Page 48 of Ghost Walk
I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have a loving family.
From the Journal of Miss Lucinda Wentworth
“So you’ve been time traveling with a ghost.” Serenity summed up the next day, after Grace was done explaining everything to her. “Does this mean youaren’tgoing to help me get ready for the 4thof July sale?”
Jamie’s eyebrows soared at such a blasé response to such unbelievably weird news.
Grace didn’t seem surprised, at all. “I knew you were going to start nagging about that stupid sale.” She pushed her way through some beaded curtains, shaking her head. “How inconsiderate of me not to focus on what’sreallyimportant, right?”
“My saleisimportant. Do you have any idea how bad business is for us, Gracie?”
“I’m the only Rivera in ten generations to try to organize the accounts around here, so… yeah. I’ve got a pretty good idea. Have you been looking at the bookkeeping software I set up?”
Serenity sniffed. “I’ve no time for all that numbers bullshit.” She was a tall, curvy woman with red hair and aturban that matched her flowing hippie-ish robes. “I’ve got to compete with that phony palm reader down the street, who has a fuckingFacebook page.” Her eyes narrowed in determination. “I’m thinking of offering a BOGO on live frogs. Let’s see Madam Topanga topthat.”
“Oh for God’s sake, would you forget your war with Madam Topanga? I’ll help you generate some new business plans later. Not that you’lllistento them…”
“Running a magic shop isn’t about ‘business plans.’ It’s about helping people find true love, smite their enemies, and occasionally become trolls.” Serenity gave a mournful pause. “God, I wish we could find that recipe.”
Grace sent her aunt an exasperated look. “I just need you to focus and help me. Please? It’s an emergency.”
Jamie followed her through the shop, his eyes darting around every dusty nook and cranny. Offhand, he didn’t recalled entering The Crystal Ball since the ‘20s, but it looked pretty much the same. …Just as it had looked pretty much the same for the century before that. The Riveras clearly didn’t care much about creating an inviting shopping experience. The dim interior held the same wooden cabinets and shelves, filled with the same morbid knickknacks and bottles of strange liquids. At some point, one of them had added a few strings of skeleton-shaped twinkle lights and a mirror that seemed to somehow be reflecting the wrong image.
Jamie cringed. Even for a ghost, that was a bit creepy. No wonder this family was always broke, if this is how they welcomed their customers.
Grace took it all in stride. “We need some magic, Auntie.” She called, heading for a listing bookcase. “A time travel potion. Is there such a thing?”
“Easier if we used a spell.”
“I don’t like spells. You know that. Potions at least have the façade of chemistry and herbal medicine to hold onto. Spells are messy and they always go wrong.”
Serenity rolled her eyes. “Well, a potion could take a while.” She warned. “No one in the family has been able to time travel, since your great uncle Recompense went back tothe Crusades.”
“OtherRiveras have time traveled and you’re just mentioning itnow?!”
“Like you would have listened before.” Serenity scoffed. “You were too busy convincing yourself you were bonkers, until the ghost showed up and talked some sense into you.”
No one had ever called Jamie sensible before. He shot Grace a smug look, which she pointedly ignored. She was too busy muttering about cornfields again.
“Point is, time travel is a bit of a recessive talent.” Serenity continued. “Not much research on the herbs we’ll need. It’ll take some real innovation on my part.”
“Blue eyes are recessive, too. But could I getthem? Noooooo.” Grace shook her head in adorable vexation.
“I’m quite fond of your eyes just the way they are.” Jamie assured her. The chocolatey color was sexy as hell. Especially when they were glazed with passion and Grace was begging him for release.
God, last night had been perfect. Ghosts couldn’t come, but Jamie had still been fully satisfied. The way she’d let him touch her, and the sound of his name on her tongue, and her startled joy when she climaxed for the first time… Nothing had ever made him prouder. It made sense to him now why some people thought sex was so important. It had always just been a bit of a lark to him before, but not with Grace. She made it feel like something holy. Every moment of his time with her was imprinted on his memory forever.
Grace looked up at him and gave a reluctant smile. “If you’re flirting with me even in this getup, you mustreallywant to see me naked again.” She whispered.
“Oh lass, you have no idea.”
Grace was due back at her tour guide job that afternoon, so she was wearing her Colonial garb. The ridiculous yellow costume was only slightly more authentic than her Keds, but it was still remarkably appealing on her. And Jamie heartily approved of the low neckline. He couldn’t wait to see her outof it.
Serenity strolled into the backroom after them, reluctantly interested in a time travel challenge. “I suppose we’ll need to update the family Christmas letter, if you’re going to start vacationing in the Revolutionary War. Not much in the way of usefulness, but at least you’refinallyusing your powers. Grandma Verity will be pleased.”
“A dream come true.”
Serenity ignored Grace’s bad attitude and snapped her fingers in excitement, like an idea suddenly occurred to her. “Unlessyou plan on looking for the lost recipe for troll powder while you’re back there!” She pressed her palms together in a quick, silent prayer to some no-doubt scary deity. “The recipe wasn’t forgotten until your Great-Aunt Honor died in that sideshow, back in 1899. Rediscovering it could change everything for us.”
