Chapter 14

Tired of trying to match up candies to make a bomb that would clear the game screen, Ephie put her phone away.

Remy had gone quiet, but maybe he was just concentrating on driving. She tried to look at him without letting him know she was looking at him. He wasn't mad, was he, about what she'd said?

It had been the truth. Well, mostly. The part about being over him was a lie, but that was for both of their sakes. He had a life in another town. A job that he obviously liked. He didn't need her coming in and upsetting any of that.

The same went for her. Although her job could be done from anywhere.

Didn't matter. If he was still in love with her, he'd have said something. Wouldn't he? Remy wasn't the kind of man to keep anything back. At least he never had been.

The night he'd proposed was proof of that.

She glanced back at Jean-Luc. He was fast asleep and remained nearly invisible, his little snores hard to hear over the sound of the road.

She adjusted her seat, reclining it further.

"Going to sleep?" Remy asked.

"No, just getting comfortable."

"You can sleep if you want. Won't bother me."

"I'm good. Not much longer now, hmm?"

"Nope."

"When do you have to go back to work?"

"Two more nights."

"Are you going to show me around town?"

He smiled. "Yeah, sure. It's a great place. You'll love it. Not as chaotic as New Orleans or as busy but plenty of fun."

"Sounds good." She yawned without meaning to. She was a little tired. If she closed her eyes, she'd probably drift off, but she didn't want to do that to him. It wasn't fair that he did all the driving while she just slept.

"What's Jean-Luc up to?"

"Not a blessed thing." Ephie grinned. "Even for a ghost, he sleeps hard."

"How did you come up with the name Jean-Luc again?"

"I didn't. Not really. His full name is Jean-Luc Beauvoir, and I named him that because that was the name on the tomb he was standing on when I first saw him. Maybe it was his previous owner? I don't really know. I tried researching the name in the census, but I never found him. I know nothing about him. Maybe the tomb he was on had nothing to do with him."

"It's still a good name. It fits him. It's regal. And he clearly thinks he's the boss of everything, so why not?"

She nodded, amused. "He is awfully sweet. Ghost or not."

"You must wish he was real sometimes. Not that he isn't real, but you know what I mean."

"I do." She'd wished a lot of things over the years, but she'd given up on most of those wishes. "Of course, that would mean he'd leave me someday. This way, he'll always be with me." Just like a vampire. The similarities weren't lost on her.

"Good point."

"You seem to like him well enough. Why don't you have a cat? Or a dog?" Or a girlfriend or a wife, but she kept those last two to herself.

"Doesn't seem fair to leave an animal home alone so often. I work most nights, and when I'm home, I sleep a lot of those hours."

"Same for most people who have pets. Animals are surprisingly adaptable."

"Says the woman with a ghost for a companion."

"Hey, I've thought about adopting a living pet lots of times. I just don't know what Jean-Luc would think about that, and he was here first. I don't want to upset him. He's a pretty special little guy."

"I would agree with that," Remy said. He put his blinker on, checked the mirror, and got over into the far lane. "Who knows? Maybe someday I'll get a pet. Anything is possible."

Was it though? Ephie wasn't so sure about that.

Remy took the next exit, which took them through some hilly, windy roads. Then a sign appeared.

With great delight, she read it out loud. "Welcome to Nocturne Falls."

It didn't take long for the town to impress her with its dedication to the Halloween theme. All around her, on every side of the street, were signs and motifs that added to the vibe. Even the colors and designs of the buildings added to the feeling. "This place is seriously over the top, but I love it."

"It's definitely got a lot going on." He smiled. "I'm glad you like it."

There was so much to look at that when he turned into a residential area, she was a little disappointed, but she'd see more of the town soon enough.

The neighborhood was nice. Small to medium-size homes, all beautifully kept. All with more land around them than what she was used to seeing in New Orleans. As it was spring, there were lots of flowers, made visible by the exterior lighting on the homes.

He pulled into the driveway of a modest two-story house, the upper level a lot smaller than the main part. The house was dark gray with white trim, black shutters, and a deep purple front door. The front porch had wrought-iron railings, reminding her of the Quarter.

"This is your place?"

He nodded. "Home sweet home."

"I love it. Shades of New Orleans."

He laughed. "Yeah, maybe a few. I've done a few things to it over the years. Some consciously as a nod to Louisiana, some probably not. You get Jean-Luc, and I'll deal with the luggage."

She grabbed her purse, the bag of trash, then opened the door behind hers. She hoisted her computer bag onto her shoulder. "Jean-Luc, we're here. Time to get up, sleepy head."

The little cat raised his head and meowed at her.

She nodded at him. "That's right. We're at Remy's house. Come on, let's go inside. There will be lots of new exploring for you to do."

Jean-Luc got up, arched his back in a big stretch, then walked over to her, materializing as he did. She gathered him into her arms and headed for the front porch.

Remy had the door open and was carrying their luggage inside. She followed, entering right as he turned the lights on.

"Oh, Remy, this is nice."

"What did you expect?"

"I guess something more bachelor-pad-ish?" But his place, while definitely masculine, was gorgeous.

Dark blues and dark purples were paired with deep wood tones, brass fixtures, and touches of tan. Art was framed in gold, and the lighting fixtures were clear glass with Edison-style bulbs. The furniture all had simple, clean lines with a mid-century feel, and books were everywhere.

The vibe was old-school intellectual with money. Almost like an exclusive library had been turned into a home.

He closed the front door. "I'm glad you like it."

"Like it? I love it. Makes me want to redo my whole place."

He laughed. "It's been a work-in-progress for a while."

"Well, you did a great job. I can't wait to see the guest room."

"Don't get too excited. It's pretty simple."

"I'm sure it'll be fine. Can I put Jean-Luc down?"

"Of course. He can have the run of the place. Not like he can get into any trouble, right?"

"Right."

He showed her to the guest room down the hall, opening the door, then reaching in to turn on the light. "Here you go."

The room was decorated in tan and navy with a woven navy and green rug over the hardwood floor. A painting of Jackson Square at night over the headboard picked up all three colors.

The brass bed was covered with a colorful quilt that looked handmade. Crystal lamps sat on the wooden nightstands. There was a dresser, painted navy blue, opposite the bed. A lace runner covered the top, where a small flat-screen television had been set up. A tidy, upholstered chair took up the corner near the window, which was dressed with a simple shade and a lace valance.

She stepped inside. "It's perfect."

He wheeled her suitcase in. "The bathroom is the next door. Across the hall is a small room I haven't really figured out what to do with yet. The upstairs is another room I haven't done much with. The house is really more space than I need, but I like it. My bedroom is at the end of the hall."

"Then I'll know where to find you." She smiled. "Thanks for this. It was really nice of you to let me come stay. I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision for you to make with our history and all."

"Wasn't hard. You wanted to come. I wanted to see you again. Nothing difficult about that. Besides, like your mom was saying, it'll be good for you to get away. Have some fun."

"I'm not sure my mother really meant that, but I agree with her all the same." She was already enjoying herself. Getting to see how Remy lived was pretty interesting. Nothing like what she'd imagined.

A white streak zipped past Remy.

Ephie laughed. "I think Jean-Luc is enjoying himself."

"I'd say so, too." Smiling, Remy glanced in the direction the cat had gone before looking at her again. "You need anything?"

"Nothing I can think of. I guess I'll unpack. What are you going to do?"

"I'll unpack, too. Maybe start a load of laundry. Then…" He shrugged. "I don't know. Are you going to bed?"

"I feel like I should get on your schedule. At least a little bit. I'm tired, but I can stay up for a while. Do you want to do something?"

He smirked. "I don't think you're going to be interested in what I was going to do."

"Oh?" Curious, she took a few steps toward him. Her mind went in all kinds of dark, vampirey directions. "Are you going to … drink blood?"

His eyes narrowed in obvious amusement. "No. I was going to get groceries."