Kiss and Make Up (Bachelors of Buttermilk #3)

by Robyn Neeley

  “Sure.” Josh took that cue to change the subject before she disappeared in a huff. He’d try again tomorrow to bring up her crossing over. He’d learned a lot today. Reaching into his pants pocket for his phone, he pulled it out. “Oh, before we do, I thought you might like to see our happy couple’s engagement announcement.”

  He swiped his phone and brought up the photo. Marilyn Jenkins had hired Bethany Wilson, a professional photographer, and arranged the shoot at Champagne Hill winery. Josh had been at the shoot and requested some shots that did not have the lake as the backdrop as to not upset Mary.

  It had killed him that day to see Adam and Caitlin with their arms around each other, pretending they were madly in love.

  He held the phone to her, but she leaned away. “I’m not interested in your modern-day sorcery.”

  Well that was a bit ironic coming from a witch. Josh held the phone in front of him. “Don’t be scared. It’s called an iPhone. We take pictures with it and can see them instantly.” He smiled. “Even mortals can use it.”

  “Really? Well, I like photos.”

  Josh set his phone down for a second, seeing another chance for the conversation he really wanted to have. “It takes a few minutes to load up,” he lied. “So, you like pictures.”

  She smiled. “Very much. There’s so much you can tell from a single picture.”

  “I agree.” He turned to face her. “Did you notice the one of you hanging in the hallway?”

  “Of course I did.” She nodded but then frowned. “I noticed it’s gone.”

  “Caitlin’s getting ready to paint the wall,” another lie told. He made a mental note to talk to Caitlin about taking down all the photos as they were dealing with one smart ghost. “It’s a great one of you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Had color film been invented?”

  “Yes, but in my day, black and white was still the preferred choice.”

  “From what Caitlin told me, it was taken on the theater’s opening night. Were you excited to see the movie?”

  “Yes.” She stared straight ahead. “It was the night before my wedding.”

  Bingo! This had to be the same woman who drowned all those years ago in the lake. “Were you meeting your fiancé here?”

  “Yes,” was her only response. For a ghost who liked to talk nonstop about Caitlin’s wedding, she sure didn’t have anything to offer on the topic of her own nuptials.

  “Those two are hilarious.” He pointed to the screen, knowing that in no time Mary’s funny bone would be tickled and she’d be laughing nonstop.

  And it was. Sixteen minutes later, she stopped laughing and turned to Josh. “Did you enjoy the movie?”

  Maybe the first couple of times. “It was really funny. I love old classics.”

  She smiled. “It wasn’t an old classic in my day.”

  Josh looked down at his half-eaten bucket of popcorn. “You know, I used to come here often when I was in high school to forget about Ca—” He stopped, correcting himself. “A girl.”

  “I know.”

  His eyebrow went up. “You do?”

  “Well, not about the girl. I’m a ghost, not a mind reader.” She grinned at her wit. “I realized a couple of days ago that you were the boy who would sit next to me all those years ago. We watched a lot of movies together. I wish I had realized you were Gwendylyn’s grandson.”

  “Well, I’m glad we have this time now,” he said, surprising himself that he actually meant it. In some ways, it was the next best thing to seeing his grandmother.

  “Why did you want to forget about the girl?” Mary asked, interrupting his thoughts.

  He shook his head. “Silly crush, but she didn’t feel the same way back then.”

  “And now?” Mary asked.

  Josh turned toward the ghost. He couldn’t admit that he hoped to God Caitlin loved him. That reveal would ruin all his hard work this week. “I’m proud of the woman she’s become, and that has to be enough for now.”

  “May I see the engagement picture?” Mary asked.

  “Of course.” He held up his phone. With two quick taps, the photo appeared.

  She smiled at the iPhone looking pleased. “They look very much in love.”

  He cringed and peered down at the photo. “You think so?”

  “Yes.”

  “I think she could do better,” he muttered.

  Mary swung her head toward him. “She most certainly could not. Adam is her soul mate!” Before he could say another word, she flew up to the ceiling and vanished.

  Josh shook his head. He’d never understand women, even when they were dead.

  “Hey, Josh,” Caitlin called out. “Sorry to interrupt. Would you both like to watch the film again?”

  “I think we’re done for today. Mary’s gone.”

  Josh walked up the aisle, meeting Caitlin at the entrance to the projection booth. “Nice engagement picture by the way,” he added for Mary’s benefit in case she was lurking. “You both make such a cute couple.”

  “Why, thank you.” She played along. “Cannot wait for our big day. Can you come help me bring some things in from my car?”

  “Sure thing.” They’d agreed that that was code for “meet me outside the theater.” Josh took a few minutes to check his phone. Beverly had sent him several messages this afternoon, including his flight itinerary.

  He was headed back to New York City tonight and would be presenting his perfume to the Kiss and Makeup executives first thing tomorrow morning. He couldn’t wait to unveil the final perfume. But first he needed to tell the woman that inspired it that he’d be gone for a couple of days.

  Shoving his phone in his pocket, he headed out the door and around the building to the parking lot. Though her windows were tinted, he knew Caitlin was waiting for him in the back seat of her SUV.

  “I can’t believe we’re hiding from a ghost,” Caitlin said as he opened the door and hopped in next to her.

  He had to chuckle to himself. How many times had sixteen-year-old Josh fantasized about getting Caitlin in the backseat of his car? “Well, the good news is I don’t think Mary can leave the theater. At least she insinuated that she hasn’t.”

  “Interesting. So she’s been there all this time, but only made herself present after I bought the place.”

  He put his arm around her and she nestled in. “Seems so.” He paused, adding, “She still insists Adam is your soul mate. She loved your engagement photo.”

  Caitlin sat up at that news. “Then our plan is working.”

  “Yeah . . .” His voice trailed as he glanced out the window toward the theater. “I don’t know if this means anything, but she thinks for some reason that you and Adam found the blue box. I don’t think she realizes that our names are on it.”

  “What do you think it all means?”

  He shrugged and turned back, wrapping his arms around her. “I’m not sure, but something she said leads me to believe she thinks you two need to get married so she can cross over.”

  “Why do you think she’s so infatuated with my grandfather’s movie?” Caitlin asked, resting her head on his chest.

  Good question. Josh moved his hands up and down her back. “I’ve been wondering the same thing. She lights up every time it starts. Even if she wasn’t romantically involved with your grandfather, maybe they were friends.”

  “Maybe.”

  “I’ll have to ask her next time.” Josh glanced out the window toward the theater. How was he going to get Mary to open up? Maybe when he got back, he could pry a little deeper into her past. Find out who this fiancé was who dumped her the night before her wedding.

  “Hey,” he felt a tug on his arm, “I was thinking of picking up takeout at the Star Lite tonight. Want to come over around six?”

  He brought his lips down to Caitlin’s forehead. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m headed back to Manhattan tonight.”

  “You are?”

  “My flight’s later this afternoon.”


  Her head lifted off his chest, and she removed her arms from around his middle. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

  “I’m sorry. My assistant just sent me an e-mail confirming the meeting time. She booked the flight. I told you last week I’d have to go back and present the perfume.”

  Caitlin’s face fell at that news. “I know.”

  “It’s only for a couple days. I will be presenting the sample to the higher-ups the day after tomorrow. I’ll get a flight back right after the presentation. I promise.” He added, grinning, “I’ve asked your soon to be ex-fiancé to stay with you.”

  “Scandalous,” she said, sighing. “I guess if you must go.”

  “I’ll be back in two days.” Josh leaned over and kissed her, coaxing her soft lips open.

  “What was that for?” she asked a minute later, bringing her legs up and placing them on his lap.

  “Just a reminder that I’m coming back.”

  “Hmmm . . . very nice . . . but . . .” She kicked off one of her black ballet flats and then the other while unbuttoning her black, buttoned top until her satin red bra was exposed. She leaned back on her elbows. “I think I’ll need a much stronger reminder.”

  Josh smirked. Was his high school fantasy coming true sixteen years later?

  “That is . . .” She lowered her lashes. “If you can tolerate me.”

  “I think I can.” Josh leaned in, smiling down at the woman he loved. Minus the ghost and all her shenanigans, he and Caitlin were finally in a good place.

  17

  “Morning, wife-to-be until we stage the breakup to end all breakups.” Adam sauntered across the kitchen and joined Caitlin in front of the sink. He reached for a banana from a mosaic fruit bowl her mom had given her one Christmas and peeled it.

  “Very funny.” She swirled her finger in the soap suds, giving him a flick. “But I bet you have given our breakup a lot of thought. How do you propose we do it?”

  “Not sure yet, but it’s got to be epic and very public. Like a loud argument between us at the Star Lite at the peak of their dinner hour that leads to a food fight. BBB Burgers and chocolate milkshakes flying everywhere.”

  Caitlin rolled her eyes at that visual and filled two coffee cups, handing one to Adam. “I’m sure Mel and Betty would just love that. I think we should do something a little less messy.” She snapped her fingers. “I know. Why don’t we say that the more we did to fast-track our engagement, the more we realized that we didn’t really have much in common and shouldn’t get married.”

  “Boring.”

  She shrugged one shoulder. “Suit yourself. I like it.”

  “No one would ever believe that you wouldn’t want to marry all this,” he joked, pointing at his solid abs.

  She laughed back while silently preferring Josh’s.

  “So where are the kids?” He pointed to the empty high chairs.

  “Man, you must sleep like a log. Josh’s mom and dad were here an hour ago. The kids are staying with them for the rest of the week.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, and I’m going to see if Abby can sleep over tonight, so you are off the hook.” Caitlin leaned back against the counter. She’d called Jackie last night and explained that she just needed a few days to concentrate on their ghost problem but didn’t want to alarm her parents by asking them to watch the triplets.

  Jackie didn’t hesitate to take them. She’d even hinted that a children-free zone might also give Caitlin and Josh some alone time once he got back. It warmed Caitlin’s heart to hear his mother was supportive.

  Adam crossed the room and pulled out a kitchen chair, sitting down with his coffee and donut he’d helped himself to. She loved how her friend easily made himself at home. She suspected with his easygoing personality, he could do that just about anywhere.

  “So, Caity Bug, if Josh has banned you from the theater and his parents have the kids, what are you going to do today with all this free time? Mani pedi?”

  Caitlin blinked. She’d forgotten that Josh had asked her to stay away. In his “post-backseat romp” arms, of course, she’d said she would. At that moment, she would have done anything he asked.

  However, her to-do list was several pages long. Maybe she could go in for a few hours and keep the front doors open if she needed to run out quickly. She sighed. Or needed someone to hear her screams for help.

  Adam raised his eyebrow. “You’re going to work, aren’t you?”

  “Just for a couple hours. What Josh doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

  “Well, I’m going with you. My dad doesn’t need me until the afternoon after the storm passes.” He pointed to the window, and Caitlin’s gaze followed. The clouds were, in fact, rolling in.

  “It’s really not necessary,” she said. “I’ll be fine.”

  “No way am I getting my ass kicked when Josh gets back if something happens. I’m going. End of story.”

  Sheesh. Who knew Adam could be just as bossy as Josh. “Fine, but nothing’s going to happen. Mary’s been quite friendly since the water incident. Besides, if I don’t go, she won’t get to watch her favorite movie today, and that will surely piss her off.”

  “Is that what Josh’s been doing? Watching movies with her?”

  “Yep. And it’s only one movie played over and over. They talk a bit about our wedding before it starts.”

  “Man, where was she in high school when Josh forced me to go with him to the theater all the time?” He laughed. “Even after we graduated. He tried to get me to come home junior year of college to see the high school senior play.”

  “Really, why?”

  “Do I have to spell it out for you? He wanted to see the leading lady ‘break a leg.’ He went alone that time, too.”

  “He came to see me?” she asked, her heart picking up at that admission. “I didn’t even know he was there.”

  Adam came over and gently tugged her ponytail. “Now you do.”

  She smiled shyly and changed the subject back to the theater’s resident. “Since Josh isn’t here to watch the movie with Mary, perhaps we can sit with her. Although we won’t actually see her next to us—or hear her.”

  “That doesn’t sound creepy at all,” he scoffed.

  “It’s not that scary. Josh says she laughs all the way through the movie and then will request to see it three, sometimes four more times. Since we won’t be able to hear her request, we’ll plan on repeating it four times just to be safe.” She paused, adding, “It’s a comedy. You’ll like it.”

  “Please tell me it’s Animal House.”

  “What is it with men and that movie?” She shook her head and leaned back on the counter, sipping her coffee. “It’s an old picture starring my grandfather. It was playing opening night in 1937 when she—” Caitlin turned and peered out the window, her gaze resting on the lake.

  “Drowned.”

  “Yeah.” Bridget and Tom had already filled him in on the news clipping of Mary’s unfortunate death. Adam and Tom’s mother had confirmed to them that his grandmother did have a cousin named Mary, but she and her parents had moved out west when his mother was young, and she never saw her again. Caitlin had called Josh last night with that news.

  “So this woman, who may or may not be related to me, goes to see the movie and then comes back to the inn and kills herself. Is that what happened?”

  Caitlin spun around. “That’s the mystery to solve. She looked so utterly happy in the photo taken in line.” She reached for her purse and pulled out the framed picture she’d been carrying since Josh gave it back to her. “What could have possibly happened just a few hours later to cause her to take her life?”

  He studied the photo, letting out a low whistle. “Pretty gal. She definitely could have passed along the Reed good looks. So Josh is the only one who can see her?”

  “Sheila and Jackie could see her, too, but Josh is the only one she’ll talk to.” She placed the photo back in her purse. “Shall we go to the movie
s?”

  While Adam wasn’t that eager to reunite with his long-lost relative, he nevertheless gathered his things while Caitlin finished cleaning up. She promised herself she’d knock a couple tasks off her to-do list and call it a day by noon. Josh couldn’t fault her for wanting to stay on track for the opening. Then, she’d go have lunch with Jackie and the kids. Maybe they could go to the park this afternoon or stop by the animal shelter and see the kitties. The new veterinarian, Carter Manning, would often pop out with a kitten to let kids pet.

  Thirty minutes later, Caitlin pulled into the theater’s parking lot. Her cheeks warmed at the instant memory of her tryst with Josh in the backseat.

  It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours, but she missed him terribly.

  Before he left for the airport, he’d stopped by the house and promised her that they’d be together soon. He’d tried to downplay it, but she could tell he was relieved that the triplets were with his parents for a few days.

  He also insisted that Adam or Abby stay with Caitlin. She grabbed her phone and sent a quick text to Abby to see if she was free to stay the night. “See, Josh, I can follow your orders,” she said out loud to herself.

  Except when it came to staying away from her theater. No ghost was going to keep her from realizing her dream. Josh would just have to understand.

  Just then, Adam pulled up in his truck. She gave him a short wave and hopped out of her SUV.

  Adam had really come through for her and was being a good sport about their fake engagement. He deserved to find his own true love, but Caitlin wasn’t entirely sure it was Rachel.

  She hadn’t mentioned it to him, but she had seen Rachel laughing it up with a local winery owner in a corner booth at the Star Lite when she stopped by to pick up last night’s takeout. If they were dating, it was only a matter of time before that news would spread.

  And Adam would be heartbroken. Maybe she should talk to Emma and Abby and see if he could be one of Emma’s Batter Up bachelors. He’d had his opportunity last year but decided not to take it. Perhaps it was time. Although, it would have to happen after their public breakup.