“Same!” she chirped, then introduced Evie to the guys. “This is Jude Malone,” she said, her cheeks blushing, eyes batting, heart fluttering. Izzy had never been able to say his name without imitating melted caramel. “And this handsome lug is Austin O’Connor. Guys, meet Eveline McAllister, better known as Evie the magnificent, Alex’s new neighbor.”
Handshakes happened all round and Jude suggested we move to a table. “They’re better for conversation when you’re in a group this big.”
If I’d wanted to be in a group this big, I would have invited Evie out myself and I gave Izzy a glare that said as much. She fluttered her eyelids, grinned like a maniac, and claimed a seat as far from Jude as possible.
“What’s it like, living in a haunted house?” Austin asked as Evie took the chair across from me.
“Honestly? Exhausting.” She puffed out her cheeks and widened her eyes. “I’ve only been here for two days and everyone already knows me as that woman who lives with a ghost. I don’t know if I’ll ever live it down.”
A waitress sauntered over, her gaze tracing Austin’s tattoos. Between his blue-collar masculinity and Jude’s energy, our table always caught the attention of the fairer sex. “Hey ladies,” she squawked. “What can I get ya?” Her eyes fell on Evie, then widened. “Ohmygoodness,” she breathed. “You’re the new girl. I have to know, and I promised my friend Alice I’d ask if you ever came here, but is your house really haunted? One time, my cousin Ethan told my sister who told me that she saw a man standing in the window. It was, like, super creepy.”
“I think it might be,” Evie said in a conspiratorial whisper. When the waitress’ eyes widened, she continued, “For one, the lights were all on when I first showed up and I’ve never even paid one bill. The house is really clean. Like super clean. It’s like living with a slightly OCD roommate I never see.”
The waitress frowned as Jude choked on his beer and guilt washed over me. Letting the town talk about the ghost—aka: me—had seemed like a harmless diversion…until now. While I wrestled with my conscious, Evie and Izzy placed their orders and the woman sashayed away.
“It’s like that,” Evie said when she was gone. “I spent my first day trying to assure everyone it’s not haunted, but that wasn’t helping at all. I figured I might as well have some fun with it.”
“Speaking of fun…” Jude’s eyes gleamed in that way that always ended with one of us in trouble. “I just had an idea.”
Austin and I groaned. “No, thanks.” I rolled my eyes to the ceiling while Austin nodded his agreement.
“You don’t even know what my idea is, yet.” Jude pouted.
“Don’t need to.” Austin crossed his ankle over his knee and leaned back in his chair. “We all pass anyway.”
Jude leaned in. “We’re gonna play a game. Every time someone asks if the house is haunted, we take a shot. Come on!” He slapped the table. “Can you think of a better way to break the ice and get to know each other?”
“I can think of many better ways.” I shook my head as I shot him down. Jude had the constitution of an ox, but Evie? She was small and delicate and looked like three drinks would break her, not the ice.
She gave me a look that said “what can you do?” and I gave her a look that said “say no.” The quirk of her head reminded me I knew she couldn’t say no to things and I wondered if I’d lost my mind. Did we really just have a silent conversation or was the writer’s block and impending deadline truly driving me crazy?
“This is a bad idea,” I said, in case my imagination had gotten the better of me.
“It is a very bad idea,” Evie replied before turning to my friend. “But sure! Why not? The game is officially on.”
Jude cheered. Izzy pretended not to ogle him. Austin rolled his eyes. And I tried to bat down a protective surge I wasn’t supposed to feel. “You guys go ahead,” I said. “One of us has to keep a level head.”
“Whatever makes you happy, grandpa.” Jude arched a brow, before turning to Evie. “I’d ask you what brought you to Wildrose Landing, but that would be stupid, since we all know your Great Aunt Ruth passed away and left you the house on Sugar Maple Hill.” He shrugged. “Small towns. What’re ya gonna do?”
She returned the gesture, her smile fading when her eyes found mine. Was I glaring again? Probably. I glanced at my beer.
“What line of work ya in?” Austin asked.
“I’m a writer.” She glanced at me. “Not as good as him though. What about you?”
“Yeah,” Austin sighed. “Me neither.”
She frowned. “You’re a writer too?”
“No, I own an auto repair shop, which means I’m nowhere near as good a writer as him.” He gave her a devilish smile. “But I’m a much better mechanic than he is.”
Evie laughed and I closed my eyes to collect as much of it as I could.
“And Jude owns this bar,” Izzy supplied.
“Which is why you’re receiving impeccable service tonight,” he said. “Everyone wants to impress the boss.”
Evie’s eyes found mine. Did she want to impress her boss? Did I even count as her boss?
“I’m sorry to interrupt.” A twenty-something girl with jet black hair and a distasteful facial piercing tapped on Evie’s shoulder. “But you’re the one who lives in the haunted house, right?”
And just like that, the game was on.
“I am. The first night I stayed there, this weird scratching sound woke me up in the morning.” Evie widened her eyes and clutched her heart as the girl wobbled away, satisfied.
“I like her,” Jude
