Page 61 of Haunted Hearts
When he hangs up and shoves his phone into his front pocket, I resist the urge to ask who it was. But he can tell I’m curious. He wipes some imaginary crumbs off the table with a huge hand, then settles back against the chair again.
“My sister,” he says. “I guess she was scrolling TikTok and lo and behold—there was our little brother, Zeke. Apparently, he’s gone viral over the last few hours for some video… or reel… or whatever the fuck those kids put on there.”
“TikToks. Reels are for Instagram.”
“Okay,” Will says, waving a hand. “Whatever.”
“Well, what’s the video?” I drain the rest of my coffee. “It’s not… my mom’s seance, right?”
“Hell, no!” Will looks absolutely aghast. “Are you kidding me? That shit is private. I’d wring his fucking neck.”
I snort. “Okay. Then what?”
Will sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “He made out with a ghost. It’ssostupid.”
I don’t know what I was expecting him to say, but it wasnotthat. I burst out laughing, and Will just looks at me a moment before letting the corner of his mouth hitch up into a half smile.
“Please don’t tell me he made out with my—” I can barely get the words out I’m laughing so hard.
“You’re absolutely disgusting,” Will groans. But now he’s laughing too. “And again,no. According to Phoebe, it was some ghost at the harbor—which checks out because he’s mentioned itbefore. She said she’ll send me the link, but I’m sure as shit not gonna watch it. I’d just as soon gouge my eyes out.”
“But like… what does itlooklike? Can we see the ghost, too? Or just him? With his mouth all hanging open?” I’m half ribbing Will to get a reaction and half curious. Until last week, I didn’t even believe ghosts were a real thing, so right now I’m in actual awe.
Will feigns a gagging noise. “I don’t know, and I don’t want to find out.”
“You mean you haven’t?—”
Will cuts me off with a guffaw. “Jesus, woman! Save some mystery for later.”
Pushing up from the table, he scoops up our coffee cups, and we head outside into the crisp, fall sunshine. Our coffee break is over, and we’ve got to head to the ground breaking.
As we crunch through the fallen leaves that pile on the sidewalk, I grab hold of his arm and nestle into his side. The early afternoon breeze is cool, but Will’s body is warm and solid, and I swear to god there’s never been anything sweeter than this feeling.
And then, because I just can’t resist, I ruin the moment.
I look up at Will, a devious grin on my face. “Okay, but… will youpleaselink me to Zeke’s video?”
Will lets out a roaring groan, but throws his head back in laughter. We’ve reached the library corner, and he stops, grips my chin, and tilts my face up toward him. Then, right out in the open, he hits me with the most deliciously dizzying kiss.
“Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you—he’s nowhere near as good looking as me.” He pulls back, his fingers still clutching my jaw, and fuckingwinks. “And anyway, Lydia. You’re mine now. Get used to it.”
thirty-two
WILL
Phoebe: So when do I get to meet Lydia?
Will: She’s in the truck with me. Just saw your text. Wants to meet you, too.
Phoebe: Perfect!
Benji: Guys. Group chat.
Phoebe: Oops. Sorry.
Everyone’s already outside when we pull up at the library, gathered into a little cluster of hard hats and shovels. Lydia hops down from the cab, shielding her eyes as she surveys the tiny crowd of stakeholders. As we traipse across the lawn to join the group, all eyes are on us, and I see Nancy murmur something to the woman next to her, who I’m pretty sure is Hawthorne Bay’s mayor.
No one says anything, but I can tell from the looks on their faces they’re dying to know what’s going on between thelibrarian and the architect. Showing up to the project ground breaking together, all smiles and coffee in hand, is a far cry from the verbal sniping we were doing in meetings just a few weeks ago.
