“Falling.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Emily focused on gathering the tickets and other items, refusing to meet Rachel’s gaze.
“For Caster. You’re falling in love with him all over again.”
Emily was silent for several moments, and her friend let out an exasperated breath. “Come on, we’ve been friends since we were kids. You’ve never lied to me before. Admit it.”
Emily cleared her throat and let out a long sigh. “I don’t ever think I unfell.”
Rachel raised her brows as if she hadn’t expected her to admit it so quickly. “Oh Lordy, girlfriend, are you in trouble.”
“Most definitely a possibility.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know exactly.”
“Maybe you should take things to the next level with Ken. It will keep you from making a mistake with Caster.”
“I don’t need one man to keep me from making a fool of myself over another.” I hope…“But I do need your help. Trade me roles. I can’t keep doing this with Caster night after night.”
“You want my Lizzie Borden ax? You want me to cozy up to that…monster?”
Emily winced. “Yeah, please? For me?”
Rachel let out a heavy sigh and tugged the wildly frazzled wig from her head. “Fine, then. Anything to keep you out of Satan’s clutches.”
Emily chuckled. “So don’t hold back. How do you really feel about him?”
Chapter Four
Caster pulled off his surgical cap and sank into the comfort of the sofa in the doctor’s lounge. He rubbed his hands roughly over his face. God, he hated days like this. He leaned back and closed his eyes, grateful he was alone. He needed to de-stress, work on letting it go. But, that wasn’t easy to do after watching a kid die.
What he really wanted was to be with Emily right now. Her presence settled him, somehow helped him feel at peace. And being in her house had felt like…well, coming home. He’d always been proud of his stylish bachelor pad. The decorator he’d hired said the abstract artwork, the modular design, the black, gray, and white leather furniture was the in thing. But now, it all felt a little cold, pretentious.
A chill in the room made him snap his eyes open.
Joey hovered in front of him. Caster rose and glanced quickly around. “Jesus, Joey, what are you doing here?”
“We need to talk. Don’t worry, no one can see me, unless I choose for them to. So, if anyone happens in, it will just look like you’re talking to yourself.”
“Great.” Caster grunted. “What do you want?”
“It appears you need a pep talk. You’re playing like the third string.”
“I’ve been my usual charming self. I even did as you suggested and started volunteering at the nursing home.”
“I know. Nice touch. But I’ve been watching you and trust me, we need more. You need to step up your game.”
“Watching me? With Emily?” Caster grimaced. “How come I haven’t felt that icy coldness that accompanies your appearances?”
“That only happens when I’m manifesting. When I hover, no cold air.”
Unbelievable. This whole damn thing was just…unbelievable. “You need to stop the hovering bullshit when Emily and I are together. I don’t like that. It creeps me out.”
“I have to. I gotta know if you’re keeping up with your end of the deal.”
Caster shook his head. “No, not if you want me to go along with this ridiculous charade. I’ll be tense, unnatural. And I definitely won’t be bringing my game, if I know you’re watching.”
“Okay, okay. Fine.”
“How do I know you’ll keep your word?”
Joey shrugged. “I have to. Ghosts can’t lie. It’s a weird little side effect.”
Caster wasn’t sure he was telling the truth now, but he was too weary to concern himself with it.
When he didn’t speak, Joey continued. “Whatever you’re doing isn’t working. That asshole is still around.”
“Emily is the kind of woman you have to take things slowly with.”
“Sure, if this was real. But you have to step it up, turn on the charm. You need to show you care, that you know her, buy her things that she loves. Her favorite flowers are white roses, she loves dark chocolate, and her favorite wine is Merlot. You need to move in on her, hard.”
Caster gave a humorless laugh and shook his head. “Do you hear yourself? You were her husband, for God’s sake. Have some respect.”
Joey’s face flushed. “I do respect her. That’s why I don’t want this asshole putting one over on her. She deserves to find someone who will truly love her and give her the things I couldn’t.”
A note of pain in his voice almost made Caster feel sorry for him. But not as sorry as he felt for the family who lost a loved one less than half an hour ago. “Listen, I’ve performed back-to-back surgeries today, and had my night capped off by an emergency surgery that ended with a young girl’s death. So, you’ll understand why I’m not in the mood for this right now.”
“I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do about that. My concern is with Emily. And I need you to follow through with your end of the deal.”
“Deal, my ass. You blackmailed me into going along with this bullshit. Well, I’m out. I’ll finish the haunted forest thing, but no more of this romancing Emily crap. I can’t use her like that. I can’t break her heart again.”
“Break her heart? You sound pretty sure she’ll fall for you. My, my. Someone’s full of himself.”
Caster stood and stalked to the door. “Look, I don’t know if she will or not, I just know I can’t do this any longer. You can destroy everything I own, keep me up every night for the rest of my life, but I’m done.”
He put his hand on the door, but Joey’s voice stopped him. “I’ll tell her.”
Caster paused and turned to face him. “You’ll what?”
“Not only will I continue to screw with you, even on the job, but I’ll appear to Emily, tell her about our little scheme. What do you think she’ll think of you then?”
“You’re bluffing. You wouldn’t hurt her like that.”
Joey shook his head and closed his eyes. When he opened them, they were suspiciously damp. “I don’t want to. But I’ll do anything to keep her from making the biggest mistake of her life.”
Caster let out a resigned sigh and shook his head. “Nah, getting mixed up with the two of us was the biggest mistake of her life.”
****
The trees closed in around them, and she and Caster were in their own secluded world, where no one could intrude. Caster was looking at her with love in his eyes, and she knew…he was about to ask her to marry him. She held her breath, waiting. Finally, all her dreams were coming true…
He opened his mouth to speak, but a large tree toppled into another with a loud snap. That one also toppled. Then another, and another. No!!! Their sanctuary was disappearing with a loud succession of booming cracks…
Emily’s eyes flew open, and she sat up in bed, pulse pounding in her ears. It was a dream…just a dream.
Was the sound she heard the beating of her heart?
No, she could still hear it. Someone was banging on the door.
She climbed from bed and threw on a robe. The clock on the nightstand showed three a.m. Who would be here at this time of night?
Crossing the living room, she grabbed a fireplace poker. Her neck muscles tightened with wariness as she hurried to the door.
Cautiously, she peered through the peephole. Her tension eased when she found Caster standing on her porch.
She threw the door open. “Caster?” He wore olive green scrubs, and his face looked haggard, his mouth drawn into a frown. The porch light reflected in his eyes, making them look like chipped emeralds. “Is everything okay?”
He stepped inside and snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her against him in a tight hug. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held on fier
cely. His muscles tensed, then relaxed beneath her hands.
“I’m sorry, I just…” He pulled away and looked into her eyes. One of his hands left her waist and cupped the back of her head. “I just…need you.” He bent his head and clamped his mouth onto hers. He coaxed her lips apart, slipping his tongue inside, searching, seeking, ravaging her with his kiss.
The scrape of his whiskers on her flesh was slightly painful, yet at the same time sensuous. Her knees weakened, and she stood on tiptoes, pressed her body into his, and returned the kiss. His hands slipped inside her robe, his fingers finding the flesh between her pajama top and bottoms. Heat scorched her skin, and she moaned deep in her throat.
With a strangled groan, he lifted his head, breaking the kiss. He squeezed his eyes shut and let out an unsteady breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t plan to…” He released her and stepped back.
She brought a trembling hand to her lips. Tingles washed over her skin, and she wrapped her robe more tightly around her body. “It—it’s okay.” She moved back and swept her arm out. “Do you want to come in?”
“I shouldn’t have come here at this time of night. You were sleeping.”
“I can see you’re upset. Want to tell me what happened? I can make coffee.”
“You sure?” His expression was a mixture of uncertainty and gratitude. She’d never seen Caster looking so…vulnerable, and it chipped away a little more at her heart. Danger…danger…
Ignoring the warning, she said, “Of course. Come in. Have a seat.”
She expected him to sit on the sofa, but he followed her into the kitchen and settled at the breakfast nook. There was something intimate and comforting about having him in her dimly lit kitchen in the wee hours before dawn. She brewed two cups of coffee in her Keurig and slid one to Caster. “You take anything in it?”
He shook his head. “Black is fine.”
She settled onto the stool across from him. “Want to tell me about it.”
Releasing a heavy sigh, he took a sip from his mug, then set it down with a plunk. “I performed an emergency surgery tonight. A rough one. Eighteen-year-old twin sisters went out shopping for their birthday. A carload of boys who were drag racing hit them head on.” He shuddered and took another gulp of coffee. “The boys were fine. One of the girls died at the scene. The other was in…bad shape. We went in knowing her chances were slim.” He shook his head, cleared his throat, but his voice was still hoarse when he spoke. “She didn’t make it. I had to go out and face her parents. Tell them I lost their only surviving child on the table.”
Tears sprang to her eyes, and she reached out and rested her hand on his. “Oh, Caster. I’m so sorry.”
He turned his hand over and caressed her fingers. Chills raced over her skin. “It was selfish of me to come over here and put this on you. To wake you in the middle of the night.” He raised his head and captured her eyes. His were filled with torment. “But you were the only one I wanted to see. To talk to.” He laughed without humor. “It’s crazy, but I—needed you.”
Her chest tightened, and she swallowed hard. “I’m glad you came to me. Glad we have that kind of friendship.”
His lips tightened. “Friendship? Is that what this is, Emily? Is that what the kiss was? Friendship?”
She pulled her hand from his and summoned all her willpower. “That kiss was a mistake. You needed human contact. That’s all.”
He studied her for a moment, his gaze moving over her hair, down to her lips, to her breasts. Fire burned everywhere the emerald orbs grazed. “You know, I hated myself for letting you go.”
Oh God, what was he doing to her? “It was best. We wanted different things.”
“But now, we can have a new start.”
“We still want different things.”
“Maybe not. Maybe I want it all.”
She peered closely at him. “I find that hard to believe.”
“Give me a chance to prove I’ve changed.”
“I—I’m seeing someone.” She couldn’t believe she played the Ken card. She couldn’t care less about Ken.
“Do you love him?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know how I feel right now, but I know it’s very late, and you’ve been through a horrible ordeal. You’re not thinking clearly.”
He gave a curt nod, pushed off the stool, and stood. “Again, I’m sorry for disturbing you. Thanks for the coffee.” He swallowed the last of it and set his cup down, then moved into the living room. She followed.
At the front door, he said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay, sure. See you tomorrow.”
He hesitated, as if struggling for words, then turned his intense gaze back on her. “No matter what happens, know that I care about you a great deal.”
“What do you mean, no matter what happens?”
A shadow of pain crossed his features. “Nothing. I guess I’m just feeling maudlin. A day like this will do it to you.”
“I know.” She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. “Goodnight, Caster.”
After he left, she leaned against the door and closed her eyes. Resisting him tonight had been one of the hardest things she’d ever done. Could she continue to do so? He was…Caster. He always had and still did just…melt her.
Chapter Five
Two nights later, Caster showed up at the hospital, holding a bouquet of white roses, a box of dark chocolates, and a bottle of Merlot.
She widened her eyes. “These are all my favorites.”
“I wasn’t sure if I remembered right.”
“You did.” She inhaled the heady, sweet fragrance of the flowers and smiled. “These are perfect. That’s very thoughtful. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Are you free for dinner?”
“I’m not. I have plans.”
His jaw tightened. “Ken?”
“Yes, Ken.” Was he jealous? While it might not be the most mature attitude, she couldn’t help but experience a little thrill at the thought.
He gave a curt nod, then leaned forward and placed a whisper of a kiss on her cheek. “Have fun. But not too much fun.”
She nodded, biting the inside of her mouth as he left her office to keep from calling him back, telling him she’d changed her mind, that she’d cancel plans with Ken and spend the evening with him…that she only wanted to be with him.
Her enthusiasm level for the date with Ken plummeted to zero.
Half an hour later, she met Ken at the Café Monique, one of her favorite restaurants, but she was barely able to focus on dinner. How could she guard her heart against Caster? Even though she would no longer be forced in close proximity with him, just being near him was…delightful torture.
Ken reached across the table and took her hand. “Emily, I have something very important to ask you.”
A knot of dread settled in her stomach. Please don’t propose, please don’t propose…
Sure, that’s what she wanted, marriage and children, before it was too late. But mainly, she wanted love. And, she most definitely didn’t love Ken. Caster coming back into her life had proven that beyond all doubt.
“Maybe we should order first—”
“No, I have to say it now.” His eyes gazed into hers. “Emily, I love you. I know we haven’t been dating long, but you’re a very special woman, and there’s nothing I want more than to be with you.” He reached his free hand into his inside suit pocket and pulled out a small box. With his thumb, he flipped open the lid. A solitaire diamond blinked at her from the black velvet. “Emily, will you marry me?”
No, no way…
She looked into his eyes and opened her mouth…and couldn’t do it. He looked so eager, so sincere. She just couldn’t disappoint him. Yet. She needed time to let him down gently. “Ken, this is so unexpected. The ring is beautiful, and I like you a lot. But you’re right. We haven’t known one another that long. Let’s give it a little more time and see how it goes.”
He scowled like a child denied a toy. “But a l
ot of women would kill to be in your shoes.”
She almost laughed. Seriously? Did he just say that? “Maybe so. But I’m not one of them. For now, the answer is no. If you don’t want to see me anymore, I’ll understand. But I can’t marry you. Not right now.”
He seemed to weigh her words, then gave a quick nod. “I’ll give you time. I don’t want to lose you.” He slipped the ring back in his pocket and scowled at the menu.
Throughout dinner, he remained sullen and moody, and she couldn’t wait for the evening to end. Although, tomorrow wouldn’t be much better. Now, she had to get through the remaining nights of the haunted forest feeling awkward around two men.
Chapter Six
Caster wasn’t pleased to learn Rachel would be his victim instead of Emily.
He scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s because of the flirting, isn’t it? I was just playing around. I’ll stop, I promise.”
“No, that’s not it. Rachel twisted her wrist and can’t hold the ax right,” she lied. “That’s the only reason.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You wouldn’t be lying to me, would you?”
“Of course not.” She smiled brightly and checked the time on her cell. “We’d better get started.” She turned her back on him and walked over to the group of monsters who were preparing to take their places.
Ken pulled his Freddy Krueger knife-glove from his pocket, and a sheaf of papers fell out and blew across the ground. Emily and the others quickly helped gather them before the wind took them away.
Without conscious thought, Emily glanced at the papers in her hand. The blood in her veins chilled when she recognized pages from her bank statement. Her gaze flew to Ken’s face. “What the hell?”
He frowned. “What? I don’t know what that is or where it came from. I didn’t have papers in my pocket.”
Rachel scoffed. “The hell you didn’t. We all saw them fall out. And now we see what they are.”
Emily gestured toward him with the wadded papers. “Why do you have these?”
He didn’t answer, but Rachel spoke for him. “It’s obvious. He’s been scoping you out. He wants your money.”
Hauntings in the Garden, Volume One Page 8