Chapter Ten #2
Ma took one look at the wobbly group, reached under the counter, and pulled out a brown glass bottle.
Abby raised an eyebrow, but accepted the mug Ma offered.
As she expected it burned like hell going down, but the aftereffect felt like her stomach had become a cozy little fireplace.
Rebecca was coughing and sputtering. Midget never could hold her liquor.
“Ma, what is that?” Sebastian asked, sounding less shaky.
“Just something I keep for medicinal purposes.” She eyed the shaking Ashby with concern.
“Connor can you bring out those Lava Fudge Brownies? I think they’re needed.”
“Sure thing, Ma.” Connor pulled a pan from the warmer and brought them over to the center table.
It was only after everyone was seated with a mug of Ma’s “medicine” and a plate full of sin that the small group of ghost hunters relaxed.
“Okay, now what happened?” Moe asked.
“It was the damnedest thing. All the bedroom doors slammed shut one by one.” Abby shook her head at the memory.
“That doesn’t sound so odd,” Liam said, still rubbing Sebastian’s back.
Sebastian looked up at Liam with a sick expression. “Then they opened by themselves and slammed again.” His words silenced the diner.
“Was that what I heard? She said that Isaiah was playing,” Rebecca said, munching down on her brownie. She was the only one that didn’t look the least bit scared.
“It was definitely a ghost,” Sebastian said.
“Oh man! I wanted to see the ghost.” Rebecca pouted.
“Unbelievable.” Abby took another bite of brownie. It figures that the freakiest stuff would happen to Rebecca and she didn’t even realize it.
“Wait, who is she?” Aleks asked.
Abby looked up, amused.
Good question.
Rebecca took a deep breath.
Here we go.
“Well, when they went upstairs to ghost hunt I poked around downstairs. The parlor was fantabulous, but the kitchen needs a complete overhaul, I mean who has a kitchen without a dishwasher and microwave these days? Anyway, that was when I met Ms. Whittaker. She walked into the kitchen and introduced herself, she was so sweet. She knew a lot about the house and was interested in who would be buying it. So, I showed her pictures of Rhys and Moe, she said that Rhys looked like a fallen angel ready for sin and Moe looked like a kind soul and very handy. She said that the house needed a man like him to take care of it.” Rebecca licked her fork.
“Rebecca Morgan Arkadion. There wasn’t anyone in the front room with you.” Abby stared at her friend.
Rebecca waved her hand in a pshaw motion. “Of course there was.”
“Ms. Jane Whittaker was the last owner of the house. She died there when Aaron was a boy,” Ma said, looking at Rebecca oddly.
“I knew it!” Ashby exclaimed.
Abby wasn’t the only one staring at Rebecca.
“Come on y’all, stop playing. I think it’s funny you got together to pull this prank, but ha ha, joke’s over. Look, Ashby is having hysterics.” Rebecca pointed to Ashby who had attached himself to his mate.
“Rebecca, we’re not playing a prank on you. There was no one in that room but you,” Sebastian whispered.
Aleks’s face was milky white.
“Right. Next you’ll be saying Ma is a ghost or Connor is a ghost or Mr.Wilbur is a ghost.” She waved her fork at them.
Aleks frowned. “Who is Mr.Wilbur?” he asked.
“Duh, he’s our mailman.” Rebecca looked at Aleks as if he had lost his mind.
“We don’t have a mailman! Everyone picks up their mail at the Post Office once it’s delivered from Brighton,” Aleks exploded.
“That’s just silly. He saved my life last summer. I was about to step off the porch and he warned me about a copperhead that was within striking distance.”
“What!” Aleks roared.
“Aleks, you’re being loud again.”
Ma sat down in the chair across from Rebecca suddenly. Her face had paled and her eyes were wide and shiny.
“Ma?” Connor asked, concerned.
“Jeb Wilbur died saving my life when Aleks was a baby. I was in a car accident on the road heading back up to the ranch, it was winter and there was so much ice. He was coming from the house after delivering the mail and found me trapped in the car. He got Aleks out first and bundled him up in his mail car then came back for me. He got me free and helped me to his car. He was walking around to the driver’s side when he was hit by another oncoming car that had lost control on the ice.
We never filled the postman job after him, it didn’t seem right.
It’s why everyone picks up their mail at the Post Office now. ”
“Oh god.” Aleks’s voice sounded strangled.
Rebecca looked around her eyes wide. “I see dead people,” she whispered.
“Keep that shit over there,” Rian yelled, moving his seat back a few inches.
“No. Absolutely not! I forbid it! You get into enough trouble with the living!” Aleks ranted.
“This is so cool!” Rebecca laughed, ignoring her mate’s utter meltdown.
“I wonder what your range is? What kind of parameters are involved. I mean do they have to be dead for a long time? Can you just stand over a grave and be like ‘Come out, come out, wherever you are’?” Abby asked. Her scientific brain taking over.
“We can try the graveyard later.” Rebecca was practically shaking with excitement.
“Like hell!” Aleks growled.
“So, that house is off the list?” Rhys asked.
Abby looked over to Rebecca. “Did she seem okay with the idea of us moving in?”
Rebecca nodded. “She said she’d welcome the company.”
“To tell you the truth, if she can keep Isaiah the prankster under wraps, the house is perfect. It’s damn near move-in ready, we just need to get electric out there, make a few modernizations and it would be my dream house,” Abby admitted.
“Sounds good to me. I love projects.” Moe smiled at her, turning her insides to mush.
“Of all gifts to receive as Alpha Mother this one actually suits you.” Ma shook her head in amazement.
“No, it doesn’t!” Aleks fumed.
“Of course it does, baby boy. Her ability to talk to anyone just got a bit of a boost. It’s part of what helps her bring people together.”
“What was your gift, Ma?” Rebecca asked.
“Hearth and home. The ability to create warm, family orientated spaces. To make families stronger.” Ma pointed around the diner.
“So, yes?” Rhys asked.
Abby nodded. “I think it will be perfect.”
Moe turned to Ma. “We’ll take it.”
Ma smiled and clapped her hands together excitedly.
“Wonderful. That house has been empty for far too long. You’ll get a real deal on the property, since it’s known to have past issues.
The realtor has been trying to sell that house for years.
Plenty of room for children too.” Ma winked at Abby, who felt her cheeks flush.
“Never mind that.” Abby couldn’t ignore the heated looks her mates were giving her. Being bonded with both of them their desire flooded her senses.
On second thought, maybe we can practice making them long before we actually have any.
She eyed the door and winked at both her mates.
Rhys stood, Moe right behind him. Abby grinned. They were picking up on her growing arousal through the mating bond. Since they were all mated to each other the effect was tripled.
“Well, if you could get that started for us, Ma, we’d be real appreciative. We need to go get the bar ready to open,” Moe explained.
“Getting the bar ready to open, my well-shaped ass. Y’all are about to get your freak on.” Giddey snorted.
Abby grinned at him.
“Bye.” Moe grabbed Rhys’s hand and then hers and they bolted out the door.