Terri continued, “She said that she ran into you at the cemetery where her son is buried.”
“Her son has a name,” Kate snapped. She knew she should have stopped there, but her touchy temper was already getting the better of her. “It’s Trevor. I’m sure you remember it considering I used to be engaged to him.”
Terri chose to ignore that. “Kate, what were you doing at that cemetery?”
“I was visiting him.”
“Visiting him?” Terri sounded like she didn’t quite understand. Kate wasn’t sure why. Terri made several trips to the cemetery where her parents were buried every year. Surely she knew what it meant to visit someone you loved at their final resting place.
“Why would you do something like that?”
“Gee, Mom, I don’t know,” Kate retaliated, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Maybe I wanted to pay my respects to the man I was supposed to marry?”
“A man you don’t even remember?”
“I do remember him, just not the way most people remember someone they loved.”
“Kate, please, I don’t want to fight about this,” Terri begged. She sounded so desperate that Kate fought the snarky comment that lingered at the tip of her tongue and listened quietly. “I know you don’t see the harm in what you’re doing, in trying to remember him, or in paying your respects. But if something happens, if something that you do triggers some memory and you remember... You remember just how much you lost when he died... Honey, I’m not sure you could bear it. And I’m just so afraid...” Terri closed her eyes. Kate realized she was trying not to cry. “I’m so afraid... that you’ll want to join him.”
“Mom...” Kate whispered. She knew her mother had been trying to protect her, but she hadn’t known that her mother was trying to protect her from that.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Terri wiped her eyes. “I know I’m being silly and overprotective, but Kate, I still don’t think you understand how very close we came to losing you. You brush it off like it was no big deal because you walked away from it, but baby, it was a big deal. It was the very worst thing that has ever happened to our family, and I never, ever want anything like that to happen again. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. So please, understand that when I say I worry about you, it’s not because I want to keep you from knowing the man you loved. I just can’t lose you again.”
“Mom, you won’t,” Kate embraced her mother.
“I’m so sorry,” Terri wept into her daughter’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry, too,” Kate whispered, fighting back tears herself. “And please know you don’t have to worry about me. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”
Chapter 5
Although Michael had dated in the past, he still wasn’t clear on what the protocol was for calling after a date-that-may-or-may-not-have-been-a-real-date. He was pretty sure that it had been a date, but not sure enough to send the awkward So, I had a good time the other night text. Deep down, he knew he didn’t need to worry. It was Kate. After all they’d been through together, he shouldn’t have to think twice about texting her, or asking her if she wanted to have dinner sometime that week.
Before he had the opportunity, however, she asked him.
They agreed on dinner Tuesday night. As if that wasn’t enough to make his week, he also received a job offer from an insurance company on Tuesday afternoon. It wasn’t exactly his ideal career, but under his circumstances, he couldn’t afford to be picky. After all, it wasn’t a bad job. It came with all the benefits, vacation time, and a decent salary. At this point in his life, he’d take any kind of salary he could get.
Still, as grateful as he was for the job and as elated as he was about his date with Kate, he was hesitant to believe his good fortune. There had to be some kind of catch. His luck could not have just miraculously improved. If he’d learned anything in the past twenty-seven years, it was that destiny liked to screw with him. Something was going to happen that would ruin his entire week. He just knew it.
Once again, however, fate seemed to contradict him when Kate surprised him by saying she’d had a long talk with her mother, and while their relationship was still recovering, they’d promised that instead of fighting and jumping to conclusions, they were going to be open, honest, and attentive to whatever the other had to say.
“Does that mean she’s okay with you still seeing me?” Michael asked. It sounded far too good to be true.
“Well, I wouldn’t go so far as ‘okay,’ but she’s not going to fight with me about it anymore,” Kate grinned.
“So, she still doesn’t like me?”
“Not really,” Kate replied. “Which, she should know, only makes me like you more. Knowing she doesn’t approve of a guy I like really brings out the rebel in me.”
“Wow. I’ve never been the kind of guy that moms want to keep away from their daughters. I’ve always thought I was the kind that moms wanted their daughters to date. You know... dweeby.”
Kate threw her head back and laughed. “Don’t worry. You’re only a little dweeby.”
“Oh, good. Thank you,” Michael laughed too.
After dinner, they drove to a park a few blocks down from their apartment complex and walked around. It was a wonderful evening, cool and breezy. The sky was alight with the colors of the setting October sun; vibrant oranges, magentas, and yellows. Several families and couples were taking advantage of the beautiful dusk. Kids played on the swing set and climbed on the jungle gym, a jogger dressed in a black jacket ran alongside her golden retriever, and a group of teenagers kicked a soccer ball across the field a few yards away.
As they walked, Kate casually took his hand and laced her fingers through his. She told him about their latest client, a woman with a passion for antiques and vintage books. He told her about his job offer. She was thrilled for him. It was nice, he realized, just talking about normal, every day things. No ghosts. No grieving loved ones. No one asking how he’d felt after he was shot. Just a peaceful, sunset walk around the park with a beautiful girl. The girl.
Throughout their entire relationship, Kate had always been the one to take his hand. She’d been the first to kiss him. She’d also been the one who’d risked her life to save him. She’d even been the one to ask him out again, after he’d ended things so that she could come to terms with the loss of Trevor. Now, looking at her in the soft purple glow of twilight, Michael realized that he’d been a coward. She deserved more than anything he’d ever given her. She deserved someone who would take her hand, kiss her, and tell her how much he cared about her, without her having to tell him that it was okay to do so.
“What are you thinking about?” Kate asked, gazing up at him.
“What?” he asked. He hadn’t realized that, in thinking about her, he’d accidentally tuned out.
“You look so serious. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Yeah, everything’s fine,” he told her. Then, without hesitating or asking permission, he pulled her into his arms, leaned down, and kissed her. After he pulled away, he whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“Why?” she asked.
“I should have done that a long time ago.”
Kate smiled. “Well, I think you’ve made up for it.” Then, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned in to accept another kiss.
~*~
When they returned to their apartment complex an hour later, Michael was on a high. Finally, everything seemed to be going his way. He felt like he could do anything in the world, and that nothing, absolutely nothing, could go wrong.
That feeling ended about half a second after he pulled into his driveway.
“Hey, is that - ?” Kate asked, staring at the same black Ferrari that had caught Michael’s eye and ruined his good mood.
Before Michael could answer her, the Ferrari’s door swung open to reveal a young man with sandy blond hair and a broad, cheeky grin.
Luke Rainer.
“Are you kidding me?” Michael groaned as Kate leapt out o
f the car to embrace him.
“Luke!” she squealed as he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her right up off the ground. “I didn’t know you were in town!”
“Well, I just got in yesterday. Thought I’d drop by and surprise you,” he grinned. “Hey, Mikey!”
Michael tried not to grimace as he climbed out of his car.
He helped rescue you. Kate doesn’t like him like that. He is not here to ruin your life.
“Hi, Luke,” Michael greeted him.
“How’s the battle wound?” Luke asked, shaking his hand.
“Which one?” Michael asked wryly. Luke laughed.
“At least you sound like you’re back to your old self. How’s he doing, Kate? Is he okay?”
“Oh yeah. He’s fine,” she grinned up at Michael.
“And how about Gavin? How’s he doing?”
“Great,” Kate replied. “How’s filming for the new season going? I loved the first few episodes. I even got Michael to watch them.”
“Really?” Luke grinned, looking smug as hell. “Well what do you know? We might just make a Cemetery Tours fan of you yet.”
Not likely, Michael thought. Aloud, he said, “We’ll see.” Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Kate had begun to shiver. He had been caught so off guard by Luke’s unexpected (and rather unappreciated) appearance, he hadn’t noticed how cold and windy it had suddenly become. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and said, “You know, it’s getting kind of chilly. Do you, uh, want to go up to my apartment and hang out there?” He couldn’t believe he was actually inviting Luke Rainer, the guy he’d been trying to keep out of his life for years, up to his apartment to hang out, like they were friends or something.
Then again, he had several friends who’d never gone out of their way to try to save his life. Luke was a friend. Just one who was very difficult to take seriously.
“Why Mikey, I’d be honored,” Luke grinned. “You two don’t mind, do you? I mean, I wouldn’t want to interrupt a date or anything.”
“Oh, it’s too late for that,” Michael told him.
“Ah, well, I wouldn’t worry too much. Kate had her shot with me and she still chose you,” Luke winked. Kate laughed and wrapped her arms around Michael’s waist. Michael had to admit, he’d never even considered that.
Maybe Luke wasn’t all that bad after all.
Up in his apartment, Michael told Kate and Luke to make themselves at home while he fetched them something to drink. As always, Brink felt compelled to express his flat out astonishment that Michael was actually having guests over; even more so that he was having Luke Rainer over.
“What’s he doing here, anyway? Isn’t he supposed to be off filming graveyards or something?” Brink asked.
“He said he was in town and decided to stop by,” Michael muttered softly.
“And here he is on your date. Nice,” Brink smirked. Michael glared at him. It was like talking to a skinny, teenaged Luke.
Michael could feel Brink trailing him as he made his way back into the living room, where Luke was filling Kate in on all of the team’s latest adventures. After handing them their drinks, Michael took a seat on the couch next to Kate. She took a sip of her soda and casually snuggled up next to him while Luke continued to talk. Michael was honestly beginning to think that he really had just dropped in to catch up when Luke asked, “So, have either of you ever heard of Stanton Hall Manor?”
“No,” Michael answered.
“Maybe,” Kate replied. “I think it was featured on a documentary I saw about historic mansions in New England.”
“It probably was. It’s one of the most extravagant manors in Maine. Hell, it’s one of the most extravagant manors in the nation. It also happens to be one of the most haunted.”
Oh no... Michael already knew where this was going.
“Cool,” Kate grinned. “Are you guys going to investigate it?”
“Well, that’s the plan. However, there are some... conditions.”
“What kind of conditions?” Michael asked.
“The person who owns it now is a woman named Carolyn Drake. She inherited it from her uncle after he died. I’ve been trying to get her to let us investigate ever since the show premiered, but she’s always turned me down. She’s hoping to convert it into some kind of luxury bed and breakfast and she’s always thought that if we tell the world that it’s haunted, no one would want to stay there.”
“That’s strange. I’d think being on Cemetery Tours would make more people want to visit. I mean, look at the Stanley Hotel. That place is so haunted that it inspired Stephen King to write The Shining and now everyone wants to stay there,” Kate said.
“Well, her problem is that she doesn’t actually believe that it’s haunted. If she doesn’t believe it’s haunted, then she doesn’t have a whole lot of incentive for us to come investigate, and so on and so forth. But then, just as we’re in the midst of shooting for this season, I get an email from her. She said that she would agree to let the team film,” he paused and looked Michael in the eye. “But only if you come with us, Mikey.”
“And there it is. The catch,” Brink commented. Michael was still trying to register what Luke had just said.
“Wait, what?” he asked.
“I don’t know. She didn’t explain it to me. All she said was that she’d agree to let us come and investigate, but only if we brought you with us.”
“That just doesn’t make sense,” Michael said.
“Maybe she wants you to come along because she wants to show folks that it isn’t haunted,” Kate said. “Maybe if you get there and you don’t see anything, then that will prove once and for all that there are no ghosts there.”
“Oh, come on. Everyone knows that place is haunted. Mrs. Drake is just a crazy old fruit loop,” Luke crossed his arms and slumped back against his chair. “Don’t tell her I said that.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Michael said.
“So, what do you think?” Luke asked. “Will you come with us?”
Michael didn’t know how to respond. For the first time, Luke was asking him to be part of the show at the request of somebody else. Not just a request. Michael had to go or the episode wasn’t happening. That was a lot of pressure.
“Luke,” he began. “I know this means a lot to you, but I can’t just drop everything and go.”
“Why not?” Luke asked. “You’re already ‘out,’ so it’s not like you can use that as an excuse anymore. You don’t have a job to worry about - ”
“Actually, I do,” Michael corrected him. “I got an offer this afternoon, and I’m going to take it. I have to take it.”
“Why? Are you the new Captain of the Enterprise? Because if the job is for anything less cool than that, you still have no excuse to turn this down.”
“It’s for an insurance company. I’d be - ”
“Are you kidding me?” Luke interrupted him, exasperated. “I am here, offering you a gig on the most popular paranormal show on television, just like I have a thousand times in the past, and you’re turning it down to sell insurance?”
Okay, yeah, when he put it like that, of course it sounded lame. But what Luke didn’t understand was that the gig on Cemetery Tours was a one-time thing. Michael would still need a permanent job after it was over, and he didn’t know if he’d be lucky enough to find another company willing to take on a creepy ghost-talker.
“I’m sorry, Mikey, but this time, I really don’t understand you,” Luke continued. “You are so hell-bent on being normal and doing what you think everyone wants you to do that you’d pass up an opportunity that anybody else would jump at. Don’t you think so, Kate?”
“I want to go,” she agreed.
“You’re invited,” Luke told her. “But of course if Mikey doesn’t go, then no one gets to.”
Oh, great. Michael knew exactly what Luke was doing, and Luke knew it too. It had been one thing when not going meant that Luke couldn’t go. But knowing that it als
o meant Kate couldn’t go was a whole different scenario. Michael had no problem saying no to Luke. But saying no to Kate? Impossible. That was how Luke had conned him into going to that stupid graveyard. He’d tricked Kate into asking Michael, knowing that Michael wouldn’t be able to turn her down.
Sure enough, as soon as the words were out of Luke’s mouth, Kate turned wide, pleading eyes up at Michael.
Luke just smiled. He had Michael exactly where he wanted him.
Meanwhile, Brink snickered from the sidelines. “Well, it looks like you’re going to Maine.”
Chapter 6
The following Monday, both Kate and Gavin were awake at five in the morning, making their final preparations before they went to meet Michael to carpool over to the airport. Their flight to Maine was scheduled for seven thirty, so they wanted to be sure to get their bags checked and themselves through security with plenty of time to spare.
“Gav, did you remember to pack the extra dental floss?” Kate asked, rummaging through her bag of nighttime essentials to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything.
“I did, dear sister, for the hundredth time,” Gavin replied. “And even if I didn’t, it’s not like we’re going to some desolate wasteland where convenience stores don’t exist. I can almost guarantee that Maine has plenty of places that will serve to enable your obsessive control issues.”
Kate narrowed her eyes. It was far too early for Gavin’s snarky attitude.
“May I remind you just how lucky you are to be going on this trip and that if you tick me off, even in the slightest, I can tell Luke to uninvite you?” Kate asked.
“Aw, come on, you wouldn’t do that. We’re gonna have fun! Besides, my boss thinks working with the crew of an internationally acclaimed television show will be a great learning experience.”
“Yeah, whatever. I still can’t believe you wanted to go so bad. Weren’t you the one who, not even four months ago, was telling me how ridiculous Cemetery Tours was and how fake it was and how you couldn’t believe anyone with a brain could possibly take it seriously?”
Between Worlds (Cemetery Tours Book 2) Page 4