By October, I’d made up my mind and asked Gwen to call a special meeting. On a chilly Thursday night, everyone assembled in the flower shop at seven o’clock. Gwen had asked multiple times for a hint as to what the meeting would entail, but I knew that telling her would essentially be putting a bullhorn up to my lips and broadcasting it to the whole ghost community, and negate the purpose of holding a formal meeting in the first place.
When the last stragglers floated in, I took my place behind the counter and cleared my throat loudly. A dozen pair of eyes shifted my way, and a hush fell over the small crowd. “I know you’re all anxious to find out why I’ve called you here tonight, so I’ll cut to the chase.” I glanced at Gwen out of the corner of my eye. Hayward stood beside her. Flapjack hadn’t been able to resist his own curiosity and perched on a high shelf beside an arrangement of collector tea cups, observing from afar.
“Many of you have heard about what happened with Sabrina and Loretta earlier this summer. I’m sure there are many rumors and partial truths attached to the story by now, so I’ll set the record straight. I did play a part in ushering both women over to the other side.”
I paused as a swell of excited whispers rippled through the crowd.
“However, it’s not something I plan to do again. It’s dangerous and I’m not comfortable risking it, regardless of how ready the ghost might feel. If I’ve learned anything from the experience, it’s that there is a natural order, or cycle, to this whole thing and it’s not my place to interfere with it. Just because I can, doesn’t mean I should, and as was the case with Sabrina, my involvement nearly ended in disaster.”
“How did you do it, Scarlet?” Perry, one of the elderly gents in the crowd, asked.
“I’m not entirely sure how my powers work, and that’s why I’ve called you here today,” I replied. “As much as I’ve loved getting to know each of you, I think it’s time we draw this group to a close.”
The whispers turned frantic.
“Let me clarify,” I continued, holding up my hands to try and quite the speculation. “I think the support group should continue. I’m not closing it down, more like removing myself from the equation.”
“But why?” Alyssa, a younger ghost in the front, asked.
“I think my role in this cycle has come to an end. Most of the time, I just listen anyway. I’m not really doing anything. I don’t know what it’s like to be in your shoes, to be a ghost. You all help each other way more than I ever could, because you understand one another on a level I can’t.”
“So, you’re just trying to get rid of us, is that it? We’re an inconvenience now?” another voice in the back shouted.
“No! That’s not it at all. You’re free to use this space as long as you’d like, every Tuesday, just like before. But in my place, I think a new leader should take the reins.” I glanced sideways. “Gwen? Would you come forward?”
Gwen touched her chest, clearly startled, but she swooped toward me and turned to face the crowd. “Me, Scarlet?”
I nodded. “Gwen, you’re the most compassionate and perceptive person I know. You see people as they truly are, and you have a heart of gold. Without you, this group wouldn’t even exist. You might have brought people here to see me, but the real heart and soul of this group is you.”
“But what about you?” she asked softly. “Are you leaving?”
“No,” I replied. “I’ll be around. But for some time now, my life has been divided, split right down the middle, trying to navigate through two worlds that would never truly meet. Add in a long-distance relationship and a small business and it’s more than a little overwhelming. I still need to fully figure out my magic and find my purpose, but I don’t feel I can do that while trying to keep up with everything else.”
Gwen nodded. “I understand.” She looked to the crowd. “We all do. Sure, it’s been a while for some of us, but we can all remember how crazy life gets. So, if Scarlet needs some time away to process and make plans for her future, we can give that to her, can’t we?”
With some hesitation by a handful of members, the group agreed and even grew enthusiastic after a few moments of consideration.
Smiling, I took Gwen’s hand and squeezed. “Thank you, Gwen.”
“It’s an honor.”
Things died down after another half an hour, and the group dissolved, ghosts leaving in pairs and small groups until it was just the four of us again. Flapjack leaped down from his high shelf and landed without a sound on the counter. “Well, that could have gone sideways. You nearly had a ghost mutiny there, Scar.”
Gwen laughed. “I have to admit, I’m more than a little surprised that was your announcement. But I understand why you need to take a step back. You’ve had a lot on your plate for a long time now.”
Hayward approached, his top hat in hand. “This doesn’t mean you’re sending us away, does it, Lady Scarlet?”
“Of course not,” I told him.
I shot Gwen a quick grin and then rested one hand on Hayward’s shoulder. It took him a moment to realize what had happened, but he jumped when he put the pieces together. “Lady Scarlet!”
I laughed and removed my hand. “A new little trick I picked up somewhere along the way.”
Flapjack looked the most stunned by my new ability. He crept closer and I extended a hand, remembering the way I used to stroke his fur when I was just an ordinary little girl and he was my beloved kitty cat. Slowly, he lowered his face and brushed his cheek against my hand. It wasn’t the same warm fur coat I remembered, but there was a comforting tenderness in the gesture all the same.
“You guys are stuck with me,” I said, smiling in turn at my three constant companions.
I wasn’t sure where the next steps on my journey would lead, but it was nice to know I’d never be alone.
Chapter 20
“Where’s Gwen when you need her?” I muttered, staring at my reflection in the full-length mirror in Lucas’s master bedroom. I tottered, shifting from foot to foot, trying to compare two pairs of heels. On my left foot, I wore a black pump that featured a pencil-thin stiletto spike and on the right, a peep-toe slingback with a much lower heel. One was good for walking—well, okay, better for walking—while the other made me feel like a fashion model.
That is, when I wasn’t wobbling like a newborn giraffe.
“Peep-toes for the win,” I said, kicking off the left shoe. Two minutes in the stilettos and my toes were already crying.
Maybe it was better Gwen wasn’t here to advise me. She would have voted for the stilettos, hands down.
Smiling, I put on the other slingback and then clicked across the hardwood floors to the attached bathroom to finish getting ready. I had to admit, it was fun to get dolled up every now and again. I spent my life in jeans, leggings, and faded t-shirts, and in place of nail polish and makeup, I usually had green stained nails and the only thing on my face was a slight sheen of sweat.
Lucas had recently returned from a two-week trip to London and had planned a special dinner to celebrate his return from another successful business trip. He’d made reservations somewhere but was being vague about the details. I assumed he was planning another fancy night out like after he’d received his sign-on bonus and was dressing for the occasion. If we ended up at a drive-thru, I was gonna kick him in the shins.
I glanced at my reflection one last time, double-checking every detail. My copper hair was lighter than normal, with golden highlights peeking through thanks to all the time I’d spent in the sun over the summer. My makeup wasn’t too extreme, but I liked the healthy glow of my skin and the way the eyeliner made my eyes look a little wider.
Thank you, YouTube.
Satisfied, I turned off the lights and set out to make my grand entrance. After all, the big reveal is the best part.
Lucas was in the kitchen, his back toward me. I stopped and cleared my throat.
He jerked upright and whipped around, one hand in the front pocket of his navy slacks. He wore
a matching jacket and a button up shirt and tie. “Scarlet, wow! You look amazing.” He crossed the kitchen and took one hand, leading me through a silly twirl. He whistled as I spun back to face him. “I was about to send a search party in after you, but it looks like you knew exactly what you were doing.”
I laughed. “A search party? It’s been an hour and a half.” I cringed, spotting the digital clock on the microwave over his shoulder. “Okay, two and a half. Are we late for our reservations?”
He smiled. “I built in some extra time to get a drink. So you are right on time.” He kissed me. “Shall we?”
“Yes, please. I’m starving.” I took his offered hand and he led the way toward the door. “Can I get a hint about where we’re going? At least what kind of food? I need to set my appetite.”
Lucas chuckled and opened the front door. “Sorry. No dice. You’re just going to have to wait.”
I stuck my bottom lip out. This only made him laugh harder.
We went down the hall to the bank of elevators, and Lucas pressed the UP button.
“Wrong button,” I said, gesturing at the panel.
He smiled. “It’s the right one.”
My brow furrowed. “We’re going up? Did they install a cafe on the roof since my last visit?”
He chuckled and wrapped an arm around my waist. “Guess you’ll have to wait and see.”
“What are you up to?”
He kissed the tip of my nose.
The elevator buzzed, announcing its arrival, and we boarded. Lucas slipped a key from his pocket and inserted it into the button marked PH.
“Penthouse?” I said. “Are we going to a party?”
Lucas refused to answer, only offering a mischievous wiggle of his brows.
I sighed and he chuckled.
A soft ding announced our arrival and the doors slid open. Lucas guided me off the elevator and two doors down the hall. He used the same key to open the door and ushered me inside.
The luxury penthouse was alight with what had to be a thousand candles, all surrounding a table set for two in the empty living room that was all the more breathtaking with the two story wall of glass windows. Soft music played from speakers hidden somewhere in the room, filling the huge space with a jazzy tune. On the table, a bucket of ice held a bottle of champagne, and there was a bouquet of flowers in the center of the table, showcasing all of my favorites.
“Lucas, this is beautiful.” I turned around to face him. “But what are we doing here? Who’s place is this? You didn’t buy this … did you?”
Lucas chuckled. “No. This place is a little out of my price range. My boss actually owns it, but he’s put it on the market and offered to let me use it for tonight. You’re not going to find views like this except maybe at the top of the Space Needle.”
“It’s stunning.”
He came to stand beside me and drew me to his side. “I’m glad you like it.”
“And the candles and flowers? Champagne? What’s the occasion? You’re not buttering me up to tell me you’re leaving on another trip so soon, are you”
“No,” he replied with a soft chuckle. “I don’t have any big trips scheduled until the spring.”
“Okay, so then—”
The doorbell rang before I could pepper him with a second round of questions. Lucas pulled away from me and went to answer it, and I followed a few steps behind. When Lucas opened the door, one of the building’s staff members appeared, holding a large pizza box. “Here you are, sir.”
Lucas stepped away to thank the young man and slip him a handful of bills.
The staffer gave me a quick nod and then ducked out of sight.
“What’s this?” I asked, as Lucas turned back, pizza box balancing on one palm.
I read the lid of the box and frowned. “Wait, that’s the pizza shop in Beechwood. How did you—”
“I had them freeze it for me. Take and bake style,” he explained, moving to set the pizza on the table. Steam rose from the pie as he lifted the lid. “I had the restaurant downstairs do the honors. It’s the same pizza we had—”
“—on our first date,” I finished, a lump of emotion swelling in my throat.
“Don’t you mean our first not-a-date date?” he teased.
“Did I miss our anniversary?” I asked hesitantly. I wasn’t always the best with dates like that.
Lucas chuckled, shaking his head. “No. This is something of a new anniversary, I’m hoping.”
I tilted my head. “What are you up to?”
He looked at the table. “I was thinking we should eat first, but if we do that, I might lose my nerve, so I’m just gonna do this. Now.”
“Lucas?” A flutter of anticipation quivered through my stomach.
Lucas was rarely ruffled, and standing there, hands in his pockets, he looked uncomfortable. A glisten of sweat shone on his forehead as he shifted his weight. “Scarlet, I’ve been in love with you since the night we shared this same pizza, in the kitchen of that haunted house, talking about the world and traveling, and well, the crazed ghost.”
I smiled, conjuring up the memories of the evening. “You mean, it wasn’t love at first tackle?” I asked, grinning as I reminded him of our initial meeting.
He laughed and reached for my hands. “Scar, that was the best tackle I ever made in my life. I should have scooped you up right then and carried you off.”
“That’s very caveman of you, but go on,” I teased.
He licked his lips. “I think about our future all the time. More so, now that I’m here in Seattle. I finally feel like I have a home base. It’s like all the dots are connecting, especially now that I’m out looking at houses, but every time I go on a showing, I’m seeing more and more that there’s still one thing missing.”
My breath caught in the back of my throat and I held it tight.
Lucas smiled at me, his eyes glossy. “I can’t imagine a forever without you in it. I don’t know what adventures lay ahead in the future, but I know there’s no one else I want at my side for whatever may come. So, what do you say we make this thing official?”
I drew in a quick breath as he dropped to one knee.
Lucas fished a small box from his pocket and popped it open, revealing a stunning art deco ring with a cushion-cut emerald, flanked by natural diamonds in a yellow-gold band. “Scarlet Sanderson, will you marry me?”
His question spiked a dozen of my own. Where would we live? What about my job? His job? What would my parents say? If I moved to Seattle, what would happen to the ghosts?
I looked up from the ring and locked eyes with Lucas. All of the questions disappeared, leaving only an answer in their place.
“Yes!”
Lucas stood, gathering me in his arms for an earth-shaking kiss. As we parted, a burst of cheering and applause erupted over my shoulder. I jolted in Lucas’s arms and twirled around to find Hayward, Flapjack, and Gwen standing behind me.
“What are you guys doing here?!”
“Aha, I take it our special guests have arrived,” Lucas said.
I looked back at him. “You knew they were coming?”
“Who do you think invited them?” he replied, a gleam of mischief in his eyes.
“But how?”
He chuckled. “I had a little help from your friend Holly.”
A surprised laugh bubbled from my lips. “Did you tell her you know she’s a witch?”
“Not exactly, though she likely figured out you spilled the beans. You might get an interesting phone call tomorrow.”
I laughed and looked at the three smiling faces. “Thank you, Lucas.”
He kissed me again, and then I turned back to face the ghosts, holding onto his side. “Well, what do you guys think?” I asked, flashing my new ring.
“Scarlet, you’re engaged!” Gwen squealed, surging forward to inspect the ring. “You have no idea how hard it’s been to keep this a secret for the last three weeks!”
I laughed. “Three weeks? Whoa!”
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“Don’t kid yourself, Blondie. Every ghost in a ten mile radius of the harbor knows about this,” Flapjack interjected. “Literally the only person you didn’t tell was Scarlet.”
“Well that’s technically the only person that mattered,” Gwen insisted, souring at Flapjack’s accusation.
Hayward wedged between then, placing one hand on Gwen’s shoulder. “You were splendid, my dear.” He leaned in to take a gander at the ring and then tipped his hat to Lucas—not that Lucas could see. “Quite a beauty, young man. Well done!”
“Does this mean he’s officially off the scoundrel list?” I asked.
Lucas blinked. “Scoundrel?”
I laughed. “Hayward’s a little protective.”
“I’m happy to admit when I’m mistaken, Lady Scarlet. You have my blessing.”
I looked at Flapjack. “What about you?”
Flapjack looked past me and up at Lucas. After a moment, he shrugged. “I guess he’ll do. He’s not overly annoying.”
I laughed harder. “Well, that’s the Flapjack gold-standard.” Turning back to Lucas, I grinned. “Looks like it’s official. We’re engaged!”
Lucas wrapped me up in his arms. “Then I’m the luckiest man in the world. Tonight and every night I get to spend with you.”
Tears pushed past my lashes as I squeezed my eyes closed and held him tight. Everything was going to change, but I’d never been more sure of the path beneath my feet. With Lucas by my side, forever, there was nothing I couldn’t handle.
Ghosts included.
THE END
Big Ghosts Don’t Cry Page 15
