21. Ember
EMBER
The haunting music of Halloween continues in the background as I shove microwave popcorn into my mouth. Bea keeps interrupting the co-ed murders with observations about me and Devon. A bag of gummy bears sits between us on the couch, and my favorite blankets cover our laps.
She’s been such a good friend. I don’t mind her questions because I’ve only seen this movie about a hundred thousand times. It’s my favorite, so I needed to christen the new house with it. After this one, I told her we could watch whatever she wanted as long as it was spooky or scary.
“Why am I not surprised he’s such a good kisser?”
I almost groan. Not because this is the third or fourth time she’s brought it up but because I can still feel his lips on mine like they’re tattooed there for eternity.
Honestly, it’s kind of scary how good it felt.
How much more I wanted to happen. I’m not used to that.
I was with my last boyfriend for a long time before we took it to the next level.
I guess I just wasn’t that into him because Devon has me thinking crazy things.
“You know I kissed him once,” Bea says, smirking over at me.
I almost choke on my popcorn. “You did?”
She laughs. “I was trying to make my boyfriend jealous. We were in eleventh grade. It didn’t work out so well. It kind of felt like kissing my brother. But the way you described the kiss sounds perfect. I wish I could get kissed like that.”
“Not a lot of options in Harvest Falls, huh?”
She rolls her eyes. “Tell me about it. I can’t say there aren’t any good-looking ones around here, but I’ve known them my whole life. If I can remember what they smelled like in fifth grade gym class, I don’t want anything to do with them.”
The laugh that bursts from my mouth comes all the way from my belly. I guess that would be a good reason not to want to date any of the locals.
“For the record, Devon never smelled bad.”
“I hadn’t thought I needed that information, but it’s good to know.”
She shrugs. “Maybe you can tell a lot about someone by how they smelled in gym class.”
“They should start asking it in speed dating.”
“Have you ever been speed dating?” Bea asks.
“Nah. I never leave a good first impression.”
“You did with me. The moment you walked into our meeting, I knew I was going to like you. Then when you kept Devon in the hole on your porch, I was convinced we had bestie potential.”
I cringe, but really, it still makes me laugh. Fuck around and find out. “So, tell me about your last boyfriend.”
Bea blows out a breath as Michael Myers cocks his head at the knife he just plunged into someone.
“Let’s just say I’ve severely been lacking in that department.
My last boyfriend was in college, and we held on for a few years where we would visit each other, but I don’t know.
I think he expected me to move for him, but when I opened up the café, he figured out I wasn’t going to do that and ended things. ”
“He didn’t want to move to Harvest Falls?”
“He always said it was a good place to visit, but not the place he would live.”
“His loss.”
We hold up our popcorn bags and hit them together like they’re champagne glasses. “What about you?”
“I was seeing a guy who worked with my dad. Looking back, I think I was just going through the motions. We dated for a long time and never took the final step.” I echo in my head what I thought earlier about how scary it is to be so attracted to Devon this quickly and weigh whether I should say something to Bea.
In the end, I take a deep breath and come out with it.
“Is it crazy that I’m already thinking about, you know…
?” She waits for me to answer, and I whisper. “Get a taste of that dick.”
She nearly snorts. “It’s hard for me to hear you say that!”
“You were the one humping the air in the café when you wanted us to get together!”
She runs her hands through her hair, doubling over.
It takes a minute for her to regroup. Then, she looks at me and starts all over again.
Eventually, she says, “True. Honestly, I think it’s a good thing.
You know what you don’t want, which was your dead fish relationship with Lake, so what if this is what you want?
This sexually charged relationship with Devon? ”
“I’m worried if it burns bright at first that it will fade quickly.”
“Honestly, you two have so much in common that your attraction doesn’t even surprise me.” She reaches over and pats my leg. “Being attracted to someone is a good thing. I say you go for it. Let your body lead you.”
I set the popcorn aside and eat some gummy bears as a chaser. Earlier, when Devon left for the day, he’d pulled me in for another searing kiss that felt like my panties were on fire. I could easily see me getting lost in him.
“Any word on the fines?”
I swallow. Hard. That was a fantasy cockblock. “None.”
“Well, that’s a good thing.”
“Let’s hope so.”
The kids start screaming on the TV as they leave the house for help, so we watch the rest of the movie in silence.
Luckily, I’m easily able to let the talk about the fines go.
My father used to say you shouldn’t worry about things you can’t change, so I guess I’ll take whatever decision is made and do my best with the information.
“Christening accomplished,” Bea says.
I clap my hands then turn the movie off once the credits start rolling. “Have you made your decision?”
“Well,” she says. “We’re in a creepy old house, so my vote is for a haunted house horror flick. The Haunting of Hill House is my favorite but that might be a little too long for tonight. Tell me you’ve seen it.”
“Pfft. It’s one of my favorites!”
“Yay, bestie!”
We give each other high fives. “So, what are you thinking then?”
“There’s Amityville, The Haunting in Connecticut, The Shining, The Conjuring movies.”
“Ooh, The Conjuring movies. Have you seen the last one?”
“Of course I have, but I’ve only seen it once!”
“Let’s do it!” I use the controller to search for it. “Conjuring…”
“There it is,” Bea says, pointing at the TV. “Last Rites.”
I press the button to play it. “I might not sleep well tonight. You’re going to get me convinced there’s an evil spirit in this house.”
“Well, it might make it more of an attraction. You can rent out the rooms as a horror stay.”
“Not a terrible idea. I did think about a bed and breakfast but then I met Rose and I wouldn’t want to infringe on her business.”
“There are definitely enough clients to go around in the fall time. Tourism could support two B&B’s, and if you’re worried Rose would care, just ask her. She’s cool.”
The movie sucks us in, and since we haven’t seen this one as much as Halloween, we’re engrossed in it, jumping at the frightening parts.
I have to admit, it’s the perfect movie to watch tonight as I peer around at the grand house we’re in that definitely looks like it should be haunted even if it doesn’t feel like it is.
A knock comes from somewhere, and my ears perk up. Wow, I must be losing it. It was probably on the TV as the family starts to go through the initial stages of a haunting.
Then the screen door in the back of the house sounds like it opens and closes. I peer over at Bea, and she’s looking at me, too. “You heard that, right?”
I nod. “Must be the wind?”
She agrees, and we both watch the movie for a little while longer. After a few moments, a mist starts creeping down the hallway, billowing into our room.
I sit up straight. “What the heck is that?”
On the TV, someone screams, and I jump. The more I look at the fog, the denser it gets as it moves into the room, almost reaching us now like white tendrils.
“Ember…”
“I know.”
My heart starts pounding. I don’t know whether to investigate or close my eyes and pretend it’s not happening.
We get off the couch and move away from the fog. It reaches across the TV, making the picture hazy. As we tiptoe across the floor toward the foyer, scratches at the window to our left sound, and then three loud bangs on the main door echo through the space.
Bea and I both scream, and then the door flies open. We’re huddled together in the corner when a large body walks in, shrouded by fog.
“Fuck,” Bea says, her voice tight.
Loud laughter peels from the man, and then a second male tone chimes in. The figures walk forward…and it’s Devon and Travis.
“You assholes!” I shout.
Devon can barely keep it together, and Travis isn’t too far behind.
“I am unfriending the both of you,” Bea shouts. “No more free coffee.”
“Hey,” Travis protests. “We’re just having fun.”
Devon comes closer with a twinkle in his eye. I swat at him. “The fog?”
“Fog maker at your backdoor. You should really lock it. You never know what kind of crazies will use it to their advantage.”
“I kind of hate you right now.”
His eyes flash as if he kind of likes that sentiment. I have to admit, it was fun verbally sparring with him all those times. Kissing is more fun, but getting under each other’s skin was a good time too.
“Aw, is this the new Conjuring movie?” Trav asks. He takes a seat in a chair and grabs the popcorn bowl like he was invited to our sleepover.
“Really?” Bea asks. She hits him upside the head as she sits down in the chair opposite his, leaving the sofa empty.
Travis waves the air in front of him. “Can’t see the screen, Devon.”
Devon kisses my hair then saunters down the hallway. Soon, the fog starts to lift and disappear. He doesn’t automatically return though. Instead, a few minutes later when a ghost pops up on screen, he jumps out of the secret tunnel.
We all jump, and Travis throws a handful of popcorn at him. “This was supposed to be us versus them.”
“I saw an opportunity.”
“I wasn’t scared,” I tell him. “I knew that was there. It’s not like it’s a secret or anything.”
He smirks, chuckling until he closes the passageway and comes to sit next to me on the couch. He throws his arm around my shoulder, cuddling in. I peer over at Bea to make sure she’s good with this, but she’s intently watching the TV like the four of us do this all the time.
As the night goes on, Devon becomes more and more distracting.
It’s not just him being here, it’s how overwhelming his presence is.
The way his hand finds my leg and draws patterns on my thigh.
How he has to be touching me in some form or another as we watch the film.
How he moves a little closer when the soundtrack of the movie gets higher, indicating something scary is about to happen.
He’s all-encompassing.
“Okay, hear me out,” Travis says. “I’m never buying another antique.” He stops chewing whatever it is he’s chowing down on—he hasn’t stopped eating since he got here—and turns toward me. “You’re screwed. You live in a house with nothing but antiques.”
“Astute observation.” I know it’s only the ambiance and the fact that we’re watching this movie, but the manor feels haunted now.
It feels like a ghost could just appear in front of us, and I would absolutely buy it.
That’s why it seemed totally real that the fog was entering the house earlier, and the knocks and the scratches against the glass.
“I’ll protect you,” Devon whispers into my ear as Travis turns his attention back to the TV.
His hot breath on my ear sends a chill down my spine.
I’m waiting for him to turn back toward the TV, but instead, he nips at my earlobe, then licks the outer shell of my ear.
I grip the couch as heat douses me, then send him a dirty look.
We are not doing this here with an audience.
It’ll be all over the town before we know it.
He chuckles silently and then starts watching the movie again.
Soon, they’re battling the entity, and none of us make a peep until it’s all over, then it’s like the four of us exhale at the same time.
“That was really freaking good,” Travis says, as the actors on the screen wrap it up.
“I enjoyed myself,” Devon remarks, even though he says it in a way that means he’s not even talking about the movie.
Bea stretches in her chair. “It’s one of my favorite franchises.”
“Mine, too,” I tell her. “They’re all good.”
She peers over at Devon and me, and then stands. “Well, I think it’s time we got out of here, Trav.”
I jump to my feet. “What? No. You’re spending the night.”
“I can spend the night another time.”
“Dev is my ride,” Trav informs us.
“You can walk home,” Bea points out.
I shake my head. Not that what Bea is trying to do sounds like a bad idea, but I’m not the type to break plans just because a guy got involved. “I’m not rewarding anyone who messed up our girls’ night. You’re staying. They’re going.”
Travis holds up his hands. “It was Devon’s idea.”
“Wow, way to throw me under the bus.”
“Out,” I tell him, pointing toward the door.
He moves that way, but holds on to my hand. “Reward, huh?” he whispers. “Just what were you thinking would happen if we were left here all by our lonesome?”
“I was going to lock you in the secret passageway.”
He beams. “Sure you were.”
Travis grabs the back of Devon’s shirt. “Alright, they want us gone.”
Devon winks at me. “Good night, ladies. Don’t let the spirits attack.”
“Ha. Ha,” Bea and I say at the same time.
When they saunter out of the house and I lock the door behind them, Bea places her hands on her hips. “You have more restraint than me.”
“Girl, we had plans. Plus, I already cleaned out one of the bedrooms upstairs for you, and I don’t want all of my hard work to go to waste.”
A knock sounds on the front door again. “Goodbye!” Bea and I shout.
“Let me in,” Devon calls out.
I roll my eyes and then open the front door again. I’ve barely cracked it when he steps in front of me, grabs my chin, and kisses me. My body responds, pressing myself to him as if giving him invitation to devour me.
He pulls away too soon. “Good night, Sweetheart.”
He closes the door, then waits until I slide the lock into place before I hear his footsteps walk across the porch and then down the steps.
“Damn,” Bea says. “I knew I should’ve left.”