“Nothing. I think it’s great. But I do think you’re crazy because of it.”
I glared at him and was about to spout off a grocery list of insults when I noticed the twitch in his lips and the way his eyes sparked with life.
“You’re teasing me.”
“I am. Do you like it?”
“No,” I lied. “But listen, what I was going to say is, that ghost did steal my wallet.” I raised my palms. “I know you don’t believe in ghosts, but the kid spirit did. I’ll get it back soon, I promise. Before I leave, I’ll settle up—one way or another.”
“I know you’re good for it.” His gaze washed over my clothing, and a smile that made me want to fall to my knees graced his face. “Heard there was a ruckus at the funeral home.”
“A ruckus? Whatever do you mean?” I said chipperly.
“The kind that involved ghosts and apparently wannabe ghost hunters.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He strummed the strings. A heavenly, almost poetic sound rang out. “You know, before I came back here, before I returned to this place, it was the last thing I wanted to do.”
“So why’d you do it?”
“Because I made a promise to my father.”
My heart stretched. It throbbed against my chest. Okay, he had me. I wanted to go upstairs and crawl into bed, but Roan was talking. As much as admitting it made me want to gouge my eyes out, I needed to hear what he had to say.
Needed to hear? What a lie.
Iyearnedto know more about him. Something sparked in that guy. He was absolutely mesmerizing. Maybe it was his strong man hands. Or maybe it was the fact that he was completely at ease with his masculinity even though he ran a rather feminine business. I don’t know, but that guy was scorching hot and totally captivating.
Yeah, yeah, I know. I wasn’t going to get involved with him. Even if it killed me.
It just might.
I dropped onto a chair. “You made a promise to your father?”
“Yes, that I would take over the place. Watch and run it as best I could. I’d spent my whole life avoiding it.”
“I understand that.” I did. For the first half of my life, I avoided talking and interacting with spirits. It was too shameful. Kids made fun of me. It wasn’t fun.
He laid the guitar on a stand.
“What would I do while wasting my time in a podunk town?” He slyly grinned at me. “Then I realized this podunk town needed my family.”
I crossed my leg and wagged my foot up and down. “There’s nothing wrong with being needed. What did you do before this?”
“I traveled. Started a small company. I was an engineering major. I patented a part in a sheet metal cutter and made some money. I’d lived enough out there that I thought I could move back here.”
“To a tourist town?” I said, scanning the quiet homes that surrounded the place. “And you don’t even believe in ghosts.”
“But you do.”
I leaned forward. What the heck? It didn’t matter what this guy thought of me. I’d be gone soon enough anyway.
“Yeah, I do believe in them.”
“Why?”
My gaze skewered him. “Because I can see them. Talk to them. Ever since I was a little girl. In fact, there’s one behind you right now.”
