“I can,” I reply around a grin of my own.
The flickering lights flare brightly. Before I can stop her, she’s launching herself in my direction and, since she’s not solid, flies right through me. I feel a blast of cold air and a rush of tingles. When I turn around, she’s sitting on the ground, legs spread out in front of her, her head partially through the table and computer along the wall.
“You forgot, eh?”
“Yup. Totally forgot about the whole spectral body thing there for a second.”
“I’d offer you a hand up, but…”
“Well, aren’t you just a gentleman!”
“Most of the time.”
At that, she turns and looks at me. Her eyes do a quick scan of my body before meeting mine.
“Is that right? And the rest of the time?”
“Guess you’ll have to find out.”
“I knew I liked you, Sexy Nerd,” she says as she manages to get to her feet. She’s still standing in the middle of the table, but that doesn’t seem to bother her.
“Come on, let’s go tell the others that you got your voice back. I have some other interesting news that turned up during our library search today to discuss with everyone as well.”
“Ready when you are. Plus, I say we have some fun with the guys before we let them in on our secret. Bring the Ghost Box.”
I follow her out of the room, or at least I do once I open the door that she just glided through. I’m not sure what she has in mind, but I’d bet money the guys aren’t ready for whatever she has planned. And to be honest, I’m not sure I am either.
Poor Macklin. He has no idea what he’s in for.
I strut into the room like I own the place. I mean, in my own way of thinking, I do. It’s mine. I don’t particularly care if I’ve never made a single payment, or if I have no proof of how the house came into my possession. Isn’t common law home ownership a thing? If not, it really should be.
Most of the guys are waiting in the study, drinks in hand, discussing their apparently fruitless searches. I could’ve told them it would be pointless, but until a few moments ago, I was as silent as the women in Cole’s bed. There’s no way his grumpy ass can get any sane woman to the point of screaming his name.
I know. Bitter doesn’t look very attractive on me, right? Guy’s always a jerk to me though, so he can bite me. Hmm...that doesn’t sound like a bad thing at all actually.
Thad is the first to see me as he sits sprawled out on the sofa facing the door.
“Get that fine ghostly ass over here, woman! I’ve missed you.”
I playfully sashay my way over, walking through the sofa, facing him. It just so happens to also be right where Cole is sitting. Slowing down, I accidentally on purpose pause slightly when my ghostly form is aligned with his fully alive body, then continue on. Risking a glance over my shoulder, I see him fighting to contain a shiver in reaction.
“Fucking temperamental ghost,” he mutters under his breath as he takes a drink of the amber liquid in his glass.
I smile and wink at Thad who has a front row seat to my childish but highly satisfying behavior. What can I say? Cole and his cranky ass bring out the worst in me. I take a seat between Thad and Levi like I have every right to be there. Like I’ve always been involved in these meetings.
Fake it ‘til you make it, right?
Thad leans in and whispers in my ear, “Oh, you and I are going to have some fun together, aren’t we, woman? Why don’t we skip this little get together and go make some plans of our own?”
I smirk in his direction and waggle my eyebrows at him.
“Bro, what about me?” asks Levi, leaning in on my other side. “You’re not going to let him leave me out, are you, sweets?”
“Knock it off,” Macklin barks from across the room. “Fate’s got enough on her plate without having to deal with the two of you. Where’s Knox?”
“Right here, fucker! Dinner is served,” Knox says as he enters the room carrying two large white bags full of takeout. He sets them down on the coffee table and starts to pull out the foam containers.
“Who ordered the Kung Pao Chicken, extra spicy?”
“That’s mine.” Thad raises his hand. “I like it spicy - just how I like my women,” he finishes with a wink in my direction.
This guy is like a male version of me. If that isn’t a frightening thought, I don’t know what is.
As they continue to divvy out the food and begin to eat, I find myself wishing that I had a sense of smell and could take in the aromas around me. That I could enjoy the simple act of eating a meal. That I could savor every bite and actually feel full. Who knew one could miss something as basic as chewing? Hell, even the bloating that will most likely follow the fried rice and egg rolls seems appealing when you’ve felt nothing but emptiness for far too long.
I shake myself out of my sullen mood and observe their interactions just as I have over the last few days. They’re comfortable with each other in a way that only siblings can be. They may call each other brothers, but I highly doubt there’s any blood relation happening here, aside from the twins obviously. They joke and laugh, rib each other over stupid shit, and support each other when it’s needed. I envy that closeness and their camaraderie.
Looking up, I notice Macklin watching me intently. He’s sitting on the sofa opposite us looking as disheveled and adorable as usual. He pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and the muscles in his forearm flex with the movement. Damn, he doesn’t even know what that does to me. His gray button-down is rolled at the sleeves, untucked, with his undershirt hanging out. His jeans fit nicely over his toned legs, and his practical work boots are like new. Pretty sure he spends more of his time behind a computer screen than he does out in the field. His brown eyes remind me of the most scrumptious chocolate, and I would love nothing more than to devour him whole.
Knox must pick up on my ever increasing desire because a loud throat clearing comes from his direction.
“Are you two done eye-fucking each other yet?” Knox taunts.
I’ve never seen a grown man blush as much as Macklin does. It’s totes adorbs. No, I don’t care if that phrase went out of style years ago. I’m a ghost, dammit - basically timeless - which gives me the right to say whatever hellishly ridiculous slang I want.
“What? She’s eye-fucking Mack?” Thad cries. “The fuck? When did that happen? What about me, woman?”
“I wasn’t even sure he liked women,” ponders Levi.
“Fucking right? Never seen him with one. Yet here he is, making moves on my woman before I can get more than a little zap to my dick!” exclaims Thad.
Knox smirks. “As if either of you have a chance.”
“Shut the fuck up, pretty boy,” Thad retorts. “She likes us more than you. She just feels guilty because you have to deal with her crazy ass emotions.”
Crazy ass emotions? Who? Me? Yeah, okay. I’ll give him that one, but it’s totally their fault.
I try to get Mack’s attention as he watches the play-by-play with amusement. Sensing my ghostly stare, he looks over at me, and I motion to the Ghost Box sitting on the floor next to his feet. Somehow, some way, he knows what I’m thinking and gets this mischievous look in his eye. He picks up the device just as Cole interjects himself into the conversation.
“What the fuck is wrong with all of you? She’s a goddamn ghost, for Christ's sake. None of you can have her.”
“I think I may have a way to solve this problem,” Macklin declares, maintaining eye contact with me. I mash my lips together to avoid letting out an excited squeal and giving myself away. “Why don’t we let Fate choose which one of us is the best?”
In this moment, I fall head over heels for my adorably nerdy gentleman. He’s willingly offering himself up as my accomplice in a prank against his brothers, and that is better than pretty flowers or a box of chocolates any day. Not that a ghost girl can enjoy or appreciate either of those things.
“Let her choos
e? Mack, have you lost your damn mind right along with these other fools?” Cole snaps.
Macklin ignores Cole and continues, “Fate came to me earlier today and gave me the idea to use the Ghost Box to communicate. It will allow her to answer our questions within the limited scope of words that are available in its database. So, Fate. Who is it? Which one of us is the best?”
All five sets of eyes find me. I slowly stand up and eye Levi. Trailing a finger across his shoulder, I hear Macklin read the word from the screen in his hands.
“Big.”
“I’m big all over, sweets,” Levi croons.
I consider him and all of his significant bulk, wondering just how big he’s talking. My mind is pulled out of the gutter I find it lodged in on the regular with these guys around when Thad tries to touch my ass, his hand passing through it instead. I run my fingers through his hair, using a trickle of my power to brush the strands back.
Macklin chuckles. “Dirty. Boy.”
“Hell yes, I am, woman,” Thad proclaims, trying to reach for me but swiping his arm through my waist instead. “Dammit!”
I walk over to Knox and lean in like I’m going to kiss him but trail my finger along his scruffy jaw instead. Then I hear Macklin.
“Saw.” He pauses. “First.”
I shift my head to look at Cole without moving my body an inch. He just glowers at me.
“Ass. Hole,” Mack chokes out. The other guys chuckle, and the muscles in Cole’s jaw clench. He obviously doesn’t find it as amusing as the rest of us.
I slowly straighten and look at Macklin as I walk through the coffee table. What is it with me and this damn table? Then stop when I’m mere inches away from him, pushing my body as close as it can get with the device between us. I look up and his eyes meet mine.
“Sexy. Nerd.” He grins.
I place my hand on top of the one holding the Ghost Box and let it rest there for a moment, speaking without saying words, and totally ignore the fact that all of his brothers are looking on.
“But really, why choose?” I suddenly say out loud, turning around to look at all of their stunned faces. A moment later, chaos ensues, the brothers all talking at once.
“What the fuck?”
“Wait, we can hear her!”
“Why the hell didn’t you tell us we could hear her?”
“Fuck! Her voice is like angels singing!”
“Okay, okay,” Macklin shouts over the noise. “It happened just before we walked in, and we knew we had to let you all know.”
“Then why all the theatrics?” Knox retorts.
“Um...because it’s hella funny?” I scoff with a roll of my eyes.
“Who the fuck uses the word hella anymore?” he quips back.
“This ghost girl. That’s who.”
“Do you always refer to yourself as ghost girl?” He snickers.
“Hmmm.” I tap my bottom lip with my finger, thinking. “Actually, I do. Weird, right? But it seems familiar like everything else lately.” I shrug.
“So you feel it too?” Mack asks. “The familiarity?”
“Totally. Since that first day. You guys too?” I look around the room and see them all nod - except Cole. Macklin raises his hand to push his glasses up, and my eyes snag on his wrist.
“Holy shit!” I point at the offending mark. “You have one too!”
He pulls his hand back, and right there on the underside of his wrist is a solid black line broken only by three small dots in the middle.
“Wait. Yours has three dots,” Knox says, eyeing Macklin’s hand. Then he looks at me. “What about you? Got anything?”
Damn. Didn’t even think about that. I turn my head to look at my left bicep and sure enough, just above Knox’s line, is a replica of Mack’s.
“Dude! What the fuck?” I whine.
I mean, I like these guys, but permanently marking my body is not something I would agree to at this point in our relationships.
Relationships. Heavy emphasis on the S. Huh. Plural. Ghost girl’s got game. I mentally high-five myself.
“What is so damn amusing over there?” Knox complains.
“Oh. Nothing.”
“Do you think yours works the same way mine does?” Knox asks Macklin.
There’s a joke in there somewhere, I just know it, but Mack interrupts before I can work it out.
“We should test it!” Mack beams.
“Whoa! Wait a minute there, Sexy Nerd. I didn’t sign up for another round of Let’s summon the ghost girl.”
“If you’re all done ogling the new marks she’s going to deny having any involvement with, can we start to discuss what Mack and Knox found at the library today?” Cole snaps.
“Oh right.” Suddenly all business, Macklin walks over to the desk by the bookshelves and pulls a file from his bag. As he walks back to the group, he eyes the twins. “So, here’s the summary since I know you guys have short attention spans.”
“Thank Christ!” Thad mutters under his breath.
I walk over and perch my ghostly ass on the arm of the sofa next to Cole. He may be a douche canoe, but the guy is super pretty to look at, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find myself drawn to him more often than not. Like two magnets, constantly being pulled together but fighting it.
“Knox found an old photo that dates back one hundred years, and he noticed the willow tree was missing.”
“Knox actually helped?” Levi asks, looking at the man in question. Then he chuckles, “Bout damn time, bro!”
“Shut the hell up,” Knox grumbles from his seat.
“The next photo, taken only two years later, shows a fully grown tree. That’s unheard of. There is no such thing as coincidence. We all know that. One hundred years ago, there was no tree there. Fifty years ago, we came to be. Forty years after that, Fate appeared in this house where that exact tree was planted. I’d hazard a guess it was the same day we all felt that tug spark up again, which sent us searching for something while she spent another ten years waiting for something.” Mack looks my way before continuing. “You were waiting on us. Our stories are almost identical. Coming from nothing. Remembering nothing. The fact that the second we arrived, we all felt something. I don’t think we can deny it anymore. Our histories are intertwined. Now we just need to find out how and why.”
The room is stunned into silence, myself included. Considering I now have a voice for the first time in ten years, that’s an impressive feat.
“So, let me get this straight. You all are fifty years old?”
That earns me a glare from Cole.
“What? I mean, you all look phenomenal for fifty. Just throwing that out there. Haven’t aged a bit.”
Cole rolls his eyes at me, then his face relaxes into the serious expression that’s usually plastered on his gorgeous face. He clears his throat before hesitantly saying, “I think I may have at least a small part of the answer to that.”
The entire room turns to Cole. Something about the way he’s sitting, leaning forward, his muscles tense and ready for flight, tells me I’m not going to like what he’s about to say. No one says a word as he takes a moment to speak. Whatever this is, the fact that his brothers don’t know about it does not bode well for this conversation.
“You guys all know about my nightmares...” He pauses while the guys nod their understanding.
“What nightmares?” I blurt out.
The glare he shoots my way is, yet again, familiar.
For a moment, I don’t think he’s going to respond, but finally he starts again. “I have nightmares quite often, and the sequence of events is always the same. At the end, I shout out ‘Don’t go!’ before I immediately wake up. But there are details I’ve never told you. Things you need to hear.”
He studies his boots intently, his hands clasped together with his elbows on his knees. Before he continues, he takes a deep breath.
“They used to happen once every couple of weeks. Then the moment we started planning our trip h
ere, they started coming every few nights. After that first day in the house, they’ve been happening nightly. Sometimes multiple times a night. If I fall back asleep, it starts all over again.”
“You’ve had the same nightmare for over fifty years?” I ask incredulously.
“No...” He hesitates, looking at me for the first time without a hint of his trademark glare.
Those ice blue eyes pierce my soul, and that gut-wrenching feeling I had the first time I saw him hits again, full force. I wrap my arms around my middle like it will make the hurt go away.
His eyes haven’t released mine when he begins to speak again, a softness to his voice that I’ve never heard before. “They started ten years ago.” I’m once again rendered speechless, but the same cannot be said for the other guys.
“What the fuck do you mean, they started ten years ago?” Levi shouts.
Thad, always ready to back up his twin, fumes, “So it’s okay for you to keep secrets, but the rest of us practically get court martialed if we forget to tell you we took a dump? What kind of bullshit is that?”
“You didn’t think to tell us this a few days ago when we learned how long Fate has been here?” Knox growls. He gets up and storms over to the window seat. With his left arm straight out, he rests his hand on the wall while he stares outside.
The sky is a beautiful mix of pinks and purples and oranges. Normally, I’d bask in the glorious sight before me. Maybe admire the way the colors blend, the way they shift as the sun moves across the sky. But that beauty is lost on me right now. I almost welcome the night and the way the darkness that follows will be hiding the world beyond. It seems fitting, somehow, like a metaphor for my life. All the color and life being taken over by a void of darkness.
The twins have gone quiet, but I can sense their growing tempers. With their arms crossed over their chests and the scowls on their faces, you don’t have to be Knox to figure that out. Macklin seems as intrigued as ever. That brain of his is processing things faster than any of us can comprehend.
“There’s more,” Cole says quietly.
“Christ. Here we go. What else have you been keeping from us?” Knox demands angrily.
A Fate Unknown: A PNR, Why Choose Novel (The Ghost Girl Series Book 1) Page 8
