Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

J essica’s footsteps echoed softly through the empty restaurant as she wandered between the rooms doing a final check. The dim light cast long shadows across the polished wood floors, and the scents of the evening’s meals lingered in the air. The check wasn’t really necessary—Cody had left everything spotless as always—but she took comfort in the familiar routine. And it gave her an excuse not to return to her apartment just yet.

The memory of Leo’s kiss burned in her thoughts, refusing to fade. She touched her lips, recalling the fleeting warmth, the impossible reality of it. It had been such a brief, tentative touch but it made her feel alive in a way she hadn’t felt—hadn’t allowed herself to feel—in a very long time.

As she approached the window in the front room, her reflection stared back at her from the dark glass, and she hardly recognized the woman looking back—flushed cheeks, bright eyes, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. It was a far cry from her usual calm, distant persona. The change was both exhilarating and terrifying. She’d spent years building walls, protecting herself, and now those walls were crumbling.

“What am I doing?” she whispered, closing her eyes.

She’d dealt with ghosts before, helped them move on, but this… this was uncharted territory. Her experiences as Mystic Madam hadn’t prepared her for falling for a spirit. Perhaps the only reason she’d even let him get so close was because he wasn’t physically present. But if that changed, what would he expect from her?

She turned away from the window, resuming her restless pacing. As she wandered through the restaurant, she couldn’t shake off the echo of Leo’s presence. It lingered like a phantom touch, following her from room to room, reminding her that she was never truly alone in this place. She’d grown used to that feeling, to the comfort of his presence.

“What if this goes wrong? What if he disappears? What if…” She stopped, her throat tight. The real fear, the one she’d been running from for so long, finally surfaced. “What if I end up alone again?”

In the past she’d managed to convince herself that being alone was safe, protected, but she was terribly afraid that now she would never be able to accept that lie again. Leo had changed that. He had shown her that connections, that intimacy, could be more than painful. But he was also the one who’d shown her the risks of loving someone who was already gone.

The weight of her conflicting emotions settled over her like a heavy blanket, and she wandered back over to the window, resting her fingertips on the cool glass. Fairhaven Falls looked so peaceful, streetlights casting warm halos on the empty sidewalks as a flurry of fallen leaves swirled down the street. This town had become home as well, an anchor she’d never thought to have. If things went wrong with Leo, she would lose that as well.

A cold draft swept through the room, making her shiver as she cast a startled glance over her shoulder. This wasn’t Leo’s presence; she knew his energy well enough by now. This felt different, unsettling, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched as the curtains moved gently in a nonexistent breeze.

“Hello?” she called out softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Only silence answered.

“It’s just your imagination,” she muttered to herself, but her years of experience as the Mystic Madam had taught her to trust her instincts. Something was wrong.

She glanced over her shoulder again, half-expecting to see a shadowy figure, but the restaurant remained still and empty. She cautiously extended that sixth sense that she’d spent so many years trying to control. A chill crept over her, and she shivered as the sensation of being watched intensified. It was as though an invisible gaze was piercing the shadows, observing her. She concentrated harder, trying to identify the source, and then it was gone. The restaurant felt as empty as it looked, but the chill of that presence lingered in the air, like the scent of the earlier meals, confirming that she hadn’t been mistaken. Someone—something—had been here.

Frowning, she made her way towards the stairs to the apartment. Midnight Manor had been home to more than just Leo, but she was quite sure that she had succeeded in banishing Alexis. And why would another spirit suddenly show up now? Then again, Fairhaven Falls did attract some rather strange inhabitants and the chill she’d felt wasn’t necessarily malicious.

Despite her attempts to convince herself that everything was fine, unease was still gnawing at her when she walked into the apartment. Leo was sitting in the big chair by the fireplace, a book open on his lap and looking so real that her heart skipped a beat. He smiled at her, but the smile quickly faded, replaced by concern and her breath caught in her throat. She wanted to run to him, but hesitated, unsure of how to navigate this new territory between them.

“You look troubled,” he said softly, watching her.

She nodded, unable to find the right words, and he immediately rose and came towards her. His comforting presence surrounded her as he reached out, attempting to put his arm around her shoulders. To her surprise, she felt the weight and warmth of his touch. It wasn’t quite solid, more like the pressure of sunlight on a summer day, but it was unmistakably there.

Without thinking, she leaned into his embrace. The comfort of his nearness washed over her, easing some of the tension from her body, and she closed her eyes, allowing herself to pretend this was real.

“What’s wrong?” he murmured, his voice a gentle rumble she could almost feel. “Is this about what happened earlier?”

“Yes, and no. I’ve been thinking about what happened earlier all night, but I was just checking the doors and…” Her voice trailed off, uncertainty creeping in.

“And what?” he prompted gently.

“I think there was something else down there. Another spirit.”

His body tensed and the temperature in the room dropped. She instinctively shivered, and the warmth returned as his arm tightened around her, the weight of it across her shoulders increasing.

“Alexis?” he asked, his voice harsh.

“No, I’m sure it wasn’t her.” She felt him relax and gave him a rueful smile. “It’s possible I was just imagining it.”

Except that was what she’d been told in all her foster homes—and they’d been wrong.

“Is that really what you think?”

His dark eyes were warm and perceptive, and she shook her head.

“No. But it didn’t last long, and it might simply have been a… visitor to town.”

“Is that possible? Aren’t all ghosts tied to the place where they died?”

He had a curiously intent look on his face.

“Not at all. It’s most common but it’s not the only possibility. Sometimes the spirit is searching for something and sometimes they aren’t anchored anywhere but they don’t know how to move on.”

He shuddered. “That sounds worse than being trapped—never having a place where you belong.”

“You have a place where you belong,” she said firmly. “Here. With me.”

Impulsively, she reached for him and to her amazement, her fingers connected with a solid form. She felt the powerful expanse of his chest beneath her touch, warm and real. His eyes widened, mirroring her own wonderment, and then his gaze turned heated.

Slowly, he leaned down, closing the distance between them. Her heart raced as his lips met hers, and this time the kiss wasn’t the fleeting, tentative touch of earlier that day. This was a full, passionate kiss, his mouth firm and demanding against hers and she could feel it all. Her lips parted instinctively, and his tongue stroked hers, slightly cool but undeniably real, and she could taste apples and something wild and untamed.

She clutched at his chest, her body pressing closer to him as she surrendered to the sensation, to the heat sparking between them. For the first time in so long, she felt alive, every nerve ending singing at his touch. He was the only thing that mattered, the rest of the world fading into the background. The warmth of his body and the scent of apples wrapped around her like an embrace.

Her nipples tingled and she felt the slow, almost forgotten pulse of arousal low in her belly, but then that little voice in the back of her mind reminded her of what he was—a ghost, not a living, breathing man. A ghost who could fade at any moment, who couldn’t truly be there for her.

With a gasp, she pulled back, breaking the kiss. Her chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath, to gather her thoughts. His chest was rising and falling just as rapidly, even though he didn’t need to breathe. A choked sound escaped at the thought—half laugh, half sob—and she turned away from him.

“I can’t. We can’t. This is… impossible.”

She wrapped her arms around her waist, hugging herself protectively, and she could hear him pacing behind her. How could a ghost sound so alive?

“I’m not so sure it is impossible.”

His voice was deep and intense and she could feel the truth of the connection between them, but…

“How can you think that? You died a long time ago.”

“Maybe I died too soon. Maybe my time isn’t over yet.”

Her head snapped up at the hint of hope in his voice.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been doing some research. Did you know that All Hallow’s Eve is a time when the veil between worlds is thinnest? I think it might be possible to cross that barrier, at least temporarily, and I intend to try.”

She turned and stared at him, her heart pounding. He looked so determined, but…

“I’ve never heard of that happening,” she said slowly. “I’m not sure it’s possible.”

“But what if it is? Will you help me?”

“What if it goes wrong? What if I l-lose you forever?”

Her voice broke on the question and he immediately reached for her, but this time he didn’t make contact and he gave a frustrated sigh.

“I want to be with you, Jessica. I can’t ignore the possibility.”

He looked so hopeful that despite all the years of engrained caution, she found herself nodding.

“I want to be with you too,” she whispered. “If you really think it’s possible, maybe I could do some research.”

He nodded eagerly.

“It’s worth investigating. And if I’m right, and if the power is strongest at the end of the month, then I want to try.”