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He couldn’t wait until Jessica was alone again so share this revelation with her. Or should he? What if he raised her hopes only to find out he was wrong? Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something momentous was on the horizon. The strengthening of his abilities, the unexpected kiss, and now this ancient lore resurfacing – it all seemed to point towards a shift in their impossible situation.
Wendy was talking about the cider doughnuts at the festival, and he found himself imagining what it would be like to share one with Jessica. To walk beside her, hand in hand, feeling the crisp autumn breeze against his skin. To share doughnuts, and mulled wine, and kisses.
The ache of longing intensified, but for the first time it included a spark of hope. If there was even the slightest chance of crossing over, he knew he had to pursue it. For Jessica. For himself. For the future they both secretly yearned for but had never dared to voice aloud.
The only question was how?
CHAPTER 5
Jessica’s footsteps echoed softly through the empty restaurant as she wandered between the rooms doing a final check. The dim light cast long shadows across the polished wood floors, and the scents of the evening’s meals lingered in the air. The check wasn’t really necessary—Cody had left everything spotless as always—but she took comfort in the familiar routine. And it gave her an excuse not to return to her apartment just yet.
The memory of Leo’s kiss burned in her thoughts, refusing to fade. She touched her lips, recalling the fleeting warmth, the impossible reality of it. It had been such a brief, tentative touch but it made her feel alive in a way she hadn’t felt—hadn’t allowed herself to feel—in a very long time.
As she approached the window in the front room, her reflection stared back at her from the dark glass, and she hardly recognized the woman looking back—flushed cheeks, bright eyes, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. It was a far cry from her usual calm, distant persona. The change was both exhilarating and terrifying. She’d spent years building walls, protecting herself, and now those walls were crumbling.
“What am I doing?” she whispered, closing her eyes.
She’d dealt with ghosts before, helped them move on, but this… this was uncharted territory. Her experiences as Mystic Madam hadn’t prepared her for falling for a spirit. Perhaps the only reason she’d even let him get so close was because he wasn’t physically present. But if that changed, what would he expect from her?
She turned away from the window, resuming her restless pacing. As she wandered through the restaurant, she couldn’t shake off the echo of Leo’s presence. It lingered like a phantom touch, following her from room to room, reminding her that she was never truly alone in this place. She’d grown used to that feeling, to the comfort of his presence.
“What if this goes wrong? What if he disappears? What if…” She stopped, her throat tight. The real fear, the one she’d been running from for so long, finally surfaced. “What if I end up alone again?”
In the past she’d managed to convince herself that being alone was safe, protected, but she was terribly afraid that now she would never be able to accept that lie again. Leo had changed that. He had shown her that connections, that intimacy, could be more than painful. But he was also the one who’d shown her the risks of loving someone who was already gone.
The weight of her conflicting emotions settled over her like a heavy blanket, and she wandered back over to the window, resting her fingertips on the cool glass. Fairhaven Falls looked so peaceful, streetlights casting warm halos on the empty sidewalks as a flurry of fallen leaves swirled down the street. This town had become home as well, an anchor she’d never thought to have. If things went wrong with Leo, she would lose that as well.
A cold draft swept through the room, making her shiver as she cast a startled glance over her shoulder. This wasn’t Leo’s presence; she knew his energy well enough by now. This felt different, unsettling, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched as the curtains moved gently in a nonexistent breeze.
“Hello?” she called out softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Only silence answered.
“It’s just your imagination,” she muttered to herself, but her years of experience as the Mystic Madam had taught her to trust her instincts. Something was wrong.
She glanced over her shoulder again, half-expecting to see a shadowy figure, but the restaurant remained still and empty. She cautiously extended that sixth sense that she’d spent so many years trying to control. A chill crept over her, and she shivered as the sensation of being watched intensified. It was as though an invisible gaze was piercing the shadows, observing her. She concentrated harder, trying to identify the source, and then it was gone. The restaurant felt as empty as it looked, but the chill of that presence lingered in the air, like the scent of the earlier meals, confirming that she hadn’t been mistaken. Someone—something—had been here.
Frowning, she made her way towards the stairs to the apartment. Midnight Manor had been home to more than just Leo, but she was quite sure that she had succeeded in banishing Alexis. And why would another spirit suddenly show up now? Then again, Fairhaven Falls did attract some rather strange inhabitants and the chill she’d felt wasn’t necessarily malicious.
Despite her attempts to convince herself that everything was fine, unease was still gnawing at her when she walked into theapartment. Leo was sitting in the big chair by the fireplace, a book open on his lap and looking so real that her heart skipped a beat. He smiled at her, but the smile quickly faded, replaced by concern and her breath caught in her throat. She wanted to run to him, but hesitated, unsure of how to navigate this new territory between them.
“You look troubled,” he said softly, watching her.
She nodded, unable to find the right words, and he immediately rose and came towards her. His comforting presence surrounded her as he reached out, attempting to put his arm around her shoulders. To her surprise, she felt the weight and warmth of his touch. It wasn’t quite solid, more like the pressure of sunlight on a summer day, but it was unmistakably there.
Without thinking, she leaned into his embrace. The comfort of his nearness washed over her, easing some of the tension from her body, and she closed her eyes, allowing herself to pretend this was real.
“What’s wrong?” he murmured, his voice a gentle rumble she could almost feel. “Is this about what happened earlier?”
“Yes, and no. I’ve been thinking about what happened earlier all night, but I was just checking the doors and…” Her voice trailed off, uncertainty creeping in.
“And what?” he prompted gently.
“I think there was something else down there. Another spirit.”
His body tensed and the temperature in the room dropped. She instinctively shivered, and the warmth returned as his arm tightened around her, the weight of it across her shoulders increasing.
“Alexis?” he asked, his voice harsh.
“No, I’m sure it wasn’t her.” She felt him relax and gave him a rueful smile. “It’s possible I was just imagining it.”
