25. The Very Big Decision #3
“Of course it is!” Anger flares in his voice for the first time since we sat down. “What do you think, I’m some kind of secret ghost expert?”
“That would check out right about now, yeah,” I snipe at him.
“Well, I’m not. I’m just a haunted guy. A guy who’s met a guy, and that guy…
I feel like…” He withdraws his hand from mine, wraps his arms around himself, some defensive posture that keeps me on my guard, even as his voice switches to a softer note.
“Okay, cards on the table time. I feel like I’d like to get to know you.
I’d like to go out again. But properly. I’d like to ask you out. Liam, would you please go out with me?”
It takes several seconds for me to process the words.
I was arguing. About a ghost. And then…
Then it’s this blush and this smile and this warm and fuzzy feeling inside.
And how does he do this to me?
“Unless I’m a one-night thing for you,” he continues, far too seriously. “And that’s okay. I’m happy to have been your one-night thing.”
I must be bright red when I reply, “You’re not a one-night thing. Not to me.”
He breaks that smile again, and I hate to say it, because truly, I was quite annoyed a second ago, but he fills my heart up to the top with it. “Well, that’s promising. So… would you agree? To go out?”
I dip my head, trying to hide the smile and my burning cheeks, but I don’t think it’s working. “Um. Yeah. I would.”
He dips his head to catch my eyes. “Would you agree to not die today, then?”
“I mean… yeah,” I laugh out. “I would.”
His hand slips into mine, this time like it belongs there. “Okay. So please, would you agree to let me take you ho—”
Archer’s words break off. His gaze fixes on something over my shoulder. “I don’t believe it.”
“What?” I swivel around like I’m possessed, but I can’t see a thing of interest. “What is it?”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding!” His chair scrapes back, and he takes a step towards the door, eyes still on the window. Then he stops. Focuses on me. “Please come outside with me.”
“Why? Where are we going?” But I’m already moving, close behind him, pulled by his hand, following him out the door, down the steps, onto the grass where my shoes crunch colourful autumn leaves.
He’s scanning the garden frantically, but he pauses long enough to grab me by both arms, and say, very, very seriously, “Don’t move. Stay right here, okay?”
It’s official. This man is driving me insane. “Why? What’s going on?”
“I’ve just seen something.” Perfectly vague, as usual. “And I want you to stay here. Right here. Stay right on this spot, okay?”
I know exactly what it will be. This is, after all, a weird man living in a haunted house. “Ghost stuff?”
“Ghost stuff,” he confirms. “Please, don’t go into the house without me. We’ll talk more afterwards.”
“After what?” I huff out, frustration forcing petulance to the surface. “You know I am actually here to deal with ghost stuff for you, right? You could just let me come. Or like, let me try to deal with it for you.”
“No, I know.” He waves a hand like this is absolutely nothing of concern. “It’s just… it’s a Simon thing. And you know how temperamental he can be. And… Can you give me five minutes? Please? I’ll be right back. I promise.”
This is so ridiculous. I feel like I’ve been asked to stand on the side of the hall while he goes to dance with someone else real quick. But, “Fine,” I sigh out. “Fine. You go fix your ghost problem yourself, and I’ll wait right here.”
“Will you?” He sounds genuinely worried when he says it. Regretful. I can tell he feels bad about all of this. So I feel bad too.
I force a smile for him. “Yeah. I’ll be here.”
“Thank you.” When he kisses my cheek, god it feels nice. It feels like the only time I’ve once considered having a boyfriend in my whole life, is what it feels like. And when he squeezes my arm and steps away, it feels sadder than it should.
It’s like the part of me that’s so desperate to grow up, move out, move on, has just started finding itself here in this strange and haunted place, and now it’s being cast aside.
I know that’s outrageous. I’ve known him for all of two days.
Two strange and complicated and dangerous days.
But only two days. And I already have these enormous feelings.
These hopes that I’ve spent my entire adult life stifling.
It should be embarrassing.
It would be embarrassing if I were actually going to stand here in the cold and wait for him. If I were going to let him drive me home just as soon as he comes back. If I were then going to pretend all this ghost stuff never happened just because he wants me to.
If I weren’t determined to take care of this problem right now, by myself.
Because no matter how handsome he is, how nice he seems, how clearly desperate I am for him, I’m not sacrificing my chance to kill this thing. To do the job I was hired to do. To make a career out of this and set my life in order.
To put this thing in its grave and protect everyone else from it.
And, maybe, to get another hefty bonus from Gerald…