Chapter 27

27

About a weekafter they banished Cora for good, Harlow pulled into the driveway of her rental and laid into the horn. When her sister didn’t appear right away, she laid into it again, this time holding it down longer just to be obnoxious. There was no way Imogen hadn’t heard the horn the first time.

The door swung open, and Imogen stomped out, still trying to get her sweater on. “Chill out, would you? You’re gonna wake the gnomes.”

Harlow chuckled and leaned back in her seat, feeling better than she had in… well, over a year. It looked like Imogen did too, because she was simply glowing when she slipped into the Subaru.

“Okay, I’m here. Where’s the fire?” she asked as she fastened her seatbelt.

“Downtown. There’s somewhere we need to be in about ten minutes. Ready?”

“I’m not sure. If I say yes, what am I agreeing to?” Imogen asked, casting her sister a suspicious look.

“I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise.”

Imogen groaned. “This isn’t going to be like that surprise birthday party you threw for me when no one showed up, is it?”

Harlow winced. That had been an epic failure. All Harlow wanted to do was give her sister the best sweet-sixteen party a girl could ask for. Unfortunately, she’d scheduled it the same night as an epic rainstorm that shut down streets and caused major power outages. They’d been stuck eating cake for days. “Listen, I can’t be held responsible for what mother nature does.”

“The news had been warning it was coming for almost two weeks!”

“Yeah, fair point. I should have rescheduled, but I was young and dumb then. I’m much smarter now. Trust me. You’re gonna love it.”

Imogen gave her a skeptical look. “We’ll see.”

Harlow laughed and so did Imogen. It felt good to laugh with her sister again. Harlow had missed that almost more than anything.

Five minutes later, they pulled into a parking spot on Main Street next to a metallic green Jeep.

“That’s gorgeous,” Imogen said, admiring it. “Look at that finish. It’s the perfect model, too. Jeep Wrangler with a hardtop. Lucky bastard.”

“Come on,” Harlow said, climbing out of her Subaru. The Mustang was still at the shop. It turned out not only had it had a belt issue, but it had a transmission issue as well, and they were still waiting on the parts. Since they’d already agreed that Harlow was taking the Mustang back, Harlow was paying for the repairs and wasn’t in a real hurry to get it back. She just wanted it done right this time. She didn’t relish being stranded on a lonely road out in the middle of the woods. Not again.

Imogen followed Harlow onto the cobbled sidewalk, but when Harlow didn’t lead her anywhere, she said, “Well? Now where? And can we make a stop at Incantation Café? I could really use a piece of coffee cake. The pickins are slim at chez Thane.”

“Really? Why? Won’t Shaun take you to the store to get provisions?”

Her face flushed pink as she glanced away and mumbled something Harlow couldn’t hear.

“What was that?”

She cleared her throat. “We were going to go last night, but we got a little distracted.”

“I see.” Harlow let out a bark of laughter. “The honeymoon period is so intense.”

“We’re not in our honeymoon period,” she said, rolling her eyes. “We’re just seeing where things go.”

“Uh-huh. Just seeing where things go while he straight-up moves in. Sounds like a serious relationship to me.”

“He hasn’t moved in,” Imogen insisted. “He’s just giving you and Cash space.”

“Sure. Space,” Harlow said with a snicker. The day after she and Cash got re-engaged, they’d made the decision that she’d move into Aunt Jane’s house. And Harlow had told Imogen to stay at the rental for as long as she wanted since there was a two-year lease. Imogen had protested, but Harlow insisted, telling her she could start paying rent when her business was stable enough for her to draw an appropriate salary.

Imogen had finally accepted but insisted she’d pay her back. Harlow told her she’d just put it in a high yield savings account in Imogen’s name, so why bother. The argument had ended there, and Harlow packed her stuff and moved. So far the arrangement was working perfectly. Aunt Jane was happy and had taken to baking yummy treats every few days for them. Shaun only came back to the house to help Cash when he needed him for the remodel, and they’d instituted a weekly Sunday brunch for the four of them to get together. Everything was just about perfect.

Almost.

“Can we eat now?” Imogen asked.

“Sure.” Harlow walked toward the two empty store spaces right in front of them and produced a set of keys. “Just as soon as we see our new offices.”

Imogen blinked at her. “Excuse me?”

Harlow grinned as she unlocked the door on the right. “Which one do you want? The one on the left or the right? I was thinking maybe the right since the floral shop is right next door. But the left is closer to Incantation Café, so it’s a toss-up, really.”

“Harlow!” Imogen said with an incredulous laugh. “What in the world is going on?”

“Let’s see.” Harlow waved her into the office and said, “Why don’t you sit down.”

Imogen glanced around at the empty space and said, “Where?”

“Behind the counter,” Harlow said and went to lean against what must have previously been a checkout counter but could easily be a receptionist’s desk or a place to hold sample albums or wedding magazines.

Imogen tentatively moved behind the counter and chuckled when she saw one of the stools from her kitchen. “When did you get this out of the house?”

“Mind your business,” Harlow said with a wink. “Tell me what you think. I was talking to Chad a few days ago, and he mentioned that these two spaces were up for rent. And because they are relatively small, they are dirt cheap. Most people around here who want a store on Main Street need square footage. But we don’t. Basically we just need offices. The rent is cheaper if I lease both, and then I get to decide who I want as a neighbor instead of being stuck with someone who smokes outside my door all day.”

“I’m sorry,” Imogen said. “But why do you need office space?”

This was the part that Harlow had been dreading. She’d hoped the excitement of an office space on Main Street would take the sting out of what Harlow had to tell her sister. “Okay, just hear me out before you say anything, all right?”

“I’m listening,” Imogen said, sounding impatient.

Harlow couldn’t blame her. She was acting like a manic idiot. She’d just been so nervous she hadn’t known how to handle it. “Cash and I were talking, and we’d like to work part time, very part time, as ghost hunters.”

Imogen’s eyes darkened and Harlow could already see her shutting down.

“Not like we did before. Just listen, okay?”

“I’m still listening.”

“Right. Well, after you were possessed and then I went through the same thing, I just feel like there needs to be somewhere that people who are dealing with rogue ghosts can go for help. I don’t want to invite trouble like we used to with our show. I mean, I’m not going to go into old places and asks ghosts to show themselves, but when someone is being haunted or harassed by a stubborn ghost, Cash and I want to help. I figured if we opened a ghost-hunting office and only worked with private clients by appointment, that would satisfy our needs of being available when people need us. But I really, really don’t want to invite anyone who is haunted into the house. So this was the solution.” Harlow gave her a nervous grimace. “What do you think?”

Imogen just stared at her with her mouth hanging open.

Harlow’s stomach sank. She felt strongly about this, but she didn’t want to do anything to ruin her relationship with her sister. She didn’t know what she’d do if Imogen hated it. Couldn’t she see that Harlow and Cash just wanted to help?

“Harlow,” Imogen finally said, her voice a little hoarse with emotion. “I think that everything you said was just wonderful. Of course you should use your gifts to help people.” Her expression softened. “I know I put you through hell last year, but that was about me and my fears. Not you or how much I trust you.”

“I have a confession to make too,” Harlow admitted.

“About what?” Imogen frowned.

“My year off from ghost hunting and my breakup with Cash. I didn’t just do it for you. I did it for me, too.”

“I don’t understand,” Imogen said, her face pinched with worry. “What does that mean?”

Harlow let out a sigh and owned up to the truth she’d always known but hadn’t been able to put into words before now. “When you were possessed, it shook me to my core. And when I almost lost you? Well, that was all I could see in my dreams for months. I didn’t want anything to do with ghost hunting after that. And that’s why I went scorched earth. I was scared. But then I didn’t have Cash. I didn’t have you. And ghosts were popping up anyway. My plans to stay away from them were futile and then… You know the rest. It’s time for me to go back to what I was meant to do and pray that the people I love are okay with it.”

“I’m okay with it,” Imogen said. “I promise.”

“You really don’t mind?” Harlow asked, praying she hadn’t misunderstood.

“No. This is what you were born for, and we’ve both already seen that even when you try to ignore your gift it finds you anyway. Running is a fool’s errand.” She reached out and squeezed her sister’s hands. “Just be careful, okay? Because even though I think it’s a good idea for you, I’d rather stick to weddings.”

“In an office space right next to mine?” Harlow asked hopefully.

“You’re too much. You know that, right? You already pay my housing rent. I can’t let you pay my office space rent, too.”

“Sure you can. It’s really not that much more for the second office, so I’m taking it either way. I just hope I get to see a friendly face next door when I’m in there working. If not paying rent bothers you, you can take over the cleaning duties. Especially those front windows. They need a good scrubbing before we set out window displays.”

Imogen glanced around the room, really studying it. “It would be a great space for picking fabrics and florals. That front window really lets in a lot of light.”

“So you’re in?” Harlow asked.

“I’m in. And I’ll wash the windows. Just stop paying for things for me. You’re making me feel like a socialite.”

Harlow winced. “Um, how about just one more thing, and then I’m done.”

Imogen shook her head. “Harlow, I don’t need anything else besides a car, but⁠—”

Harlow held up a key fob and handed it to her sister. “I know I didn’t take you with me to look at it, but I think you’re going to like it anyway.”

Imogen followed Harlow’s gaze to the green Jeep Wrangler that was parked next to the Subaru. “You didn’t,” she whispered.

“I did,” Harlow whispered back.

Imogen pressed the Unlock button and watched as the lights on the Jeep flashed. She let out a squeal and then wrapped her sister in a bear hug. “You’re too much,” Imogen said into her ear.

“Probably, but I also have far too much just because I was on a television show. Sharing with the person I love most in the world just seems like the right thing to do.”

“So with Cash?” Imogen teased.

“Ha-ha. Cash has his own money. He can fend for himself. You, however, are rebuilding your life, and I want nothing more than to help you do that. Just say yes, Gen. It’s not your fault your life was ruined by that ghost. Let me help lift you back up.”

Imogen’s chin quivered, and tears stood in her eyes. “It was never your responsibility to do that, Harlow.” There was no heat or judgment in her tone. Just resignation laced with emotion. “I don’t deserve you after the way I treated you.”

Harlow’s heart squeezed, and she nearly thought she’d pass out from the pressure. But when Imogen’s arms came around her, suddenly the world was right again. She had Cash, her sister, and a new storefront that would put her in a position to help people in need.

It was all she’d ever wanted.