9. Jay

9

JAY

H earing Sam's terrifying yell made me limp, instantly.

My eyes went wide and every muscle in my body tensed.

I bounced out of bed and away from Cade, bent over our collected pile of clothes and started to throw on whatever I could. Before I knew it, I had wrenched open my door and was across the hallway entering Sam's bedroom.

As I did, a teddy bear flew past my face, and I had to duck as a toy truck barrelled toward me. It smashed into the doorframe, inches away from Cade, who had followed.

Had the situation been different, it would have been obvious what we'd been up to. But right now, no one was taking stock of our lack of clothes.

Beside Sam sat a little girl. Her face sunken and partially rotted. It looked like the spectre we had seen earlier in the evening. The house where Pam had died.

Pam, who I had easily forgotten about while being around Cade, now became a frightening memory, seeing Sam was inches away from a similar entity.

I made a move toward Sam, but the little girl snarled and moved in closer to my kid, reaching out skeletal hands like clutching talons.

Sam's face, wet with tears, scrunched up in abject terror.

"Don't move toward Sam," Cade said. "Will you let me?"

"Do you see the thing next to him?"

"I do. Better question is, do you?" Cade moved to stand beside me.

"She's terrifying. Yes, I see her. She looks like she's going to hurt Sam, like what happened to Pam." The words cracked as I realized what I'd just said.

"I will not let that happen." Cade placed a warm hand on my forearm and then gracefully and silently moved ahead of me.

The intruder in Sam's room tracked Cade's movement.

"You can't have him. He's mine." The girl croaked. Her voice held the innocent tone of a child, but the words weighed on me heavily.

"Sam doesn't belong to anyone other than maybe his dad." Cade nodded his head in my direction. "Why do you need him?"

"He won't let me go. He's keeping me here, but I want him — I need him — to let me through."

"Let you through?" Cade's brows furrowed.

"Sam promised me he'd let me go through!" The girl screamed, then lunged toward Cade.

Cade grabbed his necklace, the weird one with the eyeball pendant, then mumbled something I couldn't quite hear, but it sounded like Latin.

The ghost screamed as she hurtled herself toward the bare-chested bear of a man, evaporating as soon as she got within inches of Cade's flesh.

Toys that had been spinning and flying about abruptly came to a crashing halt.

The room turned deadly silent.

An acrid, burnt plastic scent wafted past my nose.

Sam burst into tears as he flung himself into Cade's arms.

"It's okay, little buddy. Let me take you to your dad." Cade lifted Sam up, walked over to me, then transferred him into my arms.

Sam was drenched in sweat. His chest heaved as he took in massive gulps of air, trying to quell his crying. He shook violently in my arms.

"He'll be cold. Let's get him changed and then wrapped in a blanket." Cade said, and I wasn't about to argue with the expert.

"You want some hot chocolate?" I asked Sam as he sat on the couch, staring off into thin air. He didn't respond to my question.

"Sam, your dad asked you something. Did you hear him?"

Sam glanced up at the big bear of a man whom I'd had stripped, only moments prior to Sam's ghostly intrusion, naked in my bedroom.

"I'm sorry. Yes, please." Sam glanced at me, so I got to work. "What happened to Olivia? Why was she so mean?"

"Wait," I spun around, "are you saying that that thing was your imaginary friend?" I glanced at Cade, searching for answers.

"Sometimes spirits get restless and demanding. But it sounded like she wanted something from you."

"Olivia wants to go see her mom and dad, but I like her. We have fun. I don't want her to go away like all the others." Sam got quiet as he let the last words out like a confession.

"How many others have there been, Sam?" Cade asked, sitting close to him on the couch with one hairy arm wrapped around him.

Sam turned to Cade, glancing up into our guest's eyes. I could tell there was an immediate bond between them. Sam trusted Cade. And rightly so. Cade had saved him from the monster.

"I don't know. Lots. They come and go."

"Do you remember the first time you had a friend that no one else could see?"

Sam gazed at Cade. My kid sat there silent for a long time before he finally said, "No. They've always been there. Sometimes there are lots, sometimes just one, and every now and then, there's no one."

"Hmmm." Cade glanced at me, then pulled his arm back, reached around to the back of his neck and removed the necklace he wore. "Sam, I'm going to give this to you. It's a gift my grandmother gave to me. You don't have to give it back. This is all yours. Do you know what it is?"

Cade placed the amulet into Sam's palm.

Sam stared at it, turning it over and over. He shifted his gaze back to Cade and shook his head.

"That's called the ‘evil eye . ' A silly name because it's not evil in any way. In fact, it protects you from anything that might want to cause you harm. Especially ghosts."

"Ghosts?" Sam's eyes went wide.

"I think Olivia is a ghost, and maybe you already knew that." As Cade said it, Sam looked away, seeming sheepish. Cade shrugged his shoulders. "It's okay. Now, normally, ghosts and spirits are friendly and never mean anyone any harm. They're just kind of around. You know?"

Sam nodded.

"But lately they all seem to be a little angry, and I don't know why, but now I think I'm going to have to find out because I can't have my new buddy having trouble with ghosts! Now can I?"

Sam glanced up at Cade, smiled, and leaned into him.

"It's okay, Sam. I got you." He placed his arm back around Sam and gave him a hug.

"Dad too?"

Cade's head turned in my direction. He winked at me, gave me a timid smile, then nodded. "Your dad too."

"Are you gonna stay with us?"

"Well, how about I visit a lot? Would that be okay?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"You let me know if Olivia comes back, okay?"

Sam nodded once.

"Okay, Sam, how about we get you back into bed after you drink your hot chocolate?"

Sam furiously shook his head.

"We can't stay up all night."

"Why not? Look outside. That's definitely a snow day!"

He wasn't wrong, but he also needed his rest.

"Be that as it may, you need to get your sleep."

"I'm not sleeping tonight. Did you see that thing?" Sam barked out.

"Okay," Cade said. "Let's put this on. It will protect you. Right?" Cade took the necklace from Sam and then helped him clasp it in the back. The amulet that normally clung tightly to Cade's jugular notch, hung loosely on Sam's chest.

Sam clasped the charm just like I'd seen Cade do on several occasions today. "Can I sleep with you two?"

"I'm sleeping on the couch. Remember?" Cade said to Sam, glancing across the room at me.

"No way. You saved me from Olivia. I want you both."

"Sam, we can't ask our guest to sleep somewhere he's not comfortable." I said.

Sam crossed his arms as his face took on a stubborn visage.

Cade chuckled, "As long as you're okay with it, I am."

"Awesome!" Sam pumped his fist once, slugged back his hot chocolate, then disappeared down the hall. "Are you guys coming?"

"You do not have to do this." I said.

Cade smiled, "Come on. I'm happy to do it. For both of you." Then Cade came a little closer and whispered, "I'd sleep with you any night you asked." Cade checked over his shoulder to make sure Sam wasn't watching from the hallway then he gave me a peck on the cheek. "But Sam's not wrong. Olivia might make a reappearance, and at least this way I can be in the room. I have a few tricks up my sleeve to keep ghosts away. You got any salt?"

"Like table salt?" Cade nodded. "A whole box of it. Why?"

"We're gonna use some tonight. It will help."

I fished the item out of the cupboard and handed it to Cade.

"Come on, let's go."

We walked down the hall to my bedroom. Sam sat in the middle of my bed. Cade gestured me into my room.

Once we were all past the threshold, Cade shut the door and opened the box, pouring a single line of salt on the floor. He then went to the windows and did the same thing.

"Anywhere there's a natural entryway into the room is now protected. But we can do one even better. Everyone in bed!" Cade glanced at me.

I scooted up onto the mattress and pulled Sam to me. Cade then made a big circle around the bed.

"Now, whatever might come in the middle of the night can't cross that line. They might show up on the other side of it, but you," Cade pointed at Sam, "are completely safe."

"Cool!"

"Alright, you, bedtime." I said as Sam took a deep breath and looked nervous.

"Can we keep a light on?"

"Sure," I said.

"And the TV?" Sam pointed toward the flat screen I kept in my room. I wasn't going to tell him I used that for more adult content later at night while he was asleep. For all he knew I watched the news on it while falling asleep, which I did, but after I'd satisfied myself with some furry man porn.

"Yes, we can turn the TV on as well." I glanced over at Cade, and he nodded.

A few minutes later, we were all snuggled into bed, Sam had already fallen asleep. I glanced over at Cade. Both of us were in our underwear, and I had given Cade an undershirt to wear, which despite my size fit him snuggly.

"Thank you. For all of this," I whispered, not wanting to wake Sam.

"Nothing to thank me for. I'm here to help." Cade smiled, then glanced at Sam who looked like he'd passed out. "As long as I get another invite." Cade continued, his tone quieted so as to not disturb Sam. But his voice also held a touch of innuendo, which had me getting excited — something that could not happen at the moment.

"Oh, that's definitely going to happen. Sam is going to his mom's this weekend. I was already going to ask you to come down for a visit."

"That's a yes."

"So, a sleepover date?"

"Most definitely." Cade smiled, then reached across Sam, took my hand, and gripped it. "However, if there are any problems with Sam, just call me. I will come. But I think it's safe to say he's like me."

"What do you mean?" My brows furrowed together.

"I could be wrong, so I hope this doesn't upset you, but I had a very similar childhood. I had loads of imaginary friends. Turns out they were spirits. I think Sam's a medium, like me."

"A medium?"

"Another word for someone who can see and sometimes talk with the dead. It's a rare gift. Although, I've often thought of it as more of a curse. It doesn't have to be though."

"I don't know if I can deal with this."

"Like I said, I don't know for certain yet. But it'll be okay. I'm here to help."

I looked at Cade, this big bear of a man whom I'd just started to get to know, and our day's events flashed through my mind. It had already been a fucking whirlwind.

But his eyes held a kindness to them. He was gentle, hot and sexy, sweet, and real. That moment when Sam flung himself into Cade's arms, I knew I could trust Cade. That if I did need help with Sam, he would keep his word and help us.

"I'm glad you called me to look for a home." I smiled and gripped his hand. We hadn't let go of each other.

"I am too." Cade's lopsided grin put any thoughts of ghosts attacking in the middle of the night at ease.

"Shall we try to get some rest?" I asked.

"For sure. Although I think it's going to be a several cups of coffee kind of morning."

"I can do that, and a big breakfast. We'll have to wait for the ploughs to clear the highway before you'll be able to leave."

"More time with the McClarens? I think that's a great way to start the day."

"After breakfast, we can go through some more listings online while we're waiting."

"No, I don't think we need to. I think I want to put an offer in at the acreage across from the church."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I have to shore up my finances, and my uncle will want to come out and see it first, but I'm pretty certain that's the spot for me."

I smiled. Cade would be close by.

"Let's make it happen."

And with that, I leaned over and kissed Cade goodnight.

It felt natural.

Like something I would end up doing a lot.

I hoped my dreams would be filled with the big bear, and not half-rotted corpses.