Page 132 of Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places
He whispered, “Are you hungry?” against her lips and kissed her again.
She hadn’t been to the grocery store in a while. The refrigerator was crying out for help, and the pantry was a picked-over wasteland. “I think I have some eggs left.”
He snorted. “I can work with that.”
“So can I,” she said to defend herself. “I’ve been learning how to cook. One new recipe every day.”
“Is that so?”
She nodded. “I’ll even cook this morning to prove it.”
Lucky kept an eye on Maverick as she made eggs Benedict, noting the lingering tension in his posture, the tightness around his eyes, and how much he worried at his palms. He insisted he was fine but nervous, convinced Hennessee was waiting for the perfect moment—for him to drop his guard—to launch the perfect jump scare.
But he trusted her more and would stay until noon. They had plans to pick Rebel up and take her out for the day. After plating their breakfast and feeding a yowling Gengar, they sat at the kitchen table together.
“I’m impressed.” He chuckled. “I thought recipe meant like…avocado toast.”
“I have a recipe for that now too. Well?” she asked expectantly after his first bite.
“It’s good. Really good.” He smiled. “I have some news. I didn’t get to tell you last night that they released the shooting schedule for the next season ofBARD. It’s going to be the final one.”
“Did you?”
“I did. I’m retiring from hosting and transitioning to the new production unit as lead writer. Guess who’s our producer?”
She gasped. “Not Georgia?”
“The one and only.Shortcakecame together beautifully. She got a promotion.”
“She didn’t tell me that,” she said with a slight pout.
“I don’t think she’s told anyone. She’s happy about it, but a little overwhelmed too. It’s a lot of responsibility. She’ll be fine.”
Lucky made a mental note to text Georgia later to check in. “When do I get to see the finished episodes? I can’t wait.”
“It’s officially set to go live two weeks beforeThe Caretakerand that depends on when you wrap up here. But I’m thinking about hosting a private premiere for family and Rebel’s friends before it goes live. Make it extra special for her.”
“Any ideas for potential venues?”
“My apartment.”
“What if you held it here? Having a party would make Hennessee’s entire year.”
“I’d have to think about that.” He began pushing the food around on his plate. “Rebel would love it, but my family might not come. They wouldn’t understand. It would just freak them out.”
“Ah, got it.” She gently nudged his foot under the table and rubbed along his calf, nervous and needing to touch him. “Does the rest of your family know I have ESP yet?” Odds were good they did by now. Rebel or Silvia might’ve told them, and they already changed their minds about her and—
“You’re not a house, Lucky. You’re a person. They’ll deal.” Maverick stared at her, quietly contemplative. “Does your family really talk to you like you’re garbage?”
“Yeah. I mean, they did. I don’t talk to most of them anymore.” She sucked in a shaky breath and cleared her throat. “I don’t bother with my extended family at all. With my mom, it’s complicated but it’s also not. I decided I needed to let go and she let me. She didn’t fight for me. I realized I didn’t want her to. I’d like to talk to my brother, but I don’t think that feeling is mutual. I sent him an email the other day.”
His expression brightened. “Did he reply?”
“Yeah.” Xander had convinced her to send it after Specter-Brightly disappeared and they’d gone back to drinking. Reggie responded within an hour.
“What did he say?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t read it.”
