“Sounds like fun,” I shout.
I see Shep making his way over and head out to meet him halfway. The autumn sun shines over him and gives him a golden glow, illuminating him like an otherworldly being.
This man—I marvel to myself—handsome as hell and smart as a whip.
Could fate have navigated me all the way to Starry Falls so we could meet up?
I’d like to think so.
Annabelle is right. When things are meant to be, the universe finds a way to make it happen. There’s no stopping fate.
“Incoming!” an all too familiar female voice shouts, and I happen to glance in the direction of the pumpkin toss just in time to see an orange globe the size of a soccer ball hurling my way.
Without much warning, it smacks me right over the forehead.
I land flat on my back, and the last thing I see before the world goes black is Shepherd Wexler’s blessed by God face.
“Bowie.”
Chapter 10
“She tried to kill me.” I moan as I do my best not to slide off the stool at the Manor Café. “She was aiming at me,” I say to both Tilly and Stephanie while holding an icepack to the goose egg on my forehead.
It’s the very next day after the skull-smashing incident, and I’m already back at work. What can I say? I come from a hearty stock.
As soon as I blacked out, Shep called an ambulance and I was taken to the hospital here in Starry Falls. After a few close-ups of my noggin, they determined I was good to go and suggested I take two aspirins, a nap, and see if I wake up in the morning.
Modern medicine. It’s what keeps the caskets a churnin’ and the crematoriums a burnin’.
Nevertheless, I did wake up—at noon. Shep was at my place when my lids finally fluttered open, and he brought me a pancake breakfast complete with hand squeezed orange juice. He gave me a ride to the manor on his way to the station and said he’d be back later to check up on me.
Tilly shakes her head. “Regina swears it was an accident,” she whispers. And the only reason she’s whispering is because the wicked pumpkin-wielding witch is here working the floor while I play count the Tillys.
I’m not seeing double, I’m seeing quadruple.
Stephanie slides a cup of coffee my way before nodding over to Tilly.
“Shep made her breakfast and then they showered together.” She winks my way.
“Aw!” Tilly moans so loud her voice goes off in my head as if it were an echo chamber. “I just knew you two were destined to be together. The way that man looks at you makes me swoon. So how was it?”
“The pancakes were light and fluffy. I probably had a little too much syrup, but I figured I’d need the sugar to give me some get-up-and-go.”
Tilly swats my arm with a kitchen towel. “The shower, Bowie. How was the shower?”
“Wet, warm, and wonderful. But I took it alone. Shep kept knocking on the door to see if he needed to burst in to save me. But I managed okay.”
Tilly all but snarls at me. “You have no idea how to work a man, Bowie Binx. I bet Shep was practically chomping at the bit to get a little water world action.”
“Yeah, Binx.” My sister makes a face while pulling her coffee mug to her face. “You missed your water world moment.”
“I didn’t miss my moment. And besides, Shep and I are taking it sl—”
“Nowhere,” a snippy voice crows from behind as Regina joins us. “While you were passed out cold, Shep and I agreed to start seeing one another again.”
“Really?” I cock my head in amusement and a pain rockets through my skull. “As in he’ll see you down at the sheriff’s department while he’s booking you for attempted murder?”
Her lips curl to the side. “It was an accident.”
The tip jar next to the register begins to dance and wiggle all by its lonesome before sliding off the counter and landing onto the floor with a loud bang.
The four of us straighten and no one makes a move.
“Who did that?” Regina hisses.
Tilly gasps so loud she nearly vacuums up my hair in the process.
“It’s the ghost of Mortimer Manor!” she shrieks.
Stephanie is quick to nod in agreement. “It’s true. Ever since that girl was brutally murdered, freaky things have been happening around here. I think we’ve got a true blue poltergeist on our hands.”
Opal pops up in our midst with King tucked in her arms. “Did someone say ghost? Oh, just in time for Stitch Witchery. Do get the library ready.” She lifts a shoulder with delight as she steps around the counter. Her hair is back to lime green, same psycho short bangs and pageboy styling, her lips are orange, and she’s wearing a silver gown that looks as if she’s about to attend a formal on the moon. “A ghost. How I hope it’s true. I’ve been dying for some supernatural action around here.” Her head jerks as if something ominous just occurred to her. “Of course, that means I’ll have to sleep with the lights on.”
Stephanie raises a hand. “I’ll move in and protect you.”
“You’re not staying, Lola,” I tell my saucy sis as I pull the icepack away from my face. “Our mother needs you to tend to her back in Connecticut, remember?”
“Our mother has a harem of men to tend to her—all of which I went to high school with.”
“A harem of men?” Opal inches back. “Ooh, do invite your mother to Starry Falls. She could stay right here at the manor as my guest.”
Steph leans in. “What about me?”
“I’m afraid there’s no room at the inn.” Opal zips off to the tables and begins schmoozing with the customers and Tilly does the same.
Regina moves over to the register and begins processing the checks piling up.
I’m about to broach the subject of shipping my sister back to Hastings posthaste, pun intended, when I spot a redheaded woman stepping behind the counter. Her long black dress is in tatters as it flows behind her. There’s something off about her morbidly pale skin and her luminescent crimson hair as she seamlessly floats into the employee only area. I’m about to say something when she turns my way and laughs before gliding right through the wall.
“Oh my word.” I gasp. That woman! That wall! GAH!
And then it hits me. I’ve seen her before. I’ve met her.
“What is it?” Steph shoves a cookie my way—an old Italian standby that can cure just about any stormy situation.
“I think I just saw Hazel Newton’s ghost.”
Regina swoops in close to my sister’s side.
“Knew it,” Regina snaps. “You’re a freak!”
Stephanie claps. “I think you’ve just been upgraded. You’re a seer now!”
“They’re not called seers. It’s supersensual or something like that. And I refuse to get upgraded.”
Regina leans in. “What the heck are you two babbling about?”
I pull my icepack away and look to Steph. “Why is she still here?”
Regina snorts. “I’m never going away, Bowie. I’m your worst nightmare. Now get off your duff. It’s time for Stitch Witchery.”
Stich Witchery is nothing more than a mega crafts session with the who’s who of Starry Falls—exclusively women at this point, unless you count Mud playing bartender with the whiskey. The library, though adorned with more pumpkins, gossamer ghosts, and witches’ brooms than should ever be allowed, is a fully functioning book depository, which acts more as a lending library flooded with adorable little kitties hiding in every nook and cranny.