Page 51 of Be Our Ghost
“If it helps, I’ll remind my mom I wasn’t okay with her inviting Randolph tonight.” Charlie’s voice hardened. “And if she ever pulls a stunt like that again, I’ll walk out without a second thought, even if it means causing a scene.”
The determined set of her jaw gave Knox hope. Maybe tonight would be a turning point for her. Rather than let her mom push her around, she’d take a stand. “Okay. Let’s put the buffet behind us. If you’re still up for spending the night, I’d like to have you over.”
“Thanks. That would be nice.” She crumpled up the tissue and tucked it into her purse.
He started up his truck again. Though he didn’t want to give up on Charlie, the uncomfortable scene at dinner made him remember all the times he’d felt insecure around Lila. She’d gone from obscurity to fame in such a short time, whereas he’d remained a lowly screenwriter. Sure, he’d helped create the show, but most of the time, he worked behind the scenes. Even if Evan hadn’t been in the picture, she still might have gravitated to someone better suited to her outgoing personality, like another actor whose star was on the rise.
Would that happen with Charlie? She might be done with Randolph, but there were plenty of other guys just like her ex-fiancé. Rich dude-bros with money to spare, fancy cars, and seven-figure salaries.
Enough self-doubt.Here he was, expecting the worst when nothing bad had happened. Tonight might have been rough, but in the end, Charlie was going home withhim, not Randolph.
* * *
Even if Knoxappeared to have forgiven her, Charlie couldn’t shake her guilt at behaving so submissively during dinner. She hadn’t stormed out in protest. Nor had she made any attempt to build up Knox. Instead, he’d done the heavy lifting, winning over her dad with his detailed recounting of the hotel’s haunted history.
Since she hadn’t wanted the night to end in tears and regret, she was grateful Knox was giving her another chance.
In the past, he’d mentioned living alone, in an area north of downtown Victoria. Other than that, she didn’t know what to expect. She was pleasantly surprised when he drove up to an attractive four-story complex and parked his truck in the underground lot. And even more so, when she got her first glimpse of his place, which was spacious and welcoming.
The living room was outfitted with hardwood floors, a large navy couch, an inset brick fireplace, and a wall of bookshelves. Off to one side, a sliding glass door led to a balcony containing a bistro table and a couple of chairs. A sleek marble breakfast bar overlooked the kitchen, which was outfitted with a matched set of shiny, stainless-steel appliances. What struck her the most was how new everything looked.
She paused to gaze at a series of framed photos, taken at various spots around Vancouver Island: the Fisgard lighthouse, the shoreline at Mystic Beach, the lush rain forest along the Juan de Fuca trail. “Did you take all these pictures?”
“Yeah. You’ve seen me with my camera before.”
“I have, but only when you came to take photos of the kids with Santa last Christmas. These are so artistic.” She wouldn’t have been surprised to see them hanging in a gallery.
“Thanks.” He gestured for her to follow him. “I’ll show you the rest of the place.”
The larger of the two bedrooms contained an enormous king bed and a matching dresser. The smaller one was outfitted with a work desk, a couch, and more bookshelves. A quick peek at one of the shelves revealed numerous Stephen King books, along with some popular fantasy titles, and a hardbound edition ofThe Lord of the Rings.
She was dying to know how he could afford a place this size. But after listening to Randolph brag about his salary, the last thing she wanted to do was discuss money.
Knox ended the tour in his kitchen, where one corner housed a small bar, complete with shelves of liqueurs and mixers, a wine cube filled with a dozen bottles, and a cabinet containing different types of glassware.
“I love this setup,” she said. “You have so many different types of liqueurs.”
“This is where I practice making my cocktails. I don’t indulge while I’m on the job, but after my shift ends, I like kicking back with a drink. Sometimes, it’s an old favorite, and other times, I test out a new recipe. Would you like me to whip up something? Or would you rather have more brandy?”
While she was tempted to request a fancy cocktail, she was craving the taste of that sinfully good brandy. “I’d love a glass of brandy.”
He filled two snifters and handed her one. Once they were settled on the couch, he turned down the lights. “I know it’s not that cold out, but how about a fire?”
“I don’t want you to go to any trouble.”
“No trouble at all.” He picked up a remote and aimed it toward the fireplace. In an instant, flames began flickering against the dark brick. “It’s just gas. Not as fun as a bonfire, but a lot less work.”
“It’s perfect.” She sipped her drink, luxuriating in the soothing warmth of the brandy.
He set his glass on the coffee table and stood up. “I’ll be right back. I have something for you.” When he returned, he handed her a tiny gift bag decorated with a design featuring colorful balloons and a banner reading “Happy Birthday.”
Her mouth quirked up in a smile. “Thanks, but it’s not my birthday.”
“I know, but I always reuse my gift bags. I hate buying new ones.”
She opened the bag and pulled out a tiny bookshelf containing four miniature Jane Austen books with intricately designed covers, so small they fit in the palm of her hand. “Oh my God. These are adorable. Where did you find them?”
“On Etsy. I was looking for a gift for my sister-in-law and somehow went down the miniature book rabbit hole. I figured you’d like these since they’re romances.”
