He began to fold in on himself, or perhaps he was turning inside out, Conner didn’t know. He screamed in fury and fear and lunged up, his fingers brushing Roger’s soul. The touch was like a shock, hurting him, but Conner didn’t stop. “You can’t have me yet!” he bellowed to whoever would listen. “And Roger, stop being a selfish ass!”
Whether it was luck or Roger finally listening to him, Conner didn’t know, but suddenly he and Roger both were plummeting down at a startling speed. Even already dead, Conner was scared shitless. He screamed the entire way down, Roger’s soul making an odd whistling noise as it accompanied him.
Conner fully expected pain when he hit the ground, but instead he stopped suddenly, lying right beside Roger’s body. He heard Ro’s yell but was amazed by the sight of Roger’s soul slamming back into him. Roger’s body went from a gray, lifeless thing to a living, breathing—well, coughing and gasping—man again.
Ro tackled Conner and they were gone, back into their meadow.
“Don’t you ever scare me like that again!” Ro screamed at him. “I can’t lose you, Conner. Not you!”
Conner felt like his insides had been taken apart, tossed in a blender, and turned on purée before being poured back into him. And he didn’t even have insides, as far as he knew!
“Dad… Losing him would be horrible, but he’s older, and he wants to be with Mom,” Ro was babbling, waving one arm all over while clutching Conner with his other hand. “But you, Jesus Christ, Con, that would kill me all over again. I tried to follow you, but you were just gone and I couldn’t catch up no matter how fast I went. I saw it, you started to glow.” Ro’s eyes were huge, his complexion pale as he talked. “It started at your chest, then you kind of, it was like you started to shrink, and turn the same color as the sky. I’ll hate that color forever, and longer than that! What was that, Conner?”
Conner rubbed his chest, fearful he’d feel that tug again, but he didn’t. He looked into Ro’s eyes and felt a peace different from any he’d had before. He didn’t know what that place was, but he wasn’t afraid of it, not anymore.
“I think it’s the next level, what comes after this, when we’re ready for it.” Conner looked up into the bright sky for the first time in a while without the dark edges of fear peeking at him. “I think that maybe we can stay here if we’re needed, or we can go on up there and get another chance. Maybe watch over our loved ones in a different way, as a new soul on Earth. I don’t know for sure, but this is true.” He turned his focus back to Ro, loving everything about the man. “I won’t go without you, and I won’t ever have to. Whatever happens next happens for us together. If that means we’re born again and start life all over, I’ll find you, and I’ll love you until we die then, and it’ll be that way, always.”
And it would be, Conner swore, as he took Ro into his arms. There were some truths that were indisputable, and the fact that he and Ro belonged together was one of them.
“Me too, I swear,” Ro said against his lips. Conner didn’t doubt it. He kissed Ro there, under that sky he’d nearly lost himself in, and he knew their souls would always find each other. Neither death nor life would keep them apart.
Epilogue
Ten years later
The small town of McKinton, Texas was getting smaller in some ways, bigger in others. Ro had watched people come and go in the decade since he’d passed away. More had left than arrived, except during a brief oil boom.
The spirit plane was thinning out, too. He and Conner had seen several spirits give up the ghost, so to speak, and float off into the great beyond.
Thinking about doing that made Ro break out in a sweat. Dying once had been hard enough. Taking another step into the unknown? Yeah, he didn’t want to go there.
“What’s with the frown?”
Ro turned to find Conner leaning against a lamppost, arms crossed casually over his broad chest, hip cocked, blond hair tousled—he looked damned sexy and Ro wanted to jump him right then and there.
“Ro?” Conner arched one eyebrow at him.
Ro sighed. He didn’t want to sound like a whiny kid.
Conner was beside him in an instant, tucking two fingers under Ro’s chin and nuzzling Ro’s cheek with his nose. “Hey, come on. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I’m just in a mood,” Ro muttered, wrapping his arms around Conner. “You’d think things like moods and pouts and whatever would die with the body.”
“Nah, not if they weren’t physical things,” Conner disagreed. “So what’s got you moody? Was it what happened earlier?”
“That, and what happened yesterday—or was it the day before?” Ro shrugged. The days tended to blend together. “We’ve had six of us decide to go up there.” He pointed at the sky. “McKinton’s living population is shrinking, too. Between the drought and the rise and fall of the oil prices, people have left for better jobs, we’ve had two of the farmers up and leave. At least we still have Zeke and Brendon here, but, I mean…” He sighed again. “It’s all changing. What if you or I decide one day that we’re tired of being here?”
“Then we go somewhere else,” Conner said confidently. “And we do it together. We don’t have to stay in McKinton. We can travel, see other places, like Laine and Sev do.”
“I’m just being contrary. I don’t want to leave, not while Dad’s still alive, and I’ve kinda gotten fond of Adela’s kids, and since Martin’s moved back and stopped being a dick, he’s fun to mess with. I’m just…I’m scared,” he admitted, clinging tighter. “I know you said that we wouldn’t just get sucked up out of this plane, but I worry lately. I don’t understand what makes someone want to leave here.”
“Ericka told us she was curious and ready to see what happened next,” Conner said. “The others… Well, I don’t know, but it was their choice. I felt that tug before, and I resisted. They could have, too.”
Ro shook his head. “Maybe not. Maybe they weren’t as strong as you are, Conner. Maybe none of us are.”
Conner kissed him gently. “Wow, you are in a funk, honey. Come on.”
Rather than fly or blink over to wherever Conner had in mind, he took Ro’s hand and started them walking down the sidewalk.
“Look there, at Virginia’s Café. Still the same as it’s always been, and hasn’t changed it at all since I’ve been here.” Conner grinned. “And I’ve been here for a long time.”
“A memory that’s not helping,” Ro griped.
Conner squeezed his hand. “Most of the businesses that were here before the oil boom are still here,” Conner continued. “Sheriff’s department’s the same, just has Matt as sheriff now. And think about that—the couples we know, they’re all still together, and living here. Even Laine and Sev make this their home. They just leave a lot.”
Conner didn’t sound too thrilled about that. “You miss them.”
“Sure,” Conner agreed. “But I want them to have fun and enjoy their lives.”
“They’re getting older while we look the same,” Ro pointed out. “I’m scared of losing them, or Dad, or Adela or Martin. All the sudden, I’m scared of losing everyone. It’s ridiculous. There shouldn’t be this kind of stress in the afterlife!”
“Doesn’t have to be,” Conner said.
“I know. I’m just…I’m just…ugh!” Ro wanted to punch a wall. “I don’t even know. Maybe I’ve got too much time on my hands.”
“And maybe you worry about the people you love. That’s not a bad thing, but yeah, you can’t let it tie you in knots.” Conner stopped them once they reached the park. “You and I both know that life and death happens. All we can hope for is that the living have easy deaths, that they don’t suffer, not in life or death. We can want to keep them here, with us, but that’s selfish. They need to do what’s best for them. We have to let them go, if that’s the decision they make.”
“You’re so wise,” Ro teased, though he meant it, too.
Conner snorted at him. “That’s as deep as this river runs, stud.”
/> Laughter burst out of Ro before he even knew it was going to happen.
Conner winked and tipped his chin up. “Are you mocking me?” he asked in a deep Southern drawl. “Don’t you know how brilliant and talented I am?”
“Oh, yeah, you are, both of those things,” Ro agreed. “And you’re right, about the rest. I don’t know why I get tied up in knots about it. I just…I love them, you know?”
Conner nodded. “I do know. When I first came here, it was for Laine. I loved him for a long time, and I had to help him. When I first met Sev, when I saw the sparks that him and Laine gave off around each other, God, I was so pissed off. More at me than anyone else. If I hadn’t been stupid and gotten myself killed—and I know, that really wasn’t my fault. Still, that’s how I felt. Took a long time to get past being jealous. I had to be nice to Sev even when inside I was raging over losing Laine. I had to put Laine first, and let him have his happiness. That’s what we do when we love someone. We want the best for them, what makes them shine. Laine lit up like never before every time he looked at Sev. Still does, and Sev has that same love-struck gleam in his eyes when he sees Laine. Just like I look at you.”
Ro leaned against Conner. “You do get that mushy, head-over-heels expression when you see me.”
“I do. I always will.” Conner snuggled him closer. “Maybe we should get out of McKinton now and then. Go give Laine and Sev hell. I bet they miss us pranking them.”
“I bet you’re right.” Ro felt happier already. “And you know I love you with every bit of my soul, all of my heart.”
“I do,” Conner said. “I do.”
* * * *
The idea had come to Conner then, when Ro had been so down and out, and he’d turned love-filled eyes up at Conner.
And Conner had said, “I do.”
The niggling little voice in his head had begun to plot in that moment. Now, after much planning and secret keeping, he had everything ready to go.
He hoped what he was doing wasn’t weird. Conner was aiming for romantic, fully, whole-heartedly romantic.
He glanced down at himself. The suit he had on had appeared when he’d imagined himself wearing it. Not a tux, though. Conner closed his eyes and dragged up an image of a tuxedo, one he’d worn to the Fireman’s Ball when he’d been alive. He’d hated it, but he’d looked damned hot, and Laine had told him so later, once they’d been home and Laine had seen him.
That easily, Conner’s suit was gone and he was dressed as sharply as he could imagine himself being clothed.
“Whoa, you look good!”
Conner turned to Stefan. “You think so?” He fiddled with the lapel.
“Yeah, you think so?” asked Gideon, one of Stefan’s partners.
Jordan, Stefan’s other partner, glowered at Conner, though there was no missing the teasing glint in his eyes.
Stefan sniffed, turning his nose up haughtily. “Duh. He’s wearing a tux. What man doesn’t look sexy in a tux?”
“Sexy?” Jordan’s glower deepened.
Conner smirked at him, confidence restored. “You know I rock this penguin suit.”
Jordan laughed and slapped him on the back. “Yeah, yeah, you do. And how could Gid and I ever compete with that? We don’t mind Stefan ogling you somewhat, but—” Jordan waved one hand in front of himself, and said, “Voila!”
He and Gideon then wore their military dress uniforms. “Now who’s the stud?” Jordan asked, preening and puffing out his chest.
“You forgot the shoes,” Conner pointed out. “You have really white feet, man.”
“Shit!” Jordan glanced down at his toes. “I do. Kinda…”
“Aw, don’t say it,” Conner pled.
“Ghostly white, wouldn’t you say?” Jordan continued, showing him no mercy.
“Maybe you should go play in traffic,” Conner grumbled.
“I’m already dead, so that’s not much of an insult,” Jordan informed him.
Mrs. Matthers, mom of Ezekiel ‘Zeke’ Matthers, and one of the first spirits to make herself at home in McKinton, popped in and waved at them. She pointed at her watch and disappeared again.
A moment later, several vehicles pulled into the parking lot, one behind the other, as if they’d formed some kind of convoy for the drive. Conner wouldn’t have put it past them.
When Laine and Sev got out of their truck, Conner whooped and dove at them. He was happy to see them, though it’d only been a short while since he’d last popped in on them.
Sev’s smile made him look younger by a decade. Laine’s wrinkles were etched deeper and his hair completely white, but he had an ease about him that he didn’t used to have. Retirement worked well for him.
Conner pushed Laine’s cowboy hat right off his head.
“Damn it,” Laine muttered. “One of these days, boy, I’ll get you back.”
That kind of put a damper on Conner’s joy for a minute, because Laine meant once he’d died. Conner didn’t want to think about that.
Then he told himself to stop being morbid. Laine could have meant something else entirely.
“Is everyone ready?” Sev asked.
Conner still had to concentrate to push words at Sev, but it’d gotten easier over time. “Yup. Just waiting on Ro.”
Sev leaned back into the truck and took out a black suit jacket. He had on dark jeans and hiking boots, and a muted pink shirt that made his celadon-colored eyes really stand out. His hair, like Laine’s, was white, but unlike Laine’s, it was long and loose, flowing down Sev’s back to just above his butt. The man was still attractive, just as Laine was.
“We all doing this?” asked Matt, who held his partner Carlin’s hand as if they were in the first blush of love.
“You know it.” Sev winked at him. “You get to play usher since you got here first.”
“We all got here about the same time,” Matt said.
Sev shrugged. “You got to me first, then.”
Matt laughed. “Well, all right. Make the town sheriff do the grunt work. I see how it is.” He led Carlin away, into the building.
It wasn’t long until everyone was gathered, all of Conner and Ro’s friends and family. Conner was glad to note that no one seemed uncomfortable. In fact, everyone was happy, smiling, chatting. It made his heart swell with love for the town and its residents.
Then he thought of Ro, who had been at Darren and Lee’s, watching over the hens since a fox had gotten into the pen.
At least, that’s what he’d been told, that he was needed to keep an eye on the chickens while Darren and Lee ran some errands for a few hours.
The truth was, not a fox around would mess with the evil Rhode Island Reds Darren and Lee raised.
“Sev, I’m going to get him.” Conner saw Sev nod and that was good enough. Conner went from being surrounded by loved ones to standing on the porch beside Ro.
Ro looked him up and down, frowning. “Conner? What’s up? Are you…? Why are you wearing a tux?”
“Do you like it?” Conner plucked at one sleeve. “I can change.”
“Like it?” Ro chuckled. “I want to peel it off of you and lick every inch of your body, then I want to ride you until we both scream.”
“I’m fine with that, but first, do something for me.” Conner held one hand out to Ro. “Come with me, please.”
Ro pointed at the chickens. “There’s a fox—”
“There’s no fox,” Conner assured him. “I promise.”
“What the hell kind of trick was this, then? I hate these damned birds!” Ro planted his hands on his hips. “What’re you up to?”
“Trust me?” Conner asked.
Ro nodded. “Always. Okay. Wherever we’re going’s fancy, so let me change.” He went from jeans to a tux with nary the blink of an eye. “Good?”
Conner could hardly speak, Ro was so handsome, his black hair smooth and his eyes shining. “Yeah. Perfect.” He held out a hand to Ro.
“I love you, you know,” Ro said, placing his hand in
Conner’s.
Conner’s throat was tight as emotion welled up in him. “I love you, too. So much. I hope…I hope you like this.” I hope it’s not stupid.
“I’ll love anything you’ve done for me, I swear it,” Ro promised.
Conner gulped and whisked them both back to where everyone they cared about was waiting.
“A church?” Ro asked, tittering nervously. “I haven’t been in a church since—” His eyes went wide.
“Since Adela’s wedding,” Conner finished for him. “And now, we’re here for ours. Wedding, I mean. If—” Conner went down on one knee. “If you’ll marry me.” He hadn’t bothered with rings. It’d have been too difficult to keep their ringer finger corporeal enough for such a thing. “I can’t put a ring on it, but I can tell you, I’ll love you for eternity.”
“Jesus,” Ro gasped, pressing a hand over his heart. “I—I didn’t—I—” He took a deep breath. “Yes. Yes! Oh my God, yes, Conner!”
Conner stood up and wrapped Ro in his arms. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so happy, and that was saying something, because he was very rarely unhappy.
“Come on. Let’s go get married.” He planted a big kiss on Ro’s mouth. Ro held on to him when Conner started for the church doors.
“Thank you,” Ro whispered.
Conner saw unshed tears glinting in his eyes. “Ro—”
“Tears of joy,” Ro said. “And love. Two gifts you’ve given me, Conner. Joy and love. I will spend eternity showering you with both of those things.”
“Hey, save the sweet words for your vows,” Sev said as he poked his head out of the door. “Y’all have a church full of people waiting for you, and I want to perform my first wedding!”
Conner kissed Ro again, then he escorted his groom down the aisle and vowed to love and cherish him forever.
Also available from Pride Publishing:
Ascension Page 10
