For Always (book one)

Chapter 9: Wishes

Malyn

"Do you want to come in?" I asked Jace to be polite, hoping he would say no. I didn't think Beau would bother us, especially after last night. But, with Beau, anything was possible.

"Sure," he replied eagerly as he turned his truck off. "Now, if you'd have asked me the other night—" he shivered and shook his head "—I may have passed."

"Who knew you were such a wuss," I teased.

When we went into the house, Grandmama was sitting at the bar going through mail and paying bills. She looked up when we walked in. "Well, hey, you two." She seemed a little nervous, and I knew why—Beau was sitting in the living room, looking at us.

When I looked at him, he flashed his mischievous grin at me, which made me even more nervous. I quickly turned my attention back to Grandmama. "Hey, what have you been into today?"

"Not too much, just piddlin'. Thanks for bringin' her home, Jace."

"It was my pleasure, Nellie."

"I'm sure it was," Beau chimed in from across the room.

I gave him a stern look, shooting daggers that I hope he felt, before looking back at Jace. "You want to see the rest of the spooky house?"

"Sure."

"Well, I hope you ain't too disappointed, 'cause it ain't spooky here at all. We only have one ghost, but he's usually friendly," she said, laughing at herself. Beau laughed, too, but I was the only one who heard it.

I made a mental note to kill her later.

"I'll show you outside, first. That's the scariest part—snakes." I pointed down the hall as we headed toward the back door. "That's the parlor, down that way. The bathroom's right there, if you need to use it." He followed me out onto the back porch. It was nothing like his back yard, but I liked it.

"This is really nice—" he laughed "—during the day."

I smacked him, laughing. "Now you can tell all your friends that you got to go inside the haunted house of Dandridge."

I sat on the hammock, not lying down, afraid I'd end up on the ground. Jace sat down beside me, making me roll into him. I wondered if Beau was watching.

Jace interrupted the silence that had settled around us. "Mom said you did a good job today. She really likes you."

"Good. I was so nervous this morning that I thought I was gonna puke."

"Why? It's not that bad. I don't think it is, at least. Did you like it okay?" He seemed concerned as to whether I was planning to go back.

"Yeah, it was actually fun, especially working with Beth," I admitted. "I just didn't sleep good last night." I sighed, thinking of how my night had ended.

"Yeah, I'm sure Beth kept you entertained," he laughed. "She's crazy."

I laughed at his brotherly assertion. "No, she's not."

"She is, too. But she'll be a good one to train with. She's actually pretty smart and soaks up information like a sponge."

"I noticed that. I was ringing someone out in the bait shop and she got the next person in line. She added their stuff up in her head, figured out change, and sent him on his way, all while I was still working on the same person."

"Yeah, she's like a human calculator."

"You want to go see the upstairs? I have a pretty view from my room," I said nonchalantly so he wouldn't get the wrong idea.