Page 131 of Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places
Lucky yawned, throwing her head back and stretching her face muscles. “Are you going to say something? Anything?”
“You mean to tell me, that all I had to do wasthink of someone else?” Xander asked.
“Anything else, really, but preferably a person.” She shrugged. “It became a haunted house for me, but I suspect that was an exception, not a rule.”
“I cannot believe we were all so completely off base,” he said. “It speaks volumes that we immediately assumed the worst. Inhindsight, in what world would having a few final moments with a guinea pig be considered a torment?”
“It was the same with Eunice. The house didn’t do anything except try to calm her with her favorite scent until she decided to leave. It knew she wasn’t going to stay the moment she walked in.”
However, Hennessee most definitely found scaring people amusing because it liked exaggerated emotional responses. There was a fine line between annoying and spooky—the house won either way.
Xander asked, “Were you able to discover what happened with Brian?”
Lucky sucked in a breath. “Turns out Hennessee was not a fan. Didn’t like him at all. It was genuinely and aggressively trying to evict him. I couldn’t read any of the people I saw in the house’s memories, so unfortunately, I don’t know why. But I highly recommendnevergetting on the house’s bad side.”
Xander made a noncommittal noise. “What of the names on the wall?”
“Easy,” she said, still pacing for no particular reason. “By engaging with its chosen memory, it felt comfortable engaging with ours.”
“Chosen memory?”
“Hennessee has very fond memories of a certain small, pale, and dark-haired boy giving it atattooonce upon a time. It didn’t use that word but that was the impression I got,” she said. “It wanted to relive the moment you wrote your name. It was only fair that it then allowed us to experience some of our memories too.”
“And it believed it was using our memories to make us happy. A peace offering that would hopefully lead to companionship.”Xander laughed, airy and brief. “Ah, Lucky Hart, you are a wonder.”
“Stop flattering me like that. It’s gross,” she joked.
“Have you decided what’s next for you now thatThe Caretakeris technically wrapped?”
“I have immediate plans to collect all the beautiful money you owe me,” she said. “I was also hoping to stay with Hennessee for a little bit longer. It feels wrong to up and leave it right now.” The house had already reestablished their connection. She fully expected to feel that familiar tug in a few hours.
“I unfortunately agree. It may take some time to find a permanent live-in caretaker. I appreciate your willingness to continue.”
“With pay.” She cleared her throat. “Willingness to continuewith pay.”
Xander was silent for longer than she liked. “Of course.”
She punched the air. “You also wouldn’t happen to have any leads on wealthy acquaintances in need of someone with my particular skill set?”
“An associate of mine may have something in the works you’d be interested in,” he said. “But I’d rather hear what you would like to do.”
Upstairs, Maverick rounded the corner and began descending the steps. She grinned at the sight of him, topless in plaid pajama bottoms that matched the shirt she wore. His second night inside Hennessee House had been nearly sleepless again, but easier overall.
The house didn’tactuallygo to sleep. It had just said that as shorthand, so she spent some time coaching Maverick on how to choose his specter just in case Hennessee wanted to talk to him.She also gave him some tips based on her own experiences—he wouldn’t like seeing Rebel and he probably shouldn’t think about Lucky either because she was already there. But as the hours passed, it became apparent the house would keep its word and let them be. So, they shifted their focus solely to each other.
Without breaking his stride, Maverick gestured for her to follow and continued toward the kitchen.
Lucky nodded. “Keep investigating,” she admitted to Xander. “But with a team I can mentor. Maybe try getting into contact with young ESPers who are having a hard time like I did. Having someone to look up to would’ve been life-changing for me.”
“That’s ambitious.”
“Yeah. I mean, it’s not like I can establish a summer camp for gifted youngsters.” She laughed. “It’s just something I’ve been thinking about lately. I have to go. Maverick is up now. So.”
“Up where?”
“Oh, did I not mention that? Maverick spent the night—okay, talk to you later, bye!”
Lucky sprinted to the kitchen, sliding the last few feet on the hardwood floor thanks to her socks. “Good morning.” She stepped into his space, sliding her arms around his lower back and lifting her head to kiss him. Dizzy and breathless from happiness, she knew she was down bad and wouldn’t have it any other way.
