6. Jay

6

JAY

T he banter between us came easily, and it didn't take long to discover that Cade and I held similar viewpoints and had interests in common.

For instance, we both liked gardening and found that family vied for top place in terms of priorities. That wasn't hard to believe for me, looking after Sam and all. But Cade felt just as connected to his roots and immediate family as I did.

That was refreshing.

I paid the bill for our lunch. Cade attempted to pay for his half, but I wouldn't have it. I could write this off as a business expense, but if truth be told I was looking at this as a first date.

That was something I would never confess to.

As we exited the restaurant the snow had accumulated, and I wrapped my scarf a little tighter around my neck. The flakes were falling at a rapid rate.

"You might want to call a hotel." I suggested, again.

"Think this is going to get worse?" Cade glanced toward the sky.

"Definitely." I opened the car doors with my remote, allowing us to find shelter from the bitterly cold winds.

"Got any suggestions on where I should stay?"

"I'll have Pam call around and find you a room."

"Oh, wow, thanks!" Cade smiled, then shivered. "It is getting colder, isn't it?"

"Typical with a blizzard."

"Oh, it won't really get to that." He glanced out the windshield again, casting his gaze to the darkening sky.

"We tend to get more snow and storms than the city. Couldn't tell you why." I pulled out my phone and sent off a quick text to Pam. "All right, that's set in motion, so you're safe to keep looking at a couple more properties, and then I can take you to wherever Pam gets you a room, and then you can settle in. Might be good, you can review the listings we saw today and make notes on what you liked, what you didn't. Maybe you'll find one property in particular that made you feel right at home."

He chuckled, "You think it'll happen that fast?"

"What? Finding a home? Absolutely. I've had clients walk into a house and within minutes make an offer. Sometimes, when you know, you just know. You know?"

He laughed out loud, "No, I don't. But I hope you're right."

I started the car and blasted the heat. "Okay, next up, the old McCauley place." I shifted the car into drive and pulled away from Rose City, vowing to take Cade there again soon. "Now this next property takes a bit more commitment. Not only is it out of town, but it's also an acreage, and sometimes the work involved in keeping up that much land is a bit overwhelming for a new property owner. But I really think it's something you should see."

"I'm game. This is the place that belonged in your family?"

"My ex's. Yes. It's her grandmother's old place. She was put into a rest home not too long ago. She's a bit colourful."

Cade cocked an eyebrow as he glanced at me.

"Well, it's not nice to say crazy. She had some very unusual beliefs."

"Couldn't be any wilder than the fact I see ghosts?"

It was my turn to laugh.

"Perhaps," I said. "She proclaimed herself to be a witch. She did immigrate from Europe and clung to a lot of the old traditions of her village. Whenever Susan and I went to visit her, she'd bless us with dried up herbs, and had salt poured across the doorway. Weird things like that."

"The salt thing works." Cade nodded.

"What?"

"I know, sounds weird, but salt is a naturally occurring element and it is a purifier. It's used to cure meat and fish in many cultures around the world, and in ancient times was so expensive the Roman government would pay its soldiers in salt. The word ‘salary' actually has Latin roots that bring it back to the word salt.

"In addition, it's been used to create boundaries or barriers to the unseen world. It's been used forever to keep entities at bay. Evil witches too."

"Ha! Like my ex's grandmother."

"Oh, I highly doubt she was evil."

"Not if you listen to Susan. Apparently, she was a bit much."

"Well, now I'm really intrigued to see this property. I'll be able to tell you just by stepping into her house if she was evil or not."

"That doesn't sound like something I want to put you through — considering that last encounter." My skin felt flushed. I honestly didn't want to put Cade into a difficult situation.

"Nah, forget about it. You've piqued my curiosity. Let's go!"

I put the car into drive and headed off to the old McCauley acreage.

The crunch of snow beneath my tires was the only sound as the car slowly rolled to a stop outside the metal fence that surrounded the property.

The fifteen-minute drive out of town had been filled with polite chit-chat and a little flirting on both our parts. I was starting to get the impression that perhaps Cade would entertain more than just a house showing, but I wasn't going to act on that.

Professionalism and all.

But damn, this big bear of a man made me want to throw that right out the window.

"So, here we are," I said, turning off the car.

Cade's head swivelled as he surveyed the land around us. "I…this is really weird."

"What's wrong? Is it…spirited?"

"No, just the opposite. There's nothing here." Cade pointed toward the property across the road. "Now, the mob of dead people gathered around the fence in the church cemetery across the highway? That's a different story. But right here? It's utterly silent. Like, completely still. I've never felt this way before." Cade's brows furrowed together as he opened the car door and stepped out into the snow.

He continued to study the yard, then walked over to the metal picket fence.

"This is iron." He tapped the waist-high fence. "It goes all around the property?"

"I believe so," I said, confused as hell. "Is that a good thing?"

"It's awesome!" Cade, for the first time since showing him a property, smiled and looked enthusiastic.

"Okay, then. Would you like to see the inside?"

"Would I ever!" Cade began stomping through the banks that had accumulated since this morning. The falling snow gathered enough to be deep enough to wet the socks on our feet above the ankles, where before, the driveway had been clear.

Susan's family would have ensured the place was kept show-worthy. We maybe didn't make it as a couple, but I'd known her for years, and her family. They all shared fastidiousness as a trait.

Nature versus nurture. Pretty sure the McCauley family came by it naturally.

The house had a cottage feel to it. An odd style of building out here on the Canadian Prairies. It looked more like something you'd find in Europe. Two tall A-frame peaks flanked each side of the home, while the middle of the house obviously had vaulted ceilings. I'd seen the interior only a couple of times before, but it was breathtaking.

The key clicked in the lock, and then I swung the heavy wooden door inward and gestured for Cade to enter.

He poked his head inside and glanced around, his eyes becoming wider as he took in the open living space.

"I gotta say, this isn't what I had expected at all. This is so modern!"

"The family did some upgrades after Trudy moved out. That's my ex's grandmother."

"Yes, I remember you mentioning…" He stepped inside the foyer and removed his shoes with a quick toe-to-the-heel action.

Cade strode over to the kitchen, running his hands across the gleaming quartz countertop.

"What's the asking price?"

"It's a little over your price range."

"Don't care. How much?"

"Three seventy-five."

Cade whistled. "Can we see the rest?"

"Go ahead, explore. I'll wait for you here." I unlaced my boots and neatly stowed them beside Cade's, noticing that his running shoes were in rough shape.

With a few free minutes on my hand, I pulled out my cell and sent a quick text off to Pam. I glanced at my watch. It was already after two in the afternoon, and I hadn't heard back from her since this morning.

Odd.

No text or missed call. I would have thought I'd have heard from her regarding her set up of the new build we were supposed to be seeing next, or that she'd snagged Cade a room. As I glanced out the kitchen window, the skies had darkened again, and the snow whipped around the yard.

The storm was getting worse.

"Hey, is this a basement?"

I looked toward the sound of Cade's voice. I hadn't noticed him come back into the kitchen. He stood on the perimeter of the room, next to a door.

"Yeah. That leads to the back door to the yard, and the basement. But I will warn you, even though the upstairs has been redone, the basement — from what I remember — was earthen. They may have reinforced the pilings to keep the structure sound. I can check with Susan. She might know, and if not, she'll be able to get that info for me."

"Is it okay for me to—" He pointed at the door.

"Yeah, of course. I'm just going to call Pam to see if the next house is ready, and I'll come down and join you."

Cade smiled. "All alone in the dark basement with a muscled gym bunny? Sounds like fun."

Okay, he's definitely flirting.

Obviously the ghostly encounters we had been subjected to earlier in the day had melted away. Despite the fact that the house was just on the cool side, and a blizzard was forming, a flush of heat rushed through my chest.

I smiled. Cade winked, then disappeared through the back door.

I scrambled to punch in the numbers to Pam's cell, then waited impatiently as several rings passed until her voicemail cut in.

"I'm sorry I've missed your call —" I hung up.

Dammit, girl, where are you?

"Holy shit." Cade's muffled voice barely registered as I stood in the kitchen. I stuffed the cell into my coat pocket and then headed toward the stairwell leading to the undeveloped basement.

Cade stood at the foot of the stairs.

I cautiously stepped down thinking to myself he'd finally found a ghost and this house would be off the list of potentials.

He turned to look at me with a smile so bright it lit up the dingy and damp basement.

"This place is fucking perfect." He was radiant with giddiness.

"No ghosts?" My gut clenched as I asked the question, waiting for positive confirmation.

"There will never be spirits in this house, or any other unwanted entities. Whoever your ex's grandmother was, her occult knowledge is more advanced than mine! Cade grabbed for the necklace and held onto it.

"Well," I let out a massive breath. "That is good news. But I'm curious. Why this house? What's so different about it?"

"Listen, when we first pulled up, I was certain this would be a ‘no go'. It is older, which means it certainly could have housed history. But the church across the street instantly gave me the willies, and the cemetery confirmed why I had gooseflesh. You have no idea how many spirits are hanging around in that yard. Literally hundreds."

"The church has been there over a hundred years. And the cemetery gets used…a lot."

"That is obvious. But it's surrounded by an iron fence, and so is this property. Pure iron prevents most supernatural beings from crossing. But that's not even the best part. Look at the beams that run along the top of the ceiling." Cade pointed.

Through the dimness of the basement, he saw the old timbers that were original to the cottage were in good shape. But decorating the entire periphery were small blue eyeballs.

"What the fuck— Wait—isn't that the same thing you're wearing around your neck?"

Cade nodded as his smile continued.

Damn, you are a handsome creature.

"What the hell is it?"

"It's from my culture. My mother is Romani; my father was not. But this symbol is the evil eye. Anyone who wears this symbol is said to be protected. The evil eye wards off anything containing evil intentions. But that's not all. Look at the floor."

I inspected what I could see of the dirt beneath Cade's feet.

"I don't?—"

"Look at where the walls meet the floor."

Furrowing my brows together, I squinted and tried to make out the farthest corner.

"It looks white."

"Exactly."

"What is it? Mould?"

"Nope. It's salt. The entire permitter has been doused in a massive layer of salt."

"The natural purifier!" I said, remembering our conversation from earlier.

"Exactly."

"So, this property is protected." I surmised, while arching an eyebrow, looking for confirmation.

"Precisely. Two layers of iron: one across the road, one around the periphery of the property—an entire circumference of evil eyes, and another border of purification. But that's not all. I don't know if you can see them or not, but each of the walls has a massive hex mark in the centre which, if I remember my neo-pagan teachings, is a trap to capture and funnel away anything that might try to break through.

"This house is literally impenetrable."

"Wow! I made good on my word then. I found you a ghost-free house!"

"You did more than that! You found me a home." Cade grabbed my shoulders and pulled me into a massive bear hug. I could feel his pec muscles flex as he tightened his grip.

I probably had more muscle mass than he did, but this bear of a man held me so tight I could barely breathe.

"I'm so happy for you." I grunted out.

"Oh, sorry. I'm excited."

"Understandable. But listen, don't make any decisions too quickly. We have one more house to go see."

"You're right, you're right. Besides, I'd like to bring my Uncle Gally out to see this place before I start making any offers, if that's okay?"

"Absolutely."

"Are we in a rush? Are there others who are interested in this place?"

"I highly doubt it. It's been on the market for a few months, and we're in the middle of winter. We get sales every month, but this is far from the busiest time of the year. I'll keep watch though, and if anyone starts sniffing around here, I'll be sure to let you know."

Cade took another glance around the basement, then looked at me, smiling.

"This is absolutely fucking perfect. There's not a single otherworldly vibration in this house and I feel amazing for the first time in years. Thank you!"

Cade grabbed me again, and I thought I was going to end up with another bear hug, but instead, Cade's mouth smashed onto mine.

It was a quick kiss.

Only a momentary connection.

But as soon as it happened, Cade pulled away equally as fast. His face was deep red.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry." Cade cast his eyes downward. "I'm just?—"

I reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Cade. I get it. You're happy."

"You have no idea," he replied.

I knew he was talking about the house, but for the briefest of moments, I wasn't sure if that was all he was referring to.

"Off to the last showing?"

"I think it's going to be hard for you to top this place." One side of his mouth twerked up in a lopsided grin. "But yeah, I'd like that."

"Then let's go."

My hand was still on his shoulder. So I wrapped my arm around his neck and escorted him out of the basement.

Maybe he'd buy this house.

Maybe he'd move here.

Maybe I'd end up with some spice in my otherwise, uneventful, and non-existent love life.