Page 95 of Chasing Your Ghost

“Well, I guess I’d better try to sleep,” Ella said, shifting to get more comfortable while ensuring their hands stayed clasped together. “I hope this works,” she murmured after yawning loudly.

“I hope so, too,” Riley replied quietly, squeezing the other girl’s hand tighter. “Good luck.”

“Thanks. Good night, you two.” She moved around until she could stroke Archie with her free hand—the Yorkie apparently always slept in the bed with her, curled up in the crook of her bent knees. “Night, Archie.”

Unsurprisingly, it took a long time for Ella to drift off after that. Even when her breaths had turned even with sleep, Riley was too scared of waking her up to say anything to Asher. She was also afraid of their hands separating if she fell asleep, giving her no other option but to lie there in silence, one hand joined with Ella’s and the other tangled with Asher’s.

“Are you still awake?” Asher asked her after an excruciatingly long hour in which she’d sung a collection of Foreigner, Jimmy Eat World, and Blink-182 songs in her head.

Riley nodded. She slowly and carefully turned her body towards him, wincing when the movement tugged on Ella’s hand. Luckily, the woman didn’t stir.

“Scared of waking her up?”

She nodded again.

“Want to play a game?”

Another nod, but this one was slower to come, her confusion over what game they could possibly play while ensuring Ella stayed asleep making Riley hesitant.

“I’ll ask you a question with two possible answers, and you can squeeze my hand once for the first option and twice for the second.”

Riley rolled her eyes and moved her lips to his ear. “That’s not a game,” she whispered as quietly as she could.

“Technically, no,” he agreed. “But do you have any better ideas?”

She was forced to concede with a shake of her head.

“Great, then let’s begin,” he chirped. “I already know the answer to this one, but do you prefer reading or watching movies?”

Riley felt her lips curl up as she squeezed his hand once.

“Thought so. And do you prefer reading or listening to music?”

She gave his hand one squeeze again.

“Cats or dogs.”

“Agreed,” he replied after she’d squeezed his hand twice.

“Do you prefer pears or apples?”

Riley silently giggled at that one but dutifully gave his hand two squeezes.

“Me too. M&M’s or skittles?”

One squeeze—obviously.

“We’re like one mind,” he enthused, forcing her to hold in a laugh. “Summer or winter.”

Two squeezes.

“Winter or fall?”

Riley took longer to respond to that question but eventually squeezed twice.

“Fall or spring?”

One squeeze.

---