Page 66 of The Ghost of Ellwood
The door swung open and Shane appeared. He pointed at me. “You ready, Cross? Time to get this party started.”
“Can’t it start without me giving a speech?”
“You’re the reason they’re all here,” he responded. “Tickets were fifty-five bucks each, so get out there and talk to them. Make it worth their money.”
“You’re kind of a slave driver, huh?” Carter said, brows raised.
Shane ignored him and instead pinned me with another narrow eyed stare. “Five minutes.”
“Got it,” I said.
“Are all agents so pushy?” Carter asked, once we were alone again.
“It’s what I like about Shane.” I took a long drink of water before placing the bottle on the table. “He knows how to get shit done. How do I look?”
“Like you’re scared shitless.” Carter tapped a finger to his chin. “But still handsome. Nice suit.”
Carter walked out first, and I took a few deep breaths before going after him. Entering the ballroom, I was happy to see it was dimly lit. Orange and purple Halloween lights had been strung throughout the room, as well as lit jack-o-lanterns and several tall lamps. It was enough to see, but not too bright. Certainly not bright enough for anyone to see my blush.
Shane waved me over. “Take this,” he said, handing me a microphone. “And go right there. Keep it short and sweet.”
He turned me toward a platform. My legs felt like jelly as I walked toward it, and once I was there, I went up several steps before turning around.
All eyes were on me. Some of the people had changed into Halloween costumes after the signing. I saw medieval gowns and suits, a Dracula, the girl version ofIT, and some witches. Among the people wearing ordinary clothes, there were some that wore half-masks, reminiscent of the Phantom of the Opera.
“Good evening,” I spoke into the mic and everyone winced as there was feedback. “Sorry. There. Much better.” I held the mic away to clear my throat before bringing it back. “Thank you all for being here. I know the event was announced last minute, and for it to be sold out is just amazing. This year has been a bumpy ride. I made some decisions that didn’t go over well, but as a friend once told me…”
I looked at Carter, who stood on the first row smiling up at me.
“All artists, whether it’s writers or musicians, have moments in their careers when they branch out to do something different. The key is to keep trying. To keep working hard and trying your best to put out quality work.”
A guy yelled out, “We love you, Ben!”
Cheers followed.
“Thank you,” I said, growing uncomfortably hot as embarrassment and nerves attacked me. “Everyone keeps asking what I’m working on right now, and you all will be the first to know as this is my first public statement about it. I’m happy to say I’m going back to my roots with this next book, but I’m trying something different too. Ghosts, mystery, and this time there might even be a little romance. You can expect scares, gore, and hopefully, one hell of a ride.”
Squeals rang out, as did excited hollers.
“One last thing,” I said, once it quieted down again. “You all paid good money to be here. I’ll be around if any of you want to chat. Now, let’s have a goddamn party.”
I stepped down off the platform and handed the mic to one of the staff.
“I said short and sweet.” Shane didn’t even try to hide his annoyance.
“Thatwasshort and sweet.” I clapped him on the back, maybe a bit harder than necessary, and walked past him to mingle with my readers.
The party ended up being more enjoyable than I originally thought. I talked to people; about books, ghosts, and anything they wanted. A girl asked me to dance, and I did. Brian asked me to dance, and I did. I stayed away from the alcohol since I was driving home, but I stuffed my face with too many mini-tarts.
Two hours into the party, I noticed Carter gone. I searched the crowd for the neon green beanie he’d stuck on his head earlier. As I moved through the sea of people, still not seeing him anywhere, the barrier in my mind keeping all the bad shit locked away burst open and I remembered the woman in black.
What if she did something to my friend?
“Carter?” I called out.
But the music was too loud.
I reached the opposite end of the ballroom and continued to look for him. Witches grinded on someone dressed as Jason Voorhees, and Dracula kissed the neck of another guy dressed as Peter Pan.
