Chapter 27
Lucy awoke the next morning with a headache that would have been much worse had Theresa not forced her to drink a lot of water before allowing her to collapse in bed. Lucy didn’t remember everything that had happened last night, but she remembered enough. She felt a rush of humiliation when she remembered crying and sloppily telling Jesse that she loved him. How on earth would she ever be able to face either one of them again?
Lucy showered and eventually made her way to the breakfast table, where Theresa gave her some coffee.
“You feeling okay? Hungover?” Theresa asked.
”A little.” Lucy stared at her coffee as she stirred it listlessly. Part of her wanted to avoid seeing Jesse ever again. She didn’t want to face him, but the idea of not seeing him made her chest ache. Things would never be the same between them.
“So, how much do you remember from last night?”
“Bits and pieces,” Lucy said.
Theresa winced and said, “You told Jesse you loved him.”
“I know,” Lucy said. “That much I remember.” She put her head down on the table and moaned. Theresa sat next to her and put her hand on her back.
“Oh, honey. I know it’s embarrassing for you that you told him, but how do you know he doesn’t feel the same way?”
“Oh, get real, Theresa,” Lucy said with unusual harshness.
“Lucy, he cares about you. I really believe that. What about the way he always calls you his rose?”
“He’s just flirting with me because he’s dead and he has nobody else to talk to.” Lucy looked up at Theresa, her face full of sorrow. “He’s so handsome and so charming. He’s so sweet. He’s every girl’s dream come true. I didn’t know men like that actually existed. He’d never be interested in someone like me.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I want to ask you something, and I need you to be honest with me, okay? Please?”
“Of course.”
Lucy hesitated, not sure she really wanted to know. “How did he look when I said it?”
Theresa thought for a moment. “Stunned. He looked…stunned. I really couldn’t tell what he was thinking or how he might feel about you or anything. All I can say for sure is that he had no idea you felt that way about him.”
Lucy nodded, and let out a shaky breath. “Thank you.” She needed to know what situation she would be walking into when she saw him. She couldn’t avoid him because he was bound to show up at the tavern. “God, I feel so stupid! What kind of an idiot falls in love with a ghost?”
“He’s not just a ghost,” Theresa reminded her kindly but firmly. “He’s still a person. I believe it was you who was good about reminding them of that. They’re not just spirits. They’re men. Very, very handsome men…” she said, biting her lip.
Lucy couldn’t but laugh. “I know, but…I still feel stupid. It was just supposed to be some dumb contest, a bet. I wasn’t supposed to fall for him! They’re gonna laugh at me, you know.”
“No, they’re not!”
“Yes, they are. I’m sure they’ll think it’s funny that I got drunk and stupid in front of them.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you’d seen Jesse’s face last night.”
“What do you mean?” Lucy asked, a glimmer of hope on her face.
“He didn’t think it was funny. He was worried about you.”
“He’s always worried about me,” Lucy said with a soft smile. She didn’t remember his expression from last night, but she knew the face Theresa was talking about. That kind face filled with concern. She was right. He would never laugh at her. She tried to remember more of what happened. “Did you…did you call them morons?”
“Damn right I did! I’m so pissed at them for what happened to you yesterday.”
“I know. They didn’t do it on purpose though.” Lucy put her head back down on the table. “I really don’t want to see them. What am I gonna say?”
“It probably won’t be as bad as you think. Just get it over with.” Lucy lifted her head and nodded wearily.
“And if they give you any shit about this, so help me God….” Theresa said clenching her fists.
Lucy smiled. Theresa might not be able to touch them, but she would figure out a way to kick their asses if they gave her any grief.