Page 29 of The Ghost of Ellwood
I placed my coffee on the counter and, finally, reached for his hand. His skin was cold, but as the seconds ticked by with his fingers on my palm, that chill began to fade, as if my warmth was sinking into him.
Theo looked at our joined hands before drawing back from me. “See it? I suppose so. But I can never experience it for my own.” He stepped even farther away. “I cannot experience anything anymore.”
And then he was gone.
“Theo?”
He didn’t answer. I knew he could hear me—maybe even see me—but he was upset and wanted to be alone.
“Whenever you’re ready to talk again, I’m here,” I said to the seemingly empty room.
The morning continued as normal. I scrambled eggs before pouring a second cup of coffee and eating at the table. I showered afterward, and perhaps it was bad to even think it, but I wondered if Theo was nearby, watching me take off my clothes and get into the shower.
I still remembered the handprint that had been on the door when I jerked off. Had Theo been in the shower with me…maybe even touching me? I’d been lost to bliss at the time, but I had distinctly imagined a dark haired man kissing the top of my shoulder and holding onto me as I came.
Had it been fantasy or reality? The two seemed to be merging a lot lately.
I wrote a few pages in my book, but I had reached the part in the story where I was faced with several paths. And I didn’t know which one to take yet. Each path would make the story read completely different, so I needed to think on it before continuing.
A stroll outside might help me sort it out.
I put on my shoes and walked to the front door. As I reached the entryway, steps sounded behind me. Theo wasn’t visible when I checked. I felt him, though, and as a faint whiff of lavender touched my nose, I was pretty sure I smelled him too.
“I’m going for a walk.” I wasn’t sure where to look when I talked. He could’ve been directly in front of me and I wouldn’t have known it. “Be back soon.”
I closed the door and jogged down the steps. When I glanced back at the house, Theo stood in the front window. His pale face was a stark contrast to his black hair, and there was no mistaking what he was in that moment.
A spirit that, for whatever reason, was trapped.
Chapter Eight
Ivy Grove was decked out in fall and Halloween decorations. As I passed the shops on the street, I noticed even more pumpkins and scarecrows had been added, as well as toy bats, window decals of Dracula, and signs for haunted tours.
If theyreallywanted a haunted tour, they should come to my house.
I grinned at my little witticism and kept walking. Less than a month had passed since I’d moved into the manor, but New York already seemed like a lifetime ago. I felt more grounded, more stable, than I had ever been in a place before.
“Afternoon, Ben!” Allie, the barista, greeted me as I entered the coffeehouse.
“Hey, Allie.” I neared the counter. “I’ll have my usual please.”
“Coming right up.” She tapped the order into the computer. “I just love customers like you. You make our jobs so much easier.”
“I’m glad.” I handed over the money. “Keep the change.”
“Thank you!” Her blonde ponytail bounced as she grabbed a large cup and poured the house blend into it. She added several pumps of hazelnut syrup and stirred it before giving it to me. “Enjoy.”
“I appreciate it.”
I’d intended to grab my coffee and go, but when I headed for the exit, I halted in my step. Caroline Humphries hunched over at a table in the corner, trying—and failing epically—to hide from my view. She spotted me and looked like she cursed under her breath before feigning a smile and waving.
“Oh. Hello, Mr. Cross.”
Any other time, I would’ve smiled in acknowledgment and kept walking. But her guilty behavior was too tempting. So, I wasthatasshole and approached her table.
“Afternoon. Do you mind if I sit?”
She shook her head, pursing her lips.
