floated toward me. “You do not believe our love is true?”
I shrugged. “I’m sure it feels real.”
“Well, your lack of faith confounds and pains me.” He tipped his hat and began to fade. “I bid you farewell.”
Ah geez. Always with the drama. Maybe I was wrong about Marmi and Myrtle. I hoped I was wrong. They did make a cute couple in a sickly sweet sort of way.
Cal returned not long after Shane and Tara were
gone. I barely kept from throwing myself into his arms and stripping us both naked just for some relief. As it was, I might have been panting, but he was busy talking and didn’t notice.
“Ron’s faucet wasn’t leaky, he just hadn’t turned it off all the way. Sometimes I worry about that man. I think his wife has him too scared to think straight.”
I wondered what methods Ron had used to keep Cal around long enough for Shane to come and go. “She is overbearing.” I fanned myself. Cal did look awfully good right now and my engine had already been revved.
“I wonder if it wasn’t just a ploy,” he said with a hint of suspicion in his voice.
I froze in my fantasies of Cal unbuttoning my blouse. “Uhm. A ploy?”
“I think he wants me to buy a house.”
Whew. My heart slowed. “Why?”
“He kept showing me listings and asking if I thought it was the kind of house I’d buy. I said no, I have a house.”
“Of course you do.” I’d have to give Ron a big thank you later.
“Thank goodness my dad called on my cell, and I had an excuse to escape.”
“Your dad called?” Little by little, I was getting myself together. Probably.
He rolled his eyes. “He’s been kind enough to keep me out of things this long, but he’s had enough and wants to talk with me since my mother is hanging up on him now. He’s driving up tomorrow and we’ll have lunch. You’ll finally get to meet him.”
Just before we met, Cal’s parents had moved into a retirement community two hours south. His mother had been up a few times to see friends, and I’d met her then, but I had yet to meet his father. Meeting parents always made me nervous and I was already nervous enough knowing I had to tell Cal the truth about the spell. I pasted a smile on my face and feigned enthusiasm. “Oh good!” I said.
Some Like it Haunted (A Sophie Rhodes Ghostly Romane Book 2) Page 6