Page 32 of My Blind Date is a Ghost

“We are…just a bit leery of each other, I suppose.”

“Because of me?”

“Not just you,” she says. “I doubt any of the wolves living would even know your name, of Jeremiah’s come to that. But I’m sure your murder didn’t help things.”

“I was wondering if I should have a chat with Rachel Holland,” I say. “Maybe if I told her that I held no ill will toward her clan, it would help heal the rift.”

“I’m not sure we are at the point where you should go around declaring your real identity just yet,” Beverly says. “But…” She cocks her head to the side and is quiet for a moment.

“What is it?” It looks as though she is listening to something.

“You know what? Now, don’t go telling Rachel who you are, but it wouldn’t hurt for you to meet her,” Beverly says, ushering me toward the door. “Why don’t you go down to The Eat and tell Rachel that I sent you.”

“Why don’t you go with me? I don’t want to eat dinner alone.”

“Oh, you won’t be alone. The Eat is always crowded. It will be a great way for you to meet new friends. I still have work here to get caught up on.”

“Umm, okay. I guess if nothing else it will be a great place to read my book.”

“Indeed! Here, let me call you a car. We really need to get you your own cell phone.”

CHAPTER 14

The Eat is a very cute restaurant near the beach. One side of the restraint is all windows so you can see the ocean even from inside when the weather is not good. On the other side of the windows is a deck where people can sit outside and eat when the weather is perfect. Since it is December, it is much too cold to eat outside right now. It is pretty early for dinner, only around six o’clock, so the restaurant isn’t too busy.

“Table for one?” a young woman asks me. She has dark hair that is a bit wild and tattoos along each arm.

“Yup,” I say, holding up my book. “Just me.”

“Follow me,” she says taking a menu from the hostess stand.

“Oh, sorry, are you Rachel?” I ask.

“That’s me.” She stops at a table and starts to put the menu down.

“Beverly said to tell you she sent me.”

“Oh, is that so?” She cocks an eyebrow as she takes me in. “Actually, why don’t you sit over here?” She moves deeper into the restaurant to a table that is up a small set of stairs right by the windows. From up here, the view of the ocean is fantastic.

“I’ll have to tell you that Beverly sent me every time if it means I get a better table,” I say.

“Yeah, well, we will see about that.” She pulls out a chair for me and puts the menu down. She pulls a lighter out of her pocket and lights a small votive candle in the middle of the table. “What’s your name?”

“Cora. Cora Barnes.”

Rachel paused for a moment, as if rolling my name around in her brain. “I thought I knew all the Barneses.”

“I’ve been…away…”

Rachel nodded slowly. “Well, nice to meet you. Can I get you a drink? Wine, perhaps?”

“Sure,” I say. “Whatever you recommend is fine.”

“I’ll be right back.”

As soon as she’s gone, I take a deep breath and look out the window at the surf rolling along the beach. I realize that this is the first time I’ve been alone since I became human again. It’s oddly comforting. When I was a ghost, I was so lonely. I longed for someone to talk to. But after a couple of days of being surrounded with people, it’s nice to get a bit of a break. I miss being able to just sit and read for a while.

I open Eusapia Palladino’s book and flip to a random page. …if the ghost chose to appear to me, who was I to deny her message? I could have ignored her, I suppose, but to do so would have only ignored the innate gift in myself that allowed me to sense her presence.

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