Phantoms of Fall (The Haunting Ruby Series Book 2)

by Joy Elbel

  It was worse than I’d feared. He knew I broke into the school. “I didn’t mean to cause any damage that night—really, I didn’t! I just wanted to see how she died but I got stuck in here and it was my only way out! Please don’t tell anyone! I’ll pay for the damage—I’ll take detention every day for the rest of the year! I’ll do anything just please don’t tell!” Zach rested a comforting hand on my shoulder.

  Mr. Raspatello smiled warmly at me. “I won’t tell. If you hadn’t done it, I wouldn’t know the truth about Garnet’s death. I’ll figure out a way for you to pay for the damage without anyone knowing it was you. As for detention, I think we can skip that. But there is one thing I want you to do for me, though.”

  “Anything!” I said enthusiastically. Wait. He wasn’t going to ask me for anything “inappropriate”, was he? I mean, he was hot and all, but he was old it was still a creepy thought. Plus, I was in love with Zach—who was sitting right beside me so he must not be about to ask me for sexual favors. Get your mind out of the gutter, Ruby!

  “I would like for you to resurrect the Black Raven Society—in Garnet’s memory. The rest of the class seemed to like the idea so you should have no problem getting volunteers to help you.”

  “I will,” I agreed. “It seems like the right thing to do.” “It definitely does. Well, I think I’ll find a delicate way to pass this message on to her father—maybe he can find closure now, too.”

  Mr. Raspatello paused to look at the words Garnet wrote one more time. As he did, a warm breeze blew through the locker room from out of nowhere, fluttering the note in his hand as it passed. As quickly as it came, it was gone again. “Goodbye, Garnet.”

  “Goodbye,” I whispered. I was still weak from the attack and from barely eating in days, but that didn’t stop me from being the first person to rush out the door when school was dismissed. With Zach right behind me, I hurried out to my car. I was on a mission— a mission that involved silverware and anything even close to edible. Honestly, who was I kidding—I didn’t really even need that silverware.

  When I slid into the driver’s seat of my red Neon, Zach snatched my keys out of my hand. “Oh no, you don’t! You almost died in there—you’re in no condition to drive. Get in my car. I’ll make sure yours gets home by the end of the night.”

  He was probably right but that wasn’t what made me get out of my car and into his. I got into his car because I wanted him to take care of me. After three long months of torture, I was finally free but exhausted. The only thing that would make me feel better—besides food, of course—was having Zach by my side to lean on. I saw firsthand the destructive side of love—now I wanted to see the nurturing side.

  Zach agreed to tell Dad and Shelly nothing besides the fact that I didn’t feel good. I wasn’t ready to tell them the truth yet. Maybe I never would be—too many people knew already. But right now, all I really cared about were three things. Food, my bed and Zach—not a bad combination.

  Even though my mind said “eat anything and everything”, my stomach pleaded “take it easy on me!” so Zach stopped by the All American Diner for a container of chicken soup before heading to Rosewood. If it weren’t steaming hot, I would have gulped it down right there in the car.

  I felt like hell so I went straight up to the attic—with the soup of course—and let Zach explain the situation to Shelly. I grabbed a spoon, kicked off my shoes and crawled straight into bed. I was barely settled in when Zach came to join me. He made himself comfortable on the bed beside me.

  “What about the shelter? Don’t you work today?” “I do. But Shelly’s going to the grocery store for some crackers and ginger ale to help calm your stomach. I told her I would take of you until she got back.”

  “Thanks, Zach,” I said and swallowed the first spoonful of soup from the container. It was delicious and I savored every drop of the warm liquid as it slid down my throat. “Thanks for everything.”

  He snuggled closer to me and took the soup and my spoon out of my hand. Spoonful by spoonful, he fed me the chicken soup until every last bit of it was gone. He threw the plastic container in the garbage, placed the spoon on my nightstand and curled up next to me again.

  “When Garnet was controlling you, how much of you was still you?” I could practically see the wheels turning in his head. He was afraid that my desire to sleep with him wasn’t really mine at all.

  “I was mostly me up until Monday—then I was mostly her.” “Oh,” he said thoughtfully. “Exactly what do you mean by mostly?” Zach pulled the comforter around me and smoothed it down with his hand. When he was finished, he rested his hand on my stomach and looked me straight in the eyes.

  There was doubt and vulnerability in his expression— things I never wanted him to feel when he looked at me. “Everything we’ve done, everything we’ve planned to do was all me.” I removed my hand from under the covers and rested it on his. “It was me who accepted this ring. I’m the one who promised to love you forever—not Garnet.”

  Zach rested his forehead against mine. “That’s all I needed to hear.” “There’s something else I want you to hear.” The tears I was too exhausted to cry earlier finally found their way to the surface. “You saved my life again today—thank you.”

  “I would do it every day of my life if I had to,” he said while casually playing with my hair. “I won’t actually have to do it every day though will I?” he said with a wink.

  He was the only person in the world who could possibly make me laugh at a time like this and I loved him even more for it. As sleep began to overtake me, I gave him a kiss and closed my eyes. He stayed with me until I fell asleep but when I woke up he was gone.

  40. Something to Be Thankful For

  The first thing I did when I woke up that morning was take a look in the mirror. After days of avoiding it, I was ready to see what I actually looked like. I still wanted to lose the extra pounds I’d put on but I would do it the right way. But when I looked in the mirror I realized I didn’t have to. Not only was I not fat, I was actually pathetically thin. Was that how Garnet saw herself even when she weighed barely a hundred pounds? I already felt sorry for her but now I felt even worse. No one should ever have to hate themselves like that regardless of how they look.

  She was all I thought about as I went downstairs to join the party. Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t be served until six o’clock but Rosewood was bustling with activity well before noon. Diane and Shelly were busy in the kitchen while the guys were planted in front of the flat screen waiting for the football game to start. The only one missing was Rachel.

  “Where’s Rachel?” I asked Zach after kissing him good morning.

  “She’s in Shelly’s office reading. She’s still depressed about everything surrounding Crimson’s disappearance.”

  “I wish we could find a way to cheer her up—I hate seeing her like this.”

  “I’m just glad that Boone was able to be here with her today,” Zach said quietly. “He’s not doing so well, either.” One look at Boone and I saw that he was right. The normally rowdy Boone sat quietly on the couch staring at the screen while Dad and Garrett discussed the upcoming game animatedly.

  “Why isn’t he with his family today? I would have thought they would all be sticking together at a time like this.” “His parents flew out to be with Drake. They’re lawyers, you know, so they’re trying to fight his suspension from the NFL. That and probably working on a defense—it looks like he’s going to need one.”

  I pulled Zach out into the hallway, out of earshot from Boone. “Do you think Drake’s innocent?”

  Without hesitation, Zach replied, “I do. But I still think he’s going to have a tough time proving it.” Was there some way I could help him? If I went in search of her, would Alison Cornell be able to provide me with anything that would clear Drake’s name? More importantly, was I up to the task? If Zach had to save my life again anytime soon, he might reach his breaking point. No, I needed to stay out of this situation and not in
vite trouble. There was one thing I felt I needed to do though and I wanted Zach to be a part of it.

  “Zach, I want to go put some flowers on Garnet’s grave—will you come with me?”

  “I’ll go anywhere with you. Do you know where she’s buried?”

  “Yeah,” I said nodding my head, “Heaven’s Gate Cemetery—out by the hospital.”

  “Okay, let’s go now. That way I won’t miss any of the game.” He may not play football any more, but he sure did like to watch it. Sometimes, he was such a typical boy! After a quick stop at the grocery store for a small bouquet, we pulled into Heaven’s Gate Cemetery. I led Zach through the maze of broken headstones to Garnet’s burial spot. It was weird. Even after everything she put me through, I felt like she was somewhat of a friend.

  I kneeled down and placed the orange and yellow flowers on the ground by what was left of her headstone. “She was so sad Zach—I felt all of her pain.”

  “I can’t even imagine what you went through, what she went through. It’s just so sad no matter how you look at it.” Zach tried to balance the broken top of her headstone onto the bottom piece with no luck. “And I feel bad for Mr. Raspatello, too. I know how I’d feel if I lost you like that.”

  Zach put his arm around me and I leaned my head against his chest. “I know—the worst part is he never found anyone else to fill that void.”

  “Yeah,” Zach agreed. We stood there in silence for a few minutes then he said, “Do you want a minute alone with her?”

  “I do.” It was strange but I felt like I just buried a friend.

  “Okay. I’ll wait for you in the car.” Zach descended the hill, leaving me alone with her. Almost. “Were you close?” Startled by a familiar voice behind me, I glanced over my shoulder to find Clay standing directly behind me.

  We were close but I couldn’t tell him that. If he looked at the dates on her headstone, he would think I was a total nut job. “No, she was a friend of the family—I just came to pay my respects.”

  “So, you hang out in cemeteries a lot, don’t you?”

  Seriously, what was he getting at? “So do you,” I retorted.

  A wide smile engulfed his face. “You’re a fiery little thing, aren’t you? Zach’s got his hands full with you.” Really? Was it just me or was he actually flirting with me in a graveyard with my boyfriend only several feet away? Exactly how did he expect me to respond to that?

  “I had a girl like you once—but I messed it up and lost her.” Great. Now he was going for the sympathy angle. I had to let him know in no uncertain terms that I wasn’t going to fall for his routine. “That’s no shock,” I snapped at him as I took off down the hill. There. That should do it.

  When I got to the car, Zach asked me instantly, “Who were you talking to up there?” So his anger was now in check but apparently he still needed to work on the jealousy thing. “Some loser named Clay. He seems to know you.”

  Zach got an odd look on his face. “Clay? Clay Roseman?” “I don’t know—I guess. He never told me his last name.” Something told me to end the conversation there and not look back. So of course I did the opposite. “Do you know him well?”

  “I did. But I haven’t seen him since.…”

  Why were we still talking about that loser? “Since when?” I prodded, anxious to get the conversation over with.

  “Since his funeral.” Insert dramatic, suspenseful music here. There should be mandatory sound effects to accompany such a revelation. “His what?”

  “You heard me—Clay’s dead. He died last year.”

  “So you didn’t see him just now then?” I was not ready for this.

  “Nope. All I could see was you.” “Zach,” I said shaking, “Can we please not talk about this? I’m not ready! It’s too soon after.…” I couldn’t finish my sentence.

  “Shhh, it’s okay,” he said rubbing my knee gently. “We’ll talk about it when you’re ready.” If I’m ever ready. But definitely not now, not so soon after Garnet. I changed the subject. “I can’t wait to taste your mom’s turkey.”

  “She makes the best turkey too. You’re going to love it!” “I’m sure I will. But not as much as I’m going to love Ruby Matthews Appreciation Day.” So many bad things had happened to us—it was time for something good.

  “I’ll make it as special as I can, sweetie. Nothing but the best for you.”

  “Rita didn’t even ask why I needed Sunday off—she just said okay and that was it. What about Andy?” “He didn’t question it—I asked him while he was busy so he wouldn’t over think it. He knows where your dad and Shelly are going that day—I didn’t want him to make the connection.”

  “So we’re all set then?” I was ready for this. “All set.” Zach parked the car in front of the mansion. “Just remember, if you change your mind at any point—and I really do mean any point—tell me okay? Don’t do anything you don’t want to do.”

  “Thanks, Zach, but that won’t be an issue. I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. Nothing will change that.” Nothing.

  Dinner was delicious—even more so since I almost wasn’t around to taste it. I had a lot to be thankful for but Zach was at the top of that list. Now that Garnet was at peace, school would be so much less traumatic. Even Misty couldn’t top yesterday’s activities. As long as I stayed away from Heaven’s Gate Cemetery, I was ghost-free. It was time to focus on being happy and being with Zach, time to open a new chapter in our lives. I was ready for a new beginning. Sunday couldn’t come fast enough for me.

  41. The End of the Beginning

  I woke up Sunday morning both nervous and excited all at the same time. Months of waiting came down to this— today was the day we would lose our virginity together. Zach planned out the whole day for me so I had no idea what we would be doing. Well, aside from the obvious, of course. Zach arrived about an hour after Dad and Shelly left for New York carrying a cardboard box with him.

  “What’s in the box?” I asked, lifting a flap to take a peek.

  Zach backed away quickly. “Your surprises will be revealed in time. But for now, this box is off limits!” I had a real hard time with surprises—waiting was absolute torture. It reminded me of all the times as a child when I would sneak downstairs in the middle of the night to open up my Christmas presents. It didn’t matter that morning was only a few hours away—I loved the thrill of opening them carefully, seeing what was inside and then wrapping them back up for morning. My dad never knew I did it but I was sure Zach wouldn’t be so naïve. Knowing him, he would guard that box with his life.

  But what Zach didn’t know was that I had a little surprise of my own. I stopped at the Village on my way home from work yesterday and found the most luxurious red satin sheets and a comforter to match. They stayed locked in the trunk of my car until today. As soon as Dad and Shelly were on their way to New York City, I dragged my haul upstairs to the attic and put them on my bed. They looked and felt great so I could justify how much cash I shelled out for them. Before I took my shower, I climbed into bed to test them out. Perfect. As good as they felt alone, how much better would they feel once Zach was in the bed with me? This morning I sprawled on my back, kicked my legs in the air and squealed with excitement because today was the beginning of something big.

  Zach set the box down on the floor and picked me up. “Happy Ruby Matthews Appreciation Day!” he said as he twirled me around. “I hope you like everything I have planned.”

  “I know I will,” I said as he put me down and kissed me on the cheek. “So what do you want to do first?” Suddenly, I was super nervous.

  “Well, I’m going to take this box up to your bedroom to set everything up. You,” he said ushering me into the dining room, “are going to wait for me down here so I know you can’t sneak a peek.

  Dammit! How did I know he would say that? I waited impatiently at the table for fifteen minutes while he worked his magic upstairs. What other boy would go to so much trouble to make sure my first time was unforget
table? No other boy would care this much—I was sure of that. When he finally returned, he was smiling like I’d never seen him smile before.

  “Look,” he said pointing toward the window. “It’s starting to snow.” He was right. It was the first snow of the season—so pure, so dazzlingly beautiful. Kinda like our love. It seemed fitting that it should arrive on the day we gave ourselves to each other.

  “They’re calling for six to twelve inches you know. It would be a shame if your parents got stuck in New York and I had to stay here with you all night.” Shame my ass. He looked like he was willing it to snow harder.

  “That would be absolutely awful. What would we do all night if that happened?” Suddenly the sexy voice that always eluded me came rolling off my tongue. Wow. That sounded hot even to my ears.

  Zach must have agreed because he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close. “I have an idea or two. Starting with this.”

  I expected him to kiss me but instead he took my hand and said, “Follow me.” This was it. He was taking me upstairs. I thought Mr. Romance would want to wait until later after he had me thoroughly entranced by him. It wasn’t necessary—I’d been mesmerized since the moment we met.

  I was wrong again. Instead of my room, he led me to the conservatory. The snow looked like it was going to fall right on us until it hit the glass panes and came to rest. I watched the flakes flutter to the ground—dancing and sparkling in the air before forming a soft carpet of pure white. It was the perfect way to start our day. I should have expected no less from Zach.

  “It’s breathtaking! Can we go for a walk in it?” “I was hoping you would say that.” He opened the door and stuck his hand outside. “It’s not too cold. Do you want your jacket or do you think you’re okay with just your sweater?”

  “Definitely sweater—that way you can warm me up when we get back.”