Page 35 of My Blind Date is a Ghost

“That’s awesome,” he says. “I’m sure you’ll be able to help a lot of people.”

“Is that why you became a police officer?” I ask, giving him my full attention. “To help people?”

“Yeah, you could say that. I didn’t like being a police officer, you know, in the blue uniform giving out speeding tickets. I always wanted to be a detective, specifically solving cold cases.”

“That’s interesting,” I say.

“When I was a little kid, my older sister’s best friend was murdered,” he says. “And they never found out who did it. I never forgot about that. When I got older, I was determined to figure out who had killed her. I wasn’t even a rookie cop when I solved the case.”

“Wow!” I say, my admiration for him growing. “How did you manage that?”

“The internet helped a lot,” he says. “You’d be surprised how many crimes get solved from just piecing the clues together online.”

“I wouldn’t know. I know what the internet is. I saw its popularity and use grow for myself. But I couldn’t access it, and I haven’t used it since I woke up.”

“Well, we should start with something simple, like a phone.”

“Beverly said the same thing. I think the two of you might be cahoots after all.”

He laughed, and the sound made my heart skip a beat. I hadn’t made a man laugh in so long, it nearly brought tears to my eyes. For some reason, the idea that I wanted to spend more time with him made me feel a little guilty. I told Beverly I didn’t want to date anyone, but I certainly wouldn’t object to spending more time with Beckett Dawson. What did Sophia call it? Friends with benefits? She never did get around to explaining what those benefits were. I wondered if Beckett would know.

CHAPTER 15

Beckett pulls into the parking lot of The Book Coven as I’m walking across it from Jumpin’ Bean with Beverly’s order the next morning. He hops out of his car and rushes over to help me with the two cartons of drinks I’m holding in addition to the bag of pastries.

“Let me help you with that,” he says, a wide grin on his face. “You have enough here to feed an army.”

“Thanks,” I say. “I’m hoping Beverly is planning on a few guests showing up and not eating all this herself. You are here early.”

“Beverly messaged me and asked me to stop by to talk about what I found in the woods.”

“You mean the weird symbol on the ground?”

“Yes. I’m hoping she has some more ideas about it. It really had her shaken last night, but she didn’t know what it was. Maybe she did some research or something. Here, let me get that.” He skips ahead to open the door for me.

I can feel the power in the room as soon as I walk through the door to The Book Coven. I look up to see Beverly, Sophia, and a man I recognize but haven’t yet met in this life.

“Jacob Buchanan,” I say, holding out a hand to shake.

“And you must be Cora Barnes,” he says, taking my hand and giving it a slow, warm shake. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Likewise,” I say. “One of the most powerful warlocks in Mystic Cove. Your aura speaks for itself.”

He chuckles. “I’m guessing you heard these two busy bodies discussing me at length when you were trapped between worlds.”

“I did,” I say with a smirk. “But even if I hadn’t, your power just rolls off you in waves. I could feel it halfway down the street.”

He looks at me curiously. “And you’re human, you say? Or, were, anyway?”

“Yes. My mother was a witch, but it seemed to skip me and my son. And then he married a witch, so after him, witchcraft seemed unavoidable for Barnes women.”

Sophia blushes a little. All her life, she thought she wasn’t a witch, that she had been skipped over. But when Jacob appeared in her life, her powers suddenly manifested, and she is now one of the most powerful witches in town as well.

“But you can sense magic?” he asks.

“Well, I could just now,” I say. “It’s hard to miss.”

Jacob rubs his chin and looks at Beverly.

---