Page 41 of Holiday Hook Up

No doubt there’d be a showdown in the new year between Rachel and Zoe if it was the latter.

There was no need to worry about that right now, not when there was a handsome construction worker waiting to watch a movie. She flicked the card over, still holding the folded up twenty in her other hand. “I guess I should go order the pizza for my date.”

“Man, I did a fine job if I do say so myself,” Adam said out loud, sliding his hand along the gold railing. He and his father had renovated the Majestic Theater’s balcony last month, stabilizing the old architecture. It’d been a project he’d enjoyed, thrilled to help Caitlin reopen the place with a safer balcony while keeping the original décor intact.

Being in the theater also gave him warm and fuzzy feelings that probably had something to do with his meeting his long-lost ghost of a distant cousin Mary Reed in the seats below. That was a day he’d never forget as long as he lived.

Although, if it never happened, he wouldn’t be in the mess he was currently in with one shimmering blue mixing spoon. Speaking of which . . . on the ride here, he thought about his next step. He’d had a brilliant idea: After the holidays, he’d speak to Emma about practicing on women already married, such as Abby and Caitlin.

Then again, by no uncertain terms was he getting his ass kicked by Brandon or Josh if different names appeared. Abby was a sure thing since Emma had already conjured Brandon’s name up in her spell with the pink spoon. He’d stick with Abby.

He took a seat and stared up at the atmospheric theater’s twinkling lights, appreciating Caitlin’s decision to keep the simulated star-filled night that decades of theatergoers enjoyed dating back to 1937.

Tonight’s plan wasn’t to go to the movies, but earlier this afternoon, he’d received a call from Betty to stop into the Star Lite. When he did, the spunky waitress handed him an envelope with the location of his wild card date. It was to spend the evening watchingIt’s a Wonderful Lifefrom the theater’s balcony.

A low-key date watching a movie with Rachel sounded good to him. He also liked that this would be their final one-on-one, not counting the First Kiss Ball. He just didn’t have any romantic feelings for Rachel. Maybe one day they’d be friends, but right now they needed to get this Holiday Hook Up over with and continue to go about their separate lives.

He glanced around. Although, was Rachel already doing that? When he’d tried calling her earlier to suggest they meet at the theater, it had gone to voicemail. Was she going to stand him up?

He settled into his chair, scooping up a giant handful of popcorn out of a bucket one of Caitlin’s employees had brought in for him.

Apparently for this date, they were to receive the royal treatment because a candle lit table was set up off to the side with an ice bucket full of beer and wine. That, or Caitlin was buttering him up to take the triplets off her and Josh’s hands sometime soon.

He didn’t need to be bribed to do that. He’d help his friends whenever they asked. He’d meant what he’d said to Bethany last night. Kids didn’t scare him anymore. Maybe he could practice with Caitlin and Josh’s for when he became a father one day.

He rolled his head, cracking his neck. A Christmas flick and an iced cold beer sounded great.

Though he’d worked on the balcony, he hadn’t seen a movie in here since his time with Mary. He smiled at that memory. Caitlin had dragged him down the aisle, insisting that he watch the classic reel that the ghost seemed to have taken a liking to.

Sure. Watching a black-and-white movie with a woman crying hysterically—that he couldn’t actually see—sounded like agreatplan.

He’d pushed aside his fear that day, sat down next to the empty seat she was supposedly in, and did precisely that.

And that act changed his life.

When the ghost calmed down, she was quite a chatter box—definitely a Reed woman. Once she realized they were distant cousins, she went on . . . and on . . . and on.

During that one encounter, he’d cracked the mystery that had plagued Josh and Caitlin. Unbeknownst to any of them, the reason she was so adamant about watching that movie is it was the only way to reunite with the love of her life—one of the actors who’d had an untimely death. He’d crossed over, but she’d been stuck in the theater for decades.

And now, he had a sudden urge to talk to her—or try to.

He stood and walked over to the railing. “Mary Berry, Merry Christmas, doll. If you are here, can you tell me if my date is going to stand me up?”

He put his hand in the air. “Wait. I pretty much know the answer to that. Let’s start with your telling me something that I haven’t been able to figure out. Where can I find the pretty blonde I made out with last week?”

And that question got nothing but silence.

“Okay, I know what you’re probably thinking. I should be on the naughty list since I didn’t get her name.”

He paused, listening to the moviegoers down below in idle chitchat before the show started. A familiar aroma suddenly filled the air. “Or you could tell me why I’m smelling Ralph’s pizza?” He looked over his shoulder to see Bethany coming toward him. “Bethany?”

“Special delivery.” She smiled and propped the large pizza box up with her hand. “I have it on good authority that it goes well with this movie.”

Adam eyed the box. “Let me guess. Rachel sent you to fill in.”

“She wanted to be here,” she said, and came up to him.

“Still . . .” He put his fingers up in air quotes. “. . . ‘under the weather’?”

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