“Milady,” Rafe intoned, bending at the waist and gesturing towards my door.
I shook my head as I moved to the door, wonderingjust how I was going to put up with a lecherous pirate ghost for a month. “This is my life,” I said out loud.
“At least you have one,” Rafe quipped as I pushed the door open.
I couldn’t argue with that.
Chapter Eleven
“What. Is. That?”Rafe asked, hovering worriedly over Hank as Hank bounced around, sniffing the air below Rafe. Hair rose at the back of Hank’s neck and he emitted a low growl. Astonishment washed through me as I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard my happy-go-lucky dog growl before.
“He’s a ghost hunter. You’d better watch out,” I said and was rewarded when Rafe zoomed to the other side of the room, Hank racing across the hardwood floors after him.
Maybe there was something to this having a ghost around after all. If I could order Rafe to zoom around the living room all day, Hank would be all tuckered out by the time I came home from work. Mulling it over, I pulled my cell phone from my bag to see what call I had missed.
Trace.
I sighed and punched the button to call him back. I hadn’t actually spoken with Trace in a while. TypicallyTrace and I had a fairly set diving schedule, but with recent events we hadn’t gotten wet in a while.
“Hey,” I said, keeping my eyes on Rafe as Hank jumped onto the back of a red leather sofa and prowled after the ghost.
“Hey, how are you?” Trace asked, sounding distracted. I could hear a woman’s voice in the background and was immediately annoyed.
“Oh you know, same ol’ thing, you? Did I interrupt a date?” I tried to sound cheerful but suspected that I just sounded bitchy.
“Um, sort of. I just wanted to check if we were diving in the morning?”
My eyes went to Rafe again and then I thought about the Pagan festival tomorrow. I suspected I’d be busy in the morning with all the new people in town.
“I don’t think so. There’s some Pagan festival in town and I think the shop is going to be pretty busy. I’d like to get some sleep instead,” I said, watching as Rafe reached out to try and pet Hank’s head.
A sharp bark warned Rafe away and I huffed out a small laugh.
“You’ve got company as well, I see?”
Trace’s words were polite but I could sense a current of bitterness below them. I sighed, wondering when we would go back to the easy friendship we’d once had, or if we evercouldgo back there. I missed my dive buddy, and my friend.
“Nobody important. Maybe Sunday or Monday we could do a dive?” I asked hopefully, knowing I could use some time underwater to clear my head.
“Sure, let’s plan for Sunday morning.”
“Deal. See you then,” I said softly as a woman’s voice called to Trace.
“See ya.”
And that was just that, I thought, turning the call off and staring down at my phone, wondering if I should call Cash. I couldn’t help but feel a little irritated by the woman’s voice in the background. Trace was supposed to be intome. I rolled my eyes at that thought. What kind of woman was I turning into? I just wanted Trace to lust after me while I gave my attention to Cash?
I jumped when the phone rang in my hand.
Cash.
Well, then. Seems like my psychic powers were on overdrive tonight.
“Hey,” I said softly, turning away from Rafe as a warm glow spread through me at his voice.
“Hey yourself. Did I catch you at a bad time?” His voice, which sounded like whiskey-soaked sin, reached to me through the phone and I realized just how much I missed him. Which made me feel even guiltier for having a brief lusty thought about Trace.
“Well, it’s been better. But that’s a story for when you’re here,” I said. Emphasis onhere,I thought.
