“Sorry, dude,” I tell Romeo. “I’ll play with you when I get home. Promise.” I kiss his head and give him a handful of treats before hurrying out of the house, telling Hunter goodbye in the process of course.
Harrison is already at my parents’ when I arrive, shocking me even more. I’m only two minutes late, and Harrison isn’t known for his punctuality. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I’m starting to think more and more that he gathered us all here to say he got one of his random hookups pregnant. Mom will be thrilled to get a grandkid sooner than she expected. It’s not like I’m settling down anytime soon.
I kick off my shoes and ditch my purse on the kitchen floor, finding everyone in the living room. Harrison is sitting close to a pretty blonde woman, who’s holding a glass of red wine.
“Sorry I’m late,” I say, and sit on the loveseat next to Mom. “Work was crazy.”
“I thought you were off today?” Dad asks and picks up a glass of sparkling water he poured for me since he knows I don’t drink often.
“I was but went into help out with an emergency surgery.” I look at Harrison, waiting for him to introduce us. His head is turned as he stares at her, eyes glossy. Is my brother actually in love? I never thought I’d see the day.
“Hi,” I go on when Harrison just sits there. “I’m Anora. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Jenny.” She smiles. “Nice to meet you too. Your necklace is pretty.”
“Thanks,” I say and reach up and touch the stone. It feels warm, like it’s been tucked inside my shirt.
“Is it amethyst?” she asks.
“I think so.”
“Mine too.” She smiles again and points to the string of purple beads hanging around her neck. I take a sip of water and lean back. There’s an awkwardness in the air, and Buster barks, standing at the back door. Dad jumps up a little too eagerly to get him in.
“How was work?” Mom asks, though I just said it was crazy.
“Busy. You know how it is. It’s not just one emergency at a time, it’s three.”
Mom holds up a hand and nods. “Oh, how true that is. Did the other dogs from the hoarder get homed yet?”
“Not yet, though when they are ready, I still think you should take one. Or even you, Har.”
“If I were home more, I’d get a dog,” Harrison says. “I’m gone too long during the day.”
“You live close enough to the office. You could go home and let the dog out at lunch.”
“Most days I’m meeting clients for lunch.”
“That’s true. I’m lucky I can run home and let Hunter out, though he does well being alone on the days I do work. He’s a good dog.”
“He is,” Harrison agrees.
“He’s the best dog,” I say and get out my phone. “Hunter is my German Shepherd,” I start and pull up a photo, holding my phone out to show Jenny. “He’s my baby.”
“Oh wow,” she says, leaning forward. “He’s pretty. And big.”
“Thanks, and yeah, he’s big for a Shepherd. I should have brought him. He and Buster like to play and—”
“I told you,” Harrison whisper-talks, nudging Jenny with his arm. “I think it only took a minute before she showed you animal photos.”
“I don’t mind. I like animals,” Jenny assures me. The oven timer goes off, and we all get up, moving into the dining room. Dad comes back inside, letting Buster run ahead. The goofy dog greets me first, excited to see me, and then runs over to Harrison, stopping short when he sees Jenny. He sniffs her and then backs away, growling.
“Buster,” Dad scolds. “Go lay down.”
“Get him a treat from the pantry,” Mom calls as she gets the chicken from the oven. Buster growls again and retreats with his tail between his legs. “You were right.” Mom flicks her eyes to me. “We didn’t socialize him enough.”
“It’s not too late,” I say and help set the table. It’s been such a crazy busy day I haven’t had a chance to eat since lunch, and I’m starving and devour my food pretty much as soon as we all sit down. I feel a little bad wanting to rush out right after dinner, but I have an early morning tomorrow and I haven’t packed a damn thing yet.
“Leaving already?” Harrison asks when he sees me put my phone in my purse.
“Yeah, I have to get up early tomorrow,” I say and realize that I haven’t had a chance to tell Harrison about Aunt Estelle leaving everything to me. It’s unfair, really, and I’m still so freaking clueless to why she chose me. “Jenny is really nice, though I will say I’m surprised you brought her over to meet the fam this early. I mean, it was just Saturday you accidentally texted me instead of your booty call.”
Harrison laughs. “I met her that next morning, and she’s great, isn’t she? It’s like she just gets me.”
“That is nice,” I reply with a smile, wondering if this is going to amount to anything. “Let’s get dinner or something next week. I haven’t hung out with you one-on-one while sober in a while.”
“Sure. Text me. Thanks for coming tonight.”
“Of course, Har. If I’m meeting someone who could potentially be my sister-in-law, you know I’m down to judge.”
“You’re good at that.”
“I am,” I say with a nod. “I should get going. Have a good night.”
“You too.”
I say a quick goodbye to Mom and Dad and then head out. The wind has picked up, bringing a chill to the air. I pull my sweater tight around my body as I walk down the sidewalk leading to my car. A familiar feeling creeps over me, making me come to a stop. I turn, wondering which of the shadowy spirits that haunt this street I’ll see.
I gasp and almost drop my purse when I see a shadowed outline of a person standing against the side of my parents’ house. For a second I think it’s actually a person and not a ghost, which scares me even more. But then he steps forward, and light from the porch lights illuminate his face.
“Run,” the scraggly-haired blonde boy says, brows furrowing. “Run before she finds you too.”
Chapter Nine
I sit on the couch, drumming my fingers on the romance novel that’s in my lap. It’s been years since I felt this unnerved from a ghost and I can’t shake the feeling that something else is going on. Things aren’t adding up, from that thing in the woods, to Bob going all psycho on me, to the blonde-haired ghost showing up at my parents’ house and talking to me. Hell, something feels weird about Aunt Estelle’s death and how she left everything to me.
“I need to get going,” I say to Hunter, who’s lying on the couch next to me, head pressed against my thigh. “I haven’t packed your stuff yet either.” I put the book down and wrap an arm around Hunter, burying my fingers in his thick fur. “Do you think he was talking to me?” I ask him, thinking about the ghost, and lie down. Hunter wiggles his way closer, squishing me against the back of the couch. “He was looking right at me. Places are haunted. Sometimes items. What would make him appear?”