Page 44 of The Ghost of Ellwood
“Awesome. Let me know if you want help.”
“Will do.” Carter sipped his coffee and bounced a little in his seat. He was such a bundle of energy and was refreshing to be around.
I hadn’t realized how heavy the air in the manor had become, especially recently with learning about the abuse Theo had suffered within the walls. But being around Carter was like having that weight lifted off.
“How’s work?” I asked.
“Not bad at all. We got a bunch of anime merch in that I’m, like, super stoked about. Have you ever watchedTokyo Ghoul?”
“Can’t say that I have.”
As Carter started explaining the plot of the show and obsessing over the characters, I sipped my coffee and smiled. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I had no interest in anime, but his excitement was too endearing.
“Is the book going well?” he asked.
“Extremely well. Which makes me worry it’s a load of trash.”
Carter laughed. “I’m sure that’s not true. You’re passionate about this one. I can tell. When you talk about it, you get a certain spark in your eyes. See. Just like now.”
I looked at my cup and wiped away the trickle of coffee from the lid. “It’s special to me.”
The story was about Theo. I had changed a few details, of course, and had exaggerated others. But I had taken to heart what he said about adding a romance within the layers of horror. And so far, it was working out exceedingly well.
After finishing our coffee, we went back outside and strolled down the sidewalk at a leisurely pace. It was just after nine on a Saturday night, and the bars were slowly filling up. Music thumped in the distance from a car that had its windows down and the radio turned to max. A band played on an outside stage from a restaurant down the block.
“Would you like to come over to my place?” Carter asked, blushing under the streetlights.
My heart skidded to a stop before restarting. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what he was propositioning.
“I…I’m not sure, Carter.” Then, before he could jump to conclusions, I added, “What we have is great, and I don’t want to do anything to ruin it. In my experience, I tend to fuck up the good things in my life.”
“I’m not your type, am I?” He stared ahead, his brow creased.
“I don’t have a type. But if you’re asking if I find you attractive, then the answer is yes.”
He flashed a smile. “I think you are too.”
We reached his car minutes later. He unlocked the doors, and we got inside. The drive home was quiet. He stared at the road as he drove, and I stared at him, wondering why I couldn’t just go home with him. Sex would be an amazing release right now.
“Please do not betray me,”Theo had said the day in his greenhouse.
I knew he meant it in a different way—that he didn’t want me using his secrets against him. But I’d seen the desire in his eyes when he was close to me. Fucking Carter would feel like a betrayal to Theo, even though we weren’t together.
When we pulled into my driveway, I turned to Carter.
“Thanks for inviting me out tonight.”
“Thanks for agreeing.” Carter toyed with his lip ring as his eyes zeroed-in on my mouth. “I’m not ready for it to be over, but I understand why it’s being cut short.”
“Do you want to come in for a drink?” I asked without thinking it through first.
Carter appeared as shocked as I felt. “You want me to come inside?” His gaze shifted to the house. “Do you think he’ll show himself to me?”
“Probably not,” I said. “He’s kind of shy.”
Although reluctantly, Carter agreed to have a drink. We walked up to the house, and before I opened the door, I saw a shadow pass by the window. Hopefully, Theo wouldn’t be upset that we’d have a visitor. Once inside, I locked the door and removed my jacket.
Carter looked around, his eyes big.
