Page 139 of Ghost Hunted

“Uh huh, baby. You decide.”

Damn, he’s good at pretending. But for the first time, I see it differently. He’s not just pretending. He’s pretending for me.

“I’d prefer to stay here,” I say at last, “and visit them as often as possible. I don’t want to leave Astley… entirely.”

“Okay, baby.” Logan squeezes me, and I can hear his sigh of relief. “I bought us a house out there. I mean,” he corrects himself, looking bashful, “I’ve found a house I like. Of course, I won’t buy it if you don’t like it.”

“Okay, Logan, you’re overdoing it.” I can’t help it—I have to repress a giggle. “I don’t mind that you bought the house. You don’t have to ask my permission for everything. You can go take a shit without asking me first.”

Piper lets out a squeak of laughter as a smirk travels to Logan’s tired face, and he smacks my ass.

“I want to talk to my daughter now,” I tell him, still determined to test the limits of whatever freedom I do have. “Can you let me...? No. Let me, Logan. Let me talk to her alone.”

He doesn’t even protest, merely kissing me. “Of course, baby. I’ll go... take a walk. The windows are open. See?”

He gestures to them before kissing me again, then walking to the door. Quill takes a beat longer to go, and Piper has to physically nudge him toward the door.

“Get us two cappuccinos!” I request. “Do you like cappuccinos, Piper?”

“I don’t drink coffee actually. It gives me the jitters, and I already have enough of those.”

“Really?” I latch onto that small piece of information, anxious to know more about her. To know all about her. Though I realize that will never be possible. It wouldn’t be even if I’d been the one to raise her.

“But it doesn’t matter anyway,” she continues. “Our two idiots aren’t going anywhere. Can’t you hear them mouth breathe from behind the door?”

“I guess I can,” I chuckle.

“Anyway, Quill knows what I’d want. A frappuccino with as much sugar as possible, and cold enough to give me brain freeze.”

“You need to be careful about too much sugar. It’s not healthy...”

Piper makes a face.

“Sorry,” I say quickly. “I didn’t mean to lecture you. I...”

“That’s okay. I’ve missed lecturing parents.” She slips a timid arm around my waist, inviting me to sit down on the couch next to her.

We remain silent for a beat while I wrack my brain for more questions. “Tell me about your favorites. Favorite color? Favorite movie? Favorite food?” I smile helplessly. “I just... I just want to know more about you, sweetie.”

“Well, I don’t know.” She pauses. “I’ve never really thought about my favorite color. I don’t watch all that many movies. I like whatever Quill cooks for me. I do read, though.”

“Nancy Drew.” I smile, remembering that piece of information. “You read Nancy Drew, don’t you?”

She blushes. “I mean, that’s for kids, obviously. Now, I’ll read anything and everything by Raymond Chandler. I like Agatha Christie too, and Dashiell Hammett, but my favorite is Raymond Chandler. The Long Goodbye. That’s my favorite book.” Her lips twist into a little smile before she whispers confidentially, “And, well, yes, I do occasionally still read Nancy Drew. Under the covers with a flashlight, because I mean, that’s so cringe, isn’t it? Josh would make fun of me if he found out. I can’t hide anything from Quill, though.”

“Josh,” I echo, trying to keep up with my chattering daughter.

“My best friend. He often visits us in Oregon.”

“Right.” I lift a timid hand up to tame one of Piper’s flyaways. “I hope I’ll get to meet him. And I’ll try to read those authors... what are their names again? Raymond Hammett?”

She lets out a peal of laughter. “I’ll ask Logan to buy you his books.”

“I can buy them myself. Logan lets me... I mean, I can go out and do what I want, you know?”

“Right.” She doesn’t look like she entirely believes me. “I guess that’s nice. Quill doesn’t really leave my side all that much. I’ve got him on quite the short leash.”

“You... what?” I laugh.