Ghosts of July (Shamans of the Divide, Book 1)

Chapter Three

I blinked and narrowed my eyes at Renn. At this exact moment I wanted nothing more than for somebody else to tell me that I wasn't crazy and that there was some sort of explanation for this, logical or otherwise. But did Renn mean what I meant? Was he talking about the random apparitions or the out-of-shape truck drivers that were all over the place at the Night Shift?

I knew the answer already, but I wasn't sure I was willing to disclose exactly what I was seeing yet.

His hand was on my arm. It wasn't a hard pressure, but he hadn't let go yet.

"You see something, don't you? People? Shapes? Ghosts?" He said. "I know you are."

My poker face crumbled instantly and I took a deep breath.

"I'm not crazy, am I?" I asked in a rush. "You see them, too? Please say you do. Please tell me I'm not crazy. Please, please, please tell me I'm not crazy."

"Not exactly," he said, shaking his head but not saying anything else.

I opened my mouth and it all just sort of fell out at his feet. Admitting that I saw something. Pleading that he saw it, too. Whereas I had burst forth with my confession like a dam breaking, Renn was more measured in what information he doled out. He said nothing, simply nodding or frowning, depending on what I said.

I wanted to slap him in the mouth.

"Not exactly?" I was annoyed. Mad, really. And if it came right down to it, by now I was really, really scared of dead people. "That's all you've got?"

That made him smile and he finally pulled his hand off my elbow. My skin cooled immediately where his fingers had been.

"We can't really talk here. When do you get off?" He nodded back toward the diner.

"An hour, maybe a little longer."

"That will work," he said and pulled out his phone. "What's your number? I'll send you a text so you can let me know when you're done."

My heart sank a little at the mention of a cell phone.

"I don't have a cell phone at the moment," I said. "I mean, I had one. A really good one, but then my Nana's dog chewed the cord when it was plugged in and it burned its mouth and melted the plastic and it was really gross."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. I don't have a phone with text right now. I just use a crappy dinosaur my grandmother upgraded from or e-mail or even the instant messenger on Line Time."

Renn made a face at that.

"I hate social media, so Line Time is out. Give me your e-mail and when you get home, let me know. We can talk then."

I spelled out my e-mail to him and endured another round of laughter. Giggles3398 seemed like a good idea when I was 13. It was killing me now.

"I'm gonna head out now, as much as I want to try that fantastic coffee you dumped on my pants," he was teasing me. I blushed.

"I'm so sorry about that. But I don't know if I can go back in there. What if there are more?"

He gave me a look that stopped me from talking anymore.

"Just do your best to act natural," he said. "I'll explain more tonight. Will your grandmother let you leave?"

I nodded.

"She's working all night. It's fine."

The moment I said it, I realized it sounded a little risqué and I blushed. Renn was a pro about it and acted like he hadn't noticed. I hoped so, so much he didn't think twice about most of the crap that came out of my mouth whenever he was around.