Page 19 of Dream Lake

“Your net worth is now located in the pocket of your Levi’s.”

“I still have the Dream Lake development. I just need to find new backers.”

“Great. In the meantime, this little cottage of Zoë’s is right on Dream Lake Road. You’ve probably driven past it a hundred times. So you can take a couple of weeks to fix up her place, and—”

“Zoë?” Alex asked sharply, descending the stepladder. “I thought you said it was Justine’s cottage.”

“Justine was the one who called me about it. Zoë’s going to live there with her grandmother, who’s got some kind of Alzheimer’s. You remember Zoë, right? The sweet-faced blonde with the nice set of… muffins.” Sam grinned as he saw Alex’s face. “Help me out. She’s one of Lucy’s best friends. Do it so I can reap the benefits of Lucy’s gratitude.”

The ghost stared at Alex with offhand amusement. “Why not?” he asked. “Unless you’re scared.”

“Why would I be scared?” Alex asked irritably, before he thought better of it.

“Scared of what?” Sam asked, perplexed. “Of Zoë?”

“No,” Alex said in exasperation. “Forget it.”

“It doesn’t have to be complicated,” Sam told Alex. “Go fix the house for the nice woman and her grandmother. Maybe you’ll get lucky and she’ll fix you dinner.”

“And if you don’t,” the ghost added, “we’ll know how much of a coward you really are.”

“I’ll do it,” Alex said through gritted teeth. It was clear that the ghost was going to badger him nonstop if he didn’t. And he felt the need to prove to the ghost—and maybe to himself—that Zoë Hoffman would pose no problem for him. “Give me her number. I’ll find out what she wants and work up a quote. If she doesn’t like it, she’s welcome to find someone else.”

“And you’ll give her a good deal, right?”

“I give everyone a good deal,” Alex said icily. “I don’t rip my customers off, Sam.”

“I know that,” came Sam’s quick response. “Wasn’t implying otherwise.”

“I’ll quote a fair price, I’ll do good work, and I’ll finish on time. Like I always do. And afterward, if you don’t quit bitching about my personal life, I’m going to take this support post and shove it up your—”

“Deal,” Sam said promptly.

Seven

“Why can’t you be the one to meet him at the cottage?” Zoë asked as she and Justine cleared the dining room of the breakfast dishes.

“It’s going to be your house,” Justine said reasonably, following her into the kitchen. “And you’re the one who knows best about what Emma’s going to need.”

“I still wish you would go with me.”

“I can’t. I’m meeting the loan officer at the bank. You’ll do fine. Just keep the budget in mind.”

“It’s not the budget I’m worried about,” Zoë said, scraping the breakfast plate at the sink with unnecessary vigor. “You know I don’t like talking to strangers.”

“Alex isn’t a stranger. You’ve met him before.”

“For about thirty seconds.”

“You just went to Everett and talked with a whole bunch of strangers.”

“That’s not the same.”

“Oh.” Justine paused in the middle of loading handfuls of flatware into the dishwasher. “I get it. But I promise he’s not going to do anything to make you uncomfortable. He’ll be professional.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure. He’s Sam’s brother. He knows Sam would kick his ass if he offended you.”

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