Chapter One
The hazy glare of the morning sun streamed through the glass of the shop’s windows, showing every stubborn streak that no amount of cleaning seemed to remove.
With a sigh, Natalie turned away from where she had just seconds ago flipped both the deadbolt and the sign to Open.
A sudden and aggressive jangling of the bells above the shop’s door startled her into a yelp. Or maybe it was more of a yip. Either way, she spun to see the mailman as he came stomping into the shop.
“Oh, hi. Good morning. You’re early today,” she greeted.
With a grunt of a reply, he shot her a less than friendly look and made a beeline toward the shop’s cash register. There, he slapped two thick stacks of envelopes bound with rubber bands onto the counter.
“Uh. Thanks,” Natalie said, trying to actually sound thankful for the delivery, which she most definitely was not.
“Yeah.” A scowl marred his already age-lined face.
Scowling seemed to be his default expression since the usual volume of mail coming into Once Upon a Vine Books & Wine had increased ten-fold. Or actually more like a hundred-fold.
The man pivoted toward the exit. His departure was accompanied by another cacophony of bells and the loud slam of the shop’s front door.
She understood his frustration as she stared at the piles of mail in front of her.
The increase in mail wasn’t new. It had been happening since Halloween when that darn reality show she’d agreed to be on had aired.
She knew what would be in those envelopes.
It would be the same as the day before and the day before that.
There would be letters from people who loved her. Fan mail, she’d call it if it were addressed to anyone other than herself. Having fans didn’t feel real any more than the hate mail from those calling her a faker and a fraud.
Then there were the countless requests from those who wanted her to travel to communicate with the ghosts in their home, office, grandparent’s mausoleum…take your pick. There was even a request from one supposedly haunted nail salon.
Still carrying his first mug of coffee of the morning, Liam wandered over, coming from the direction of her apartment in the back of the shop.
“I just don’t get it.” Natalie shook her head and stared at the messy stacks of envelopes dangerously straining the rubber bands that barely contained their bulk.
Liam lifted a dark brow high. “You don’t? Nat, what did you think would happen when you went on camera and talked to ghosts for the whole world to see?”
She lifted one shoulder. “I guess I assumed a few people would watch, but I never thought this would happen.”
Natalie hated when Liam was right. But even when she was annoyed with him, her boyfriend was still the most handsome man she’d ever had the pleasure of meeting in person, never mind sharing a bed with.
“Hey, Nat?” Gabe’s voice had Natalie spinning to find her ghost bestie had just entered the shop.
“Yes, Gabe.”
Her greeting had Liam frowning. “Oh, good. Gabe’s here.” His sarcasm wasn’t lost on her.
“Good morning to you too, big guy,” Gabe said, even though Liam wouldn’t be able to hear him.
“Was there something I can help you with, Gabe?” Natalie asked, ignoring the ongoing friction between them.
“Yes, there is, Natalie. Thanks so much for asking,” Gabe said with an edge to his tone that didn’t sound at all grateful. “Is your boyfriend getting a new cadaver for the lab? Because it’s already crowded enough in there.”
“I don’t know.” She turned toward Liam. “Babe, did you order a new cadaver?”
“Did I order a new cadaver?” he repeated. “No, Natalie, I did not.”
“Then why is there a letter of confirmation for one on his desk?” Gabe countered.
