Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

L eo winced as the icy breeze swept through the office. He hadn’t meant to react so strongly to the mention of Jessica meeting someone at the Fall Festival, but the thought of her with another man had triggered an immediate reaction. Guilt gnawed at him as he watched Jessica and Wendy shiver, their conversation momentarily interrupted by the sudden chill.

“Damn it,” he muttered, frustrated by his lack of control.

He could do things now that he’d never dreamed of, but the flip side of those abilities was that he couldn’t always control them, especially under the grip of any strong emotion, and those side effects were growing stronger as he grew stronger. Determined to rectify his mistake, he closed his eyes and concentrated. He visualized warmth spreading through the room, pushing back against the cold he’d inadvertently summoned. Controlling the temperature consciously was a much harder task, like trying to swim against a strong current.

He continued trying to force the temperature to adjust until he felt the air around him shift. The chill began to dissipate, replaced by a gentle warmth that settled over the office like a cozy blanket. He opened his eyes, relief washing over him as both women relaxed. He hadn’t realized how much stronger his abilities had become. It was both exhilarating and terrifying.

As Wendy continued chattering about the fair, his gaze lingered on Jessica. Even though he knew he’d veiled his presence, her eyes darted over to where he stood. His heart ached at the conflict in her expression as Wendy teased her about potential suitors—a conflict he understood all too well. He knew it was selfish, but he couldn’t stand the thought of losing her. He did his best to send a wave of reassurance in her direction and some of the tension left her shoulders.

Wendy moved on to discussing the fall menu for the restaurant and Jessica relaxed even more. He watched her pretty, delicate face as she laughed, at ease with her friend in a way she very rarely was around most people. She put up an excellent act and he didn’t think that anyone realized she always maintained a slight distance between herself and other people. He wished he knew more about her past, but although she’d dropped a few hints here and there, she never wanted to talk about it and he’d never pushed her.

Her fingers absently touched her lips, and he suspected she was remembering that fleeting kiss just as he was—a tantalizing whisper of what could have been. His own mouth tingled with the aftershocks of that brief moment of connection, and a wave of frustration crashed over him. The kiss had been everything he’d dreamed of and more, but it had been cruelly short. For a heartbeat, he’d felt truly alive again, solid and real in a way he hadn’t experienced since his death. The warmth of Jessica’s lips, the softness of her skin—it had all been so vivid, so achingly perfect.

But now, as he stood there, incorporeal once more, the gulf between them seemed wider than ever. His heart ached with a longing so intense it threatened to consume him. He’d tasted a fragment of what they could have together, only to have it snatched away in an instant.

Despite that brevity, his body had responded to the kiss as if every fiber of his being had come alive in that moment, defying the laws that usually bound him to his ghostly state. It’s just the memory of arousal, he told himself again. No matter how real it felt.

The boundaries of his existence had never felt more confining, but he did his best to control his frustration, afraid of the consequences of letting his emotions run free. Am I being selfish , he wondered again. Here he was, clinging to Jessica and what they had together, keeping her tethered to a man who could never truly be with her. A ghost. A memory. A whisper of what might have been. He’d once dreamed of a loving wife, of children running through the halls of Midnight Manor, of family dinners filled with laughter and warmth, but that dream had faded even before his future had been so violently ripped away from him.

But Jessica… she still had a chance at that kind of life. She was young, vibrant, and so beautiful it made his heart ache. Her whole future stretched out before her and yet, here she was, bound to him by this strange connection between them.

His form flickered, his anguish threatening to make him fade entirely, but he forced himself to stay present, to keep watching as Wendy returned to the subject of the Fall Festival. He saw the way Jessica’s eyes darted to where he stood concealed in the corner, and the guilt in her gaze was unmistakable.

She deserved more than stolen moments and secret glances. She deserved a man who could hold her hand as they walked through the festival, who could dance with her under the autumn stars. Someone who could give her the family she might one day want.

The thought of Jessica with another man sent another surge of jealousy through him, but he managed to control it enough this time that the room remained at the same temperature. He had no right to feel possessive. He was dead, after all. What future could he possibly offer her?

Unless… What if he could do more? What if he could strengthen his abilities enough to be truly present for her? He’d already learned to manipulate objects and to adjust the atmosphere. His sense of smell had returned and now… a kiss. Perhaps there was hope after all. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the energy that flowed through him. He imagined it growing stronger, more tangible.

For a moment, he felt a tingling sensation in his fingertips and then the brief sensation of the wooden shelf behind him against his skin. It wasn’t much, but it was progress. As he considered this newfound possibility, he remembered Flora’s comment about the beginning of October and he frowned, a vague memory flickering at the edges of his consciousness. There was something important about October, wasn’t there? Something he should remember?

He grasped at the fleeting thought, but it slipped away like smoke through his fingers and frustration welled up inside him. Why couldn’t he remember? It felt crucial, as if it held the key to… something. He shook his head and turned his attention back to Jessica, watching as she nodded along to Wendy’s excited chatter about the fair. The festival. October. Why did it all feel so significant?

The memory continued to evade him and he sighed, returning to his previous idea about strengthening his abilities. He focused on the lamp sitting on Jessica’s desk, concentrating on the small light source. To his amazement, the lamp’s glow intensified, casting a brighter circle of illumination across the desk’s surface.

Her head immediately snapped up, going directly to his location, even though he was still veiled. He’d done it. He’d manipulated a physical object in a way Jessica could clearly perceive. The realization sent a rush of hope coursing through him. If he could affect the lamp, what else might he be capable of? He’d always been able to interact with his environment to some degree, but this felt different. Stronger. More controlled. What had changed? And why now?

Wendy’s eyes widened.

“Did that lamp just get brighter?”

“It’s an old lamp,” Jessica said quickly, but her friend shook her head, a teasing look on her face.

“This is Fairhaven Falls, remember. Looks like the Halloween spirits are getting an early start this year!”

Wendy’s words triggered a long-forgotten memory, his grandmother’s voice echoing in his mind, telling stories by the fireplace on chilly autumn evenings. She’d spoken of the veil between worlds growing thin as All Hallows’ Eve approached, allowing spirits to walk among the living.

The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning. Was this what Flora had meant when she mentioned October? Could it be true? Was there a chance he might actually step through the veil and be with Jessica in a more tangible way? The papers on the desk stirred and he quickly forced down another wave of emotion. He’d never wanted something so badly.

He couldn’t wait until Jessica was alone again so share this revelation with her. Or should he? What if he raised her hopes only to find out he was wrong? Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something momentous was on the horizon. The strengthening of his abilities, the unexpected kiss, and now this ancient lore resurfacing – it all seemed to point towards a shift in their impossible situation.

Wendy was talking about the cider doughnuts at the festival, and he found himself imagining what it would be like to share one with Jessica. To walk beside her, hand in hand, feeling the crisp autumn breeze against his skin. To share doughnuts, and mulled wine, and kisses.

The ache of longing intensified, but for the first time it included a spark of hope. If there was even the slightest chance of crossing over, he knew he had to pursue it. For Jessica. For himself. For the future they both secretly yearned for but had never dared to voice aloud.

The only question was how?