“I want to use it as a test run.”
“A test run for what?”
“Greatness.”
Jared waited, and when Zander didn’t continue, he pushed forward. “What sort of greatness?”
“I’m a natural entertainer,” Zander started. “I mean ... I could’ve been an actor. Or, even better, a late-night television host. I mean ... I’ve got charisma coming out the wazoo.”
“Is that what happens when you eat Del Taco?” Jared challenged blankly. On his chest, Harper stirred with laughter, but he quieted her with a stroke of her hair.
“I’m not even going to dignify that with an answer,” Zander fired back. “I’m a better showman than her. The Macomb County Tourism Board is sending a representative for the hunt tonight. If all goes as planned, they’re going to include our tours in their official pamphlet for the next year. It’s a big deal.”
Realization washed over Jared. “It could mean money for you guys.”
“A lot of money.”
“I see.” To buy himself time, Jared brushed his lips against Harper’s forehead, thinking. Then he shook his head. “Harper is the one who can see and talk to ghosts. She’s literally the only reason you have this gig in the first place. She’s the one who should lead the tour.”
Zander’s mouth dropped open. “She’s not as entertaining as me.”
“I think that’s up for debate. I happen to think she’s ten times more entertaining than you.”
“That’s because you’re afraid to live in my shadow and want to elevate her to grander heights.”
Jared frowned. “I don’t even know what that means.”
“You have freakishly large nipples to boot,” Zander added.
“That’s it.” Jared didn’t make a move to get up, but he did jab a finger in Zander’s direction. “I want you out of here. Tonight is Harper’s thing. She’s in charge. If you don’t like it then you can ... well, I really don’t care what you want to do. You’re not staying here, though. We have three hours to spend together, just the two of us, and you’re not a part of it.”
Zander rolled his eyes. “Sometimes I think those nipples of yours give you PMS or something. That’s how you’re acting today.”
“Don’t make me get up,” Jared warned in a low voice.
For a moment, Zander debated how far he wanted to push things. Sensing there was a chance Jared might actually chase him, he threw up his hands in defeat. “Fine! This isn’t over, though. We’re going to talk about it again later ... when you’re not around to be a Grumpy Gus.”
“Whatever.” Jared continued to rub Harper’s back as he watched Zander retreat across the street. When she stirred, he pinned her with a dark look. “I’m going to get one of those electric fences and put a collar on him one of these days. Just you wait.”
She graced him with a lazy grin. “That keeps the dog in the yard.”
“Then I’ll put the fence up in his yard.”
“There’s an idea.” She pressed a kiss to his strong jaw. “Thank you for sending him away. I’m in no mood to deal with his crap.”
“That’s how I feel every single day.”
“I still appreciate it.” She rubbed his cheek. “Do you think I should let him be in charge tonight? He’s right about it being a big deal. We could double our income in a few months if we get included in that brochure.”
Jared hesitated and then shook his head. “He can’t be in charge. He’s incapable of controlling himself. He does need to be front and center, though. Loath as I am to admit it, people are drawn to him. You have to be the straight woman to his comedy sidekick.”
“Don’t ever let him hear you refer to him as a sidekick. He will melt down.”
“I’m well aware.” Jared dropped the magazine on the ground and shifted so they were face to face. “I don’t want to talk about Zander. Let’s discuss something else.”
Harper knew exactly what he had in mind. “We do have three hours until we have to rejoin the real world. Is there a specific game you want to play?”
“I think I’m going to have to show you. It will lose something in the telling.”
“Bring it on.”
2
Two
“Tell me the truth.” Maddie’s gaze was stern as she regarded Nick. “Do I look like the woman you fell in love with?”
“The spitting image,” Nick answered automatically.
Maddie’s expression turned dark. “I’m being serious. I mean ... I’m wearing plaid.” She gestured toward the elastic-band shorts she wore. They were only one item in a pile of clothes Nick insisted she buy during their earlier shopping excursion.
Nick’s lips twitched at her obvious discomfort. “Is there something wrong with plaid that I’m not aware of?”
“It’s for old people.”
“Obviously not because old people can’t have babies and we found those shorts in that maternity shop right around the corner from the hotel.” He cocked his head as he regarded her. Honestly, he was a big fan of the pink and blue checks. “I think they look good on you. They make your butt look ... .” He moved his hands in a half-circle for emphasis.
Maddie was appalled. “Not my butt, too.” She attempted to look over her shoulder, as if she would be able to get a firm look at her own derrière. “It’s bad enough my bras are getting tight and now this? The world hates me.”
He smirked as he put his hand to her waist and directed her toward the cemetery. He’d purchased tickets for the ghost tour over the phone hours before and had the receipt lined up should it be necessary. “I wasn’t going to comment about the bra situation,” he started.
“But you will,” she complained darkly.
“It’s getting ... interesting. Is there a reason you can’t buy bigger bras?”
Maddie shot a worried look toward a young couple as they passed on the left, momentarily wondering if they’d heard what he said. They didn’t react, though, which she was grateful for.
“Don’t be cute,” Maddie hissed, extending a finger. “I hate it when you’re cute.”
“But I’m so good at it.” He gripped her finger and gave the tip a kiss, grinning. “I’m not complaining about the bras, Maddie. However, I have noticed they’ve been fitting a little different. I’m fine with it. I just need to know if I’m going to have to beat off the other guys in the neighborhood with a stick at some point.”
“That’s not funny.”
“I wasn’t trying to be funny. I’m being truthful. Everybody in town is noticing the way you’re ... filling out.”
“Ugh.” She covered her eyes. “Do you have to put it that way?”
“Can you think of a better way to put it?”
“I’ll get back to you.” She slipped her hand into his and did her best to hide her discomfort. “At least I can breathe in the shorts. That’s something new. It’s been two weeks since I’ve been able to breathe while wearing pants.”
“Is that why you’ve been stripping down to my boxer shorts the second you get home these days?” He was honestly curious. “I don’t mind if that’s the case. I should probably order more, though.”
“Maybe I just like to smell like you. Have you ever considered that?”
“Not really.” Nick brought their joined hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “It’s kind of sweet that you want to smell like me if that’s the case. Is that one of those pregnancy hormone things? Does the smell of me make you want to embrace your naughty side?”
Rather than respond — she was too mortified to dignify the question with an answer — she focused on the crowd milling about in the cemetery parking lot. “Do you know who we’re supposed to be looking for?”
Nick snagged her around the waist and buried his face in her hair. “I think you’re covering. You are hot for me, aren’t you?”
“I’ve been hot for you since we were fourteen and you started getting muscles.”
“Don’t sell me short. I was a muscular child, too.”<
br />
She choked on a laugh. “You were scrawny back in the day. Admit it.”
“You were scrawny, too.”
“I was. You were scrawnier, though. I couldn’t even fit into your pants when we were in seventh grade.”
“I’ve got news for you, love, you couldn’t fit into my pants now either.”
“Oh, that was low.” She moved to elbow him, but he easily evaded the move, instead drawing her closer and making kissing noises against her neck. She didn’t want to laugh and encourage him, but she couldn’t stop herself.
“Stop,” she sputtered, breathless. “I want to be mad at you.”
“You can’t be mad at me when we’re on vacation. It’s not allowed.”
“Since when is that the rule?”
“It’s always been the rule.”
“I believe otherwise.” She straightened when he released his grip, her eyes automatically going to the willowy blonde watching them with amused blue eyes. “Sorry.” Suddenly, she felt uncomfortable. “He’s just being annoying.”
“That’s okay,” the blonde reassured her. “I’m surrounded by annoying men. I know how that goes.” She strode forward and extended her hand. “I’m Harper Harlow, by the way. Can I help you with something?”
“I recognize your name from the receipt,” Nick replied, digging for his phone. “You’re the guide, right? I’m Nick Winters. This is my wife Maddie. We bought tickets this afternoon.”
“Oh, right.” Harper waved her hand to still him. “You don’t need to show me the receipt. I remember your names from the list. I think you talked to one of my co-workers.”
“Molly,” Nick replied automatically. “She was very helpful and enthusiastic.”
“That’s how she rolls,” Harper agreed, her gaze moving to the various people in the parking lot. “We’re still four people short. We should start the tour in about ten minutes.” Her gaze drifted down to Maddie’s stomach. “Would you like to sit? Just for the record, we’ve been through the cemetery a million times and there are no hidden rocks or branches, but I would still take it slowly as we’re going through.”
“Do you tell that to all your guests?” Maddie asked, instantly alert.
Harper shook her head. “Only those bringing new life into the world. I love a good slapstick fall when a teenager is involved, but it’s not as funny when it’s an expectant mother.”
Maddie’s lips twisted. “You can tell I’m pregnant?”
Harper was taken aback. “I ... um ... .” She looked to Nick for help.
“Ignore her,” Nick said automatically. “She’s feeling a little insecure right now. I’m hoping it will pass.”
“Right.” Harper pasted a bright smile on her face. “You look great, even if you don’t think it. As for the tour, we’ll probably see some actual ghosts, but you have nothing to worry about. I know exactly what I’m doing.”
Maddie let loose a dismissive wave. “I’m not worried about ghosts. They like me.”
Harper cocked her head. “They like you?”
“What?” Maddie’s eyes widened. “Oh, um ... that was a joke.”
“That’s my Maddie,” Nick said as he slung an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “She’s always making jokes.”
Unconvinced but pressed for time, Harper nodded. “Uh-huh. Well, we’ll be leaving in a few minutes. I hope you enjoy the tour.”
“You don’t have to worry about us,” Nick reassured her. “There’s little we love more than a good ghost story.”
ZANDER HERDED HARPER OVER TO meet Mike Long shortly before the tour was supposed to start. He was all sparkle and shine as he introduced the duo.
“Mike is the one making the decision on the brochure,” he started.
“Oh, right.” Harper greeted the man with an engaging smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You, too.” Mike took a moment to look her up and down, to the point where Harper was starting to feel uncomfortable, and then he shook his head. “You’re younger than I was expecting. For some reason, I envisioned an older woman in a long dress with a witch’s hat.”
Harper had no idea how to take that. “Oh, well ... that’s possibly very flattering.”
“No, no, no.” Mike vehemently shook his head. “I think that came out wrong. It’s not a dig or anything, and I wasn’t expecting some fanciful tour guide right out of Salem. I just ... am so sorry.” He turned rueful. “I’m a little nervous. I’ve never been on a ghost tour before and I had specific ideas in my head. I apologize.”
His mismanaged explanation of himself had Harper grinning. “It’s okay. I don’t pretend that my life is normal for anybody but me.”
“I’m still excited,” he insisted, glancing around. “How many people do you normally take on your tours?”
“It depends.” Harper saw no reason not to lay the business out for him. “In the run-up to Halloween, we’re talking all of September and October, we take bigger groups. Sometimes as many as thirty people. On those nights, though, we have two other co-workers who help us.
“This group is only fifteen people,” she continued. “Zander and I can easily handle that ourselves. Also, in October, we do five nights a week. During the summer months we only do one to two tours a week.”
“That makes sense.” Mike bobbed his head in understanding. “And everybody here, are they tourists or locals?”
“Um ... .” Harper tilted her head to the side as she studied the group. “These all look like tourists. We do get locals for repeat tours. A lot of them are kids or college students. Some of the adults come back for repeat shows but it’s never the same crowd.”
“Good.” Mike’s eyes gleamed as he looked around. “We want the brochure to cover as many interesting avenues as possible. This would be different from everything else we have so far, which is exactly what we’re looking for.”
“Then hopefully it works out.” Harper flashed a smile. “Either way, you’ll get an enjoyable tour.”
“That’s a good way to look at it.”
NICK TOOK THE GLOW NECKLACES provided by Zander and fastened one around Maddie’s neck before wrapping the other around his wrist. He liked the way the light illuminated her features. Even without a stitch of makeup, like today, he would always think she was the most beautiful woman in the world.
“What do you think?” he asked when they started out, watching his wife closely for her response.
“We haven’t seen anything yet,” she reminded him. “I’m sure it’s all tall tales and riveting theatrics. I’m fine with that, though. After Casper Creek ... .” She trailed off and then shook her head. “I hope you don’t think it makes me whiny, but I’m kind of hoping for a quiet few months. I don’t think I can take death and destruction when my hormones are so out of whack.”
“I’m right there with you.” He kissed her temple while linking fingers with her. “In fact, if you were to stay out of trouble for the rest of your life, I would be profoundly grateful.”
She couldn’t contain her smirk. “Do you think that’s realistic?”
“No, but I want a healthy wife and baby. If the ghosts could stay away for a few months, that would be my preferred outcome.”
Maddie had her doubts when it came to the ghosts keeping their distance but now wasn’t the time to beg for trouble. “Here’s hoping.” Her smile was benign as Harper led the way through the cemetery, although her attention was drawn to the woman’s partner.
He’d introduced himself as Zander Pritchett, the ghostliest host in the land, and Maddie had liked him from the moment he flashed what she considered one of the most charming grins she’d ever laid eyes on. He was friendly, amiable, and completely distracted with a middle-aged man who had pulled him aside.
“He doesn’t look to be part of the tour, does he?” Nick noted, indicating the man arguing with Zander.
Maddie shook her head. “He looks angry.” Instinctively, she slowed her pace so she could better listen to the conversation even though it was
clearly none of her business.
“We’ve been over this before, Luther,” Zander said in what could never be described as a patient voice. “We pay you well for access to the cemetery. Not only that, we host regular cleanups once a month and make sure our people respect the property during tours. What more do you want from us?”
“Maybe I don’t want you here at all,” Luther shot back. “Have you ever considered that?”
“Yes, you’ve told us so numerous times.” Zander didn’t break stride, his gaze constantly on Harper as she led the tour. “We have a contract. You know as well as I do that you get more money out of us than you would through any other means. Usually you complain once a month and move on. You’ve complained twice this month. Did you forget your happy pills? If so, may I recommend a regular serving of bacon three times a week? No more than that because you’ll give yourself a heart attack. Three times a week is good, though. Bacon makes the world go round.”
Luther offered up an exaggerated eye roll. “Has anybody ever told you what a royal pain in the ass you are?”
“I believe you also do that once a month.” Zander’s smile was cheeky. “You signed a contract giving us rights for the next two and a half years. You can’t back out.”
“I could if you guys would agree to dissolve the contract.”
“We’re not going to do that. Besides, technically there’s no law that says we can’t host tours of the cemetery whenever we want even without the contract. It’s open to the public.”
“Not if I set business hours.”
“Oh, you’re such a grinch.” To Maddie’s considerable surprise, Zander reached over and squeezed Luther’s cheek, giving it a hard jiggle for good measure. “Just get over it. Absolutely nothing bad is going to happen.”
“That’s what you say. I heard about what happened when you went up north with your girlfriend over there a few weeks ago, though.” He inclined his head toward Harper. “You found two dead bodies, and one of them was old. How do you explain that?”
Ghostly Graves: A Harper Harlow and Maddie Graves Mystery Page 2