Page 49 of Holiday Hook Up

He slid off his shoes because that seemed like the right thing to do. Her home was way cozier than his sparse bachelor pad with colorful accent carpets and breathtaking scenic framed pictures decorating the walls. He admired the one of Buttermilk Lake, taking in the deep blue water and pink sky. She, no doubt, took this picture and all the others hanging up. Bethany was one talented photographer.

“So, LB . . .” He turned the corner for her living room and stopped in his tracks.

What do we have here?

He stepped closer. Not what he expected to see next to her wine bottle on the coffee table. Not at all. Sure, if it was at Emma’s, Abby’s, or maybe even Josh’s house, he wouldn’t blink an eye. “What are you doing with a Ouija Board?” He bent over and touched the planchette, sliding it to the “yes” in the left-hand corner.

“Nothing.” She appeared in the doorway with an open bottle of beer and brought it to him before plopping back down on the couch. “I was just messing around.”

He took a sip of his beer and sat down next to her, noticing the white pillar candles that had been lit on her mantle while a scented one glowed on her coffee table. “Who are you trying to reach? A ghost of your Christmas past?”

That question caused her to reach for the bottle and tip it up before answering. “I was bored and thought it would be fun.”

“Where did you get it?” he asked, reaching for the box on the floor, he turned it over. Did toy stores even sell these anymore?

“Abby loaned it to me.” She sighed and pulled her knees into her chest. “After I got this really unsettling package earlier today.”

“More random wedding stuff?”

“Yep.” She nodded, but then shook her head. “Well, not this time. Something was returned to me.”

“What?”

“Nothing I ever want to wear again.”

He eyed her. Whatever she had received seriously rattled her, but why so much that it caused her to get drunk and conduct a séance? He lowered the box and leaned it against the sofa. “Who are you trying to contact?”

“Someone . . .” She waved the wine bottle in the air. “. . . who has been freakin’ messing with me. Well, they don’t know who they’re dealing with, because enough is enough.”

Adam reached for the bottle. There was no way that he’d let her spill red wine on her beige sofa. Not on his watch. Although, he suspected she’d pretty much finished the bottle. It was time to get some food into her. “Why don’t we have some of that lasagna? Do you have garlic powder, bread, and butter? If so, I know my way around a toaster.”

She laughed. “My kitchen is your kitchen. Help yourself.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” He got up and bent down, grabbing Bethany’s legs and stretching them. He next pulled off a red wool blanket from the back of the couch and covered her. “You, my patient, are to stay right here and get cozy. Dr. Adam’s orders. No séances.”

“Fine.” She settled into the sofa. “Dumb thing doesn’t work anyway.”

He grinned and headed into the kitchen. He wasn’t an expert in magic by any means, but he was realizing that sometimes you couldn’t control when it happened. Even with his limited experience, he doubted he could call a spirit up on demand.

Pulling out some bread, he found her garlic powder, butter, and a baking sheet. Screw toast. He knew how to also turn on an oven. Bethany was going to love this meal.

While waiting for the lasagna to heat up, he brought out a nice large glass of ice water. It probably wasn’t her drink of choice at the moment, but she’d thank him for it tomorrow.

It didn’t take him long to bring out two plates with the lasagna and garlic bread. “For my Holiday Hook Up,” he said, extending one to her.

“Thank you.” She sat up and positioned herself to eat. “You really didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

“It was nothing. My stepmom is seriously a fantastic cook.”

Bethany took a bite and then another. “That she is.”

They ate for a few minutes in silence as Bethany finished her plate, taking a big swallow out of the second glass of water he’d gotten for her.

“Wow. You were hungry.”

“Yeah.” She grabbed a napkin and wiped her mouth. “I guess I was. Thank you for this.” She held up her glass. “And this.”

“My pleasure. You’ll feel better in the morning if you keep drinking it.” He sipped on his beer and stared at the Ouija Board. “So what did you ask it?”

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