Page 56 of The Accidental Ghost

Ralph covered her mouth to disguise her laugh, but Shamus laughed, too. “No children?”

Brushing at the snow accumulating on the bench, he shook his head. “Tory didn’t want any, and I knew that going in. But did she catch me sneaking around, bringing home kids like I caught her cheating?”

Ralph rolled her eyes, but it made her laugh anyway. “Okay, that sounds just plain creepy.”

“Poor analogy, but you know what I mean. A long time ago, kids might have been great, but I loved her and she didn’t want any. Either way, we’ve been divorced for five years now, and I’m pretty content with my life. How about you? Ever wanted kids?”

She let out a long, wistful sigh. “I did. A long time ago, as well. I just never found the person I wanted to raise them with. The only thing I did know? I wasn’t going to raise them like my mother raised me. Plus, I had plenty of children to love who I could send home at the end of the day. I made my peace with that years ago.”

He let his thumb caress the space between her index finger and thumb. “I bet you would have been a terrific mother.”

“What’s done is done,” she said with a bit of melancholy. “I have bigger fish to fry these days.”

“Speaking of fish?—”

“Yum, fish,” she joked, her tone dreamy, feeling as though the conversation was going to take a turn. “I love fish and chips.”

“Don’t deflect with food. I know you miss it, and once we figure this all out, if we’re right about you being a psychopomp, I’ll take you to the biggest buffet I can find. Until then, I have a question.” He lifted his eyebrow with a grin.

She forced herself not to stiffen and to remain open to whatever he was going to say. “Then I might have an answer.”

Cupping her cheek, Shamus turned her face to his, his eyes bright, his tanned face lean in the falling snow. “When this is all over, and we find who’s stolen your place in the afterlife—and we will. I don’t doubt that with Titus on the case and these women for backup. And we confirm you’re a psychopomp…how do you feel about maybe going out on a date?”

She let her cheek curl into his hand, savoring the feel of his calloused palm against her skin, her lips almost touching his. “Ye?—”

“Hey!” Nina bellowed from somewhere beyond the hedge maze. “You two, stop playing Love Island shit and get the fuck in here. Titus sent Dex and George with news!”

They both backed away with a snicker, and Shamus whispered, “Foiled again.”

As they rose to trudge back through the snow, Ralph’s heart pounded. Maybe Titus had found who wanted her out of the picture?

Wouldn’t that be…

Chapter

Seventeen

…amazing, was the first thought that came to mind as Ralph fought her way out of darkness, groggy and disoriented.

Yes. Nina had said George and Dex had arrived, and Ralph was in the middle of a thought about how amazing it would be if he’d found the person who’d stolen her afterlife identity.

Then, like before, everything had gone dark.

She fought to sit upright but something held her down. Something heavy that smelled of cigarette smoke and beer, with a little sweat mixed in for good measure.

Her wrists burned from the tight hold on them, her arms ached from having them stretched above her head.

How long had she been here?

Where was here? Was she in Hell again?

Maybe? But it didn’t feel hot the way it had before.

Ralph swallowed hard, her throat dry, but she forced a question from her lips. “What…?” She struggled, twisting and turning her body, but someone—and it was definitely a someone—held strong. “Let go of me!” she demanded, spitting hair from her mouth.

“Not a chance, bitch. Not until you help me get what I want,” he sneered in her ear.

Whoever held her captive was a male someone…

---