by Cameo Renae
“Lost spirits come to her for help,” Tyler added. “Most ask to relay messages to their loved ones. She helps them, then aids them in crossing over.”
Em nodded. “But in Logan’s case, he came to her while in his coma. It’s the first time she’s experienced that.”
“And when the hell did you get all this information?” Tyler looked to Emily.
“In the bathroom at the last stop,” she replied.
Mason was silent, his eyes were on me but distant. He shook his head. “Wait, so Logan came to you in your dream?”
When I nodded, I couldn’t read his next expression. It was a mixture of things.
“What did he say?”
“He told me the name of the person who put him in the hospital and who killed Billy.”
Mason’s body tensed. “Who?”
I swallowed, taking another step down that rabbit hole. “That creepy guy people call Antman.”
Mason pressed his thumb and pointer finger on the bridge of his nose. “Anthony Hoffer.” He spat the name as if it left a bitter taste in his mouth. “I told Logan to stay away from him. I said that asshole was bad news.”
“Logan also said he hid his syringe, still half-filled with the poison, under a floorboard by his bed. If we can get it, we’ll have proof.”
“Proof?” he questioned. “How would the syringe link him?”
“When Logan wakes from the coma, he can give his testimony.”
“But he has to be careful.” Emily jumped in again. “That asshole has a couple of cops on his payroll.”
“And where did you come by this information?” Tyler asked.
“Lizzy,” she said, pointing to me. “Logan mentioned the crooked cops. One is Antman’s cousin.” She then continued to tell him everything about them coming to the townhouse after everyone left, what they said, and a description of each one.
I could tell Tyler and Mason were spinning. I would be too. This entire situation was madness, and it just seemed to keep spiraling deeper and deeper down that dark hole.
“Do you think we should go back?” Tyler asked.
“No way,” Emily snapped. “There is nothing we will be able to do tonight that can’t be done tomorrow or the next day. We brought Lizzy here to get away from all this crap. Just because it seems to follow her, doesn’t mean we still can’t have fun.”
“Thanks,” I said, not sure if what she said was good or bad.
“She’s right,” Mason said. “Logan’s in a coma. He’s not going anywhere. And if he hid the syringe where he said he did, those goons won’t find it. They just better keep their paws out of my room.”
“So do we all agree to continue on and have a great day tomorrow, not thinking about any of this until we get back home?”
“Yes,” Tyler said.
“Agreed,” Mason said.
“Agreed,” I parroted, glad we were all on the same page.
What shocked me most was how well Mason was taking all of this news. It was like he wasn’t surprised at all, which seemed strange to me.
“All right. I’m going to finish my book,” Emily said, putting her earbuds back into her ears.
Tyler snapped open another energy drink and turned up the radio.
I glanced over to Mason, and he gave me a grin. “My lap is at your service until we reach our final destination.”
I reached for my pillow and fluffed it up, then handed it to him. He placed it on his lap and lifted his hands out of the way.
I laid back, and when I went to reach for my throw, Mason took it in his hands and placed it gently over me.
“Thank you,” I breathed.
Our eyes connected, and it was as if I were looking into Michael’s. There was a loving tenderness I hadn’t witnessed until now.
Holding back tears, I pulled the blanket up and turned to my side, my head facing the front. I wanted to go into a deep sleep, one that wasn’t interrupted by any visitors. I tried to shut off my mind, but it felt like forever before I fell back to sleep. And during that time, Mason didn’t seem to move.
After one more pit-stop, we finally pulled into a lodge which name I couldn’t pronounce.
Tyler and Emily checked us in, and Em came up and gave Mason a key. “It’s two queen beds. You don’t mind sharing a sleeping space for seven hours, do you?”
I was shocked she would do that to me. This entire time I thought it would be girls and guys. I didn’t know Mason. I’d known him for two days. What if he was someone entirely different?
Mason looked to me for an answer. “I’ll sleep in the car if you feel uncomfortable.”
“No, it’ll be fine,” I said.
“You sure?” he asked again, making me feel bad. He hadn’t asked for this either.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“Sorry, guys. These are the last two rooms available, and the other room has one bed. I figured it would be best if you had the two beds. Remember to set your alarms. The shuttle is picking us up at seven-thirty sharp.”
“And where is this shuttle taking us?” I asked in a last ditch attempt to see where we were going.
“You’ll see.” She laughed, then dragged Tyler down the hallway. “Goodnight,” she called from over her shoulder and waved.
Mason looked at the room key, and then at the numbers on the walls. “Ours is this way,” he said walking down an adjoining hallway. Almost at the end of the hall was our door. He slid the key in, opened it up, and flicked on the light.
Then he held the door as I stepped inside.
“Wow.” I was not expecting the room to be as big as it was. There were two queen beds in the middle of the room, and a large window at the back that led out to a balcony. I set my backpack down on the desk and walked over to the window.
“Left or right?” Mason asked.
“What?” I twisted back to him.
“Which bed do you want?”
“I’m not picky. I’ll take whatever one you don’t want.”
“Shit, you’re easy.” He threw his bag on the bed closest to the door, then came and stood by me, his left arm lifted, pressing his elbow against the glass. “I bet when the sun’s up there’s a killer view.”
“You think so?”
He was standing a few feet away, looking out into the darkness. The air between us crackled when I looked at him. It had been different when we were in the car. I’d had Tyler and Emily with me. But now, we were by ourselves.
I was alone.
With Mason.
“Yeah, and we better turn in,” he sighed and stood back from the window. “We have a long day ahead of us.”
“You still aren’t going to tell me what we’re doing? Even though we’re roomies? I mean, we’re technically sleeping together.”
His smile spread so big, his teeth made an appearance. Shaking his head, he zipped his fingers across his lips.
“All right. I’m too tired to care right now anyway.”
Mason walked back to his bed and unzipped his bag. He fished out a small black pouch, and after unzipping that, he pulled out a toothbrush and toothpaste. He held them up. “Be back.”
I used the next few minutes to gather my toothbrush and toothpaste and lay out my clothes on a chair nearby. I picked up my phone to set the alarm, and it said we were in Arizona. Arizona? What the hell was in Arizona?
I set the alarm for six-twenty. That would give me almost an hour to get ready and meet them out in the lobby. Mason exited, and I walked past him and held up my toothbrush and toothpaste. He grinned and proceeded to his bed.
When I finished and came back into the room, the lamp on my bed stand was on, but everything else was off. Mason was tucked in bed, arm over his face.
I quietly put my things back and crawled into my own bed. It was soft and warm. When I went to click off the light, I said, “Good night.”
His head rolled to the side, and he opened his eyes. A slight smile formed on his lips. “Sleep tight.” His head rolled back, he placed his arm
back over his eyes, and that was it.
Startled awake by a vision, and breathing hard, I opened my eyes to find Mason sitting on the edge of my bed, the lamp illuminating his concerned face. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I replied, wiping my cheek. It was wet, and I realized I had been crying.
“Did you have another visitation?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No. I’ve been having a recurring dream, over and over, for the past month. Actually, it’s more like a nightmare.” Only this time, it hadn’t been Michael in the front seat. The guy went back to not showing me his face.
“It sounded pretty intense. You were yelling and crying.”
“I’m so sorry if I woke you up.”
“Nah, I was tossing and turning anyway. The bed is too soft.”
“What time is it?” I asked, looking for my cell phone.
“Five-thirty. We have an hour more.”
“I’m exhausted. I feel like I could sleep another eight hours.”
“By the sound of your dream, you deserve to sleep that long. Do you want me to turn the lamp off?”
“No, thanks though. I am tired, but I don’t think I’ll be able to go back to sleep. Not within an hour.”
“Want me to make you some coffee?” Mason asked, standing and heading toward the small coffee pot on the counter.
“Umm, sure. Thank you.”
“How do you take it?”
“Hot and sweet,” I replied.
“Mmm. So do I.” He grinned, pouring a bottle of water into the contraption.
A sense of déja vu hit me as I watched Mason make our coffee. I knew we’d never met before, but maybe it was because Michael used to make me coffee
But the reality was…Michael wasn’t here anymore and hadn’t been for the three years. And yet, here I was, still alive and still breathing. I always told myself no one would ever replace him, and it was still the truth. No one would ever replace him.
But maybe…just maybe, one day, I would be ready to open up my heart again to someone who was willing to love me, ghosts and all. I would give anything to go back to simpler times, but the past was gone, and the only way I could move on was to look toward the future.
Mason walked over to the patio and slid the curtain back. The sky was dimly lit, slowly waking up our part of the world. “Would you like to see something amazing?”
“Yes,” I said, pulling back the warm covers.
As I made my way toward Mason, he opened the sliding door to the patio, then ushered me outside. As I stepped through the threshold, I gasped. The view before me was breathtaking.
“What do you think?” Mason asked, stepping out with my coffee in hand.
“It’s the Grand Canyon,” I said so excitedly he chuckled.
“It is,” he said, gazing into my eyes. “It’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.”
“Thank you. For the coffee,” I said, hugging it in my hands. The air outside was chilly, but nothing like Alaska.
“You’re welcome.” He smiled and stepped back inside, probably to grab his brew.
Leaning against the balcony, I looked out over the vast expanse of the canyon and was lost for words. It seemed limitless, a labyrinth of tall rock columns, millions of years old, which appeared as if they’d been carved and hand-painted by God himself. The colors at sunrise were spectacular in variations of reds, ambers, and yellows.
I stood still and basked in its magnificence. The grandeur of it all made me feel so insignificant.
Warmth wrapped around me, and when I turned, Mason had placed my throw over my shoulders. I was taken back by his unexpected kindness, but it suited him much better than the asshole persona.
“Thank you,” I breathed. Turning toward him, I became spellbound.
His eyes were soft, and there was a glow within them. His bruises were lighter this morning, and his scratches were healing. He stood inches away, and I could feel a tug-of-war between us. Both of us, eyes locked, swayed toward each other, yet stayed silent. Unspoken words were being said, but I didn’t quite understand.
It was as if we wanted to take a step closer, to reach out, but there were a couple of walls blocking us. I wondered what it would feel like, to press my body tightly against his, wrapped in his strong arms. The thought spiked my pulse, bringing a slight blush to my neck and chest.
I had to remind myself I was leaving in four days, and I wasn’t going to allow my heart to get attached to anyone else.
“We should get dressed and ready for the day,” he finally said. “Your friend will hang me out to dry if we aren’t on time.”
“Yeah,” I breathed, breaking our connection and turning toward the landscape. I pulled my cellphone from my pocket and stepped back as far as I could. I quickly snapped a picture of Mason sipping his coffee, with the view of the Grand Canyon, and the rising sun in the background. “I could stand here all day and never get tired of this view,” I breathed.
“So could I,” he said, his eyes taking me in. His stare twisted my stomach and made my heart thrum.
“Here’s to an unforgettable morning.” His lips turned up as he lifted his coffee mug toward the rising sun.
I smiled and raised mine too. “To an unforgettable vacation.”
After getting dressed, I packed my backpack and zipped it up. Mason stepped out of the bathroom, and I couldn’t help but do a double-take.
“That bad, huh?” he asked, running his fingers through his hair.
Hell no, I wanted to say. Instead, I settled on, “Let’s just say, you clean up real nice.”
He looked handsome in his dark blue jeans and black, long-sleeve tee.
“We’re matching,” he noted. I hadn’t even noticed. I was also wearing blue jeans and a black T-shirt but had a gray hoodie wrapped around my waist.
“We are.” I laughed. “I will bet you anything, Emily will mention it.”
“Okay,” he said, “If she does mention it, I’ll buy you a beer at dinner.”
“How about a margarita?”
“If you’d rather have a frilly drink.” He shrugged. “But if she doesn’t…”
“You’re drinking a margarita with me. My treat.”
His eyes narrowed. “Fine. Now I’ll hope she mentions it,” he murmured, heading for the door.
“Rude.” I sighed, and he laughed.
We met Tyler and Emily down in the lobby. Emily was wearing jeans, boots, a red and black flannel, and a cowboy hat. Tyler was wearing jeans, boots, and a blue flannel with a baseball cap.
Emily’s eyes were glimmering and wide awake. “You two look ready for today,” she chimed. “And you’re matching.”
“Ha!” I said, pointing to Mason. He shook his head and gave me a half-assed, high-five.
“Am I missing something?” Emily asked.
“Nope,” I said. “But you two look like you’re about to wrangle a herd of cattle,” I said. Mason chuckled behind me.
“It was all her doing,” Tyler said, heaping the blame on his girlfriend.
“Believe me. I know. And I’m sorry,” I said, solemnly.
“You’re all bitches, but you can’t dim my shine today,” she claimed.
“So, are you going to let me in on the big secret, my sparkly friend?”
“Nope,” she said with a pop of her lips. Linking her arm around Tyler’s, she turned around and headed into the parking lot. “You’re going to have to wait and watch the answers unfold. It’s part of the experience.”
“Aren’t you full of surprises today?” I said in an even tone.
She turned over her shoulder and winked at me. “Oh, I’m just getting started.”
Walking out of the sliding doors, I heard a helicopter whirling in the distance.
“You better not have booked us a helicopter tour,” I said. “Those things terrify me.”
“No, silly,” she replied. “We’re staying on the ground. Oh look, there’s the shuttle now.” She pointed and dragged Tyler ahead. “
It’s going to take us to the trailhead.”
“Trailhead? Are we going to hike?” I asked. I was okay with hiking but was completely out of shape. I didn’t know how far I’d make it. Going down was doable. Going back up was an entirely different thing. I hoped they’d have a stretcher ready.
“Sort of,” she answered.
“Would you stop being vague and tell me what we’re doing?”
“We’re going to see the Grand Canyon,” she huffed. “Now, chin up, buttercup.”
I looked at Mason, and he shrugged.
“Follow me,” Emily said, grabbing Tyler’s hand and skipping toward the shuttle.
“After you,” Mason said with a wave of his hand.
We were the only ones on the shuttle, and I waited anxiously to find out exactly what we were supposed to do. The driver didn’t say much, but Emily had spoken to him before we arrived, so I had no doubt she had something to do with his lack of conversing.
When we finally came to a stop, I glanced out the window and saw five horses, and one guy dressed as a cowboy. The man welcomed us in a deep southern accent. “Howdy. Are ya’ll ready to ride the mules?”
“Mules?” I exhaled, horrified. “Em, you didn’t.” I’d never ridden on a horse, let alone a mule. I’d heard stories of how stubborn they were.
“Yes,” she squealed, clapping her hands. “Isn’t it great?”
Tyler stood behind her, silently apologizing, using prayer signals with his hands.
“Come on. You’ve always wanted to see the Grand Canyon,” she whined.
“But not on the back of some stinky mule,” I moaned. “How long is this tour?”
“Three hours,” Emily replied.
“A three-hour tour? Did you ever watch Gilligan’s Island?” I gasped. “Don’t you know what could happen in three hours?”
“You totally win the drama queen award for the day, so you can quit the theatrics now,” Emily said. “I’ll buy you a crown when you come back in one piece.”
The guys laughed.
“Tyler and Mason have no problem living on the edge,” she said.
I peered over the said edge, my legs going weak. “Yeah, we’ll be on edge all right…of a rocky trail, with a wicked death drop. One wrong step and—”
