Cringing, I look away, but the sweet notes of her laugh draw my attention back, and I can’t help but join in. I shove heraway, and she comes right back, pulling me into her arms with a genuine smile. “I’m happy for you.”
“Don’t be,” I reply.
She frowns. “Why not?”
“He’s just…intense.”
“Good intense or ‘Gwen kill him for me’ intense?”
“Definitely good intense, but also scary intense.”
Her eyes bounce between mine, and then her smile grows impossibly wide. “Oh, you have it bad.”
“I don’t have it bad.” A chuckle of disbelief bubbles up from my chest. “I don’t,” I repeat, trying to convince myself.
“Is that why you’re blushing?”
Shaking my head, I shove her away. “I’m not blushing.”
“You so are.” She leans back on her hands. “He’s been all over you lately. I’m surprised he let you leave his side to come here.”
My cheeks burn, and her eyes widen.
“You sneaky devil. He doesn’t know.”
“He is kind of suffocating.” I lift a shoulder and let it fall. “I needed some breathing room for a few hours.”
“Well, you came to the right place.” She toys with a strand of my hair, a soft smile gracing her lips. “He would be silly not to be obsessed with you.”
Heat crawls up my neck, and I open my mouth to speak, when the doorbell sounds. Gwen’s fingers fall away from my hair as she stands up. “The cavalry has arrived.”
Streaks of sunshine pour in through the open window. Gwen lights the candle beside the spirit board. Aron jiggles his knee, chin propped on his clasped hands.
Seated on my right, Lily looks white as a sheet while staring at the flickering flame before she tears her eyes away and directs her attention to Gwen. “Maybe we shouldn’t do this.”
Aron shoots her a hard glare.
Gwen sits down across from us and stares at the letters on the board. Her voice lacks anticipation. “What other choice do we have? We need answers.”
“Benny was suicidal.” Lily lowers her gaze.
Seated beside Gwen, Brittany stares at the candle.
“You know he wasn’t,” Gwen pushes. “You know it.”
Lily lifts her gaze. “I don’t know anything.”
They stare at each other.
It’s Aron who finally sighs before placing his finger on the skull dial. “Let’s just do this.”
I sense him beside me—stiff and uncomfortable, his knee bouncing relentlessly.
Steeling myself, I place my finger next to his on the dial. We exchange a glance.
“Let’s just get it over with,” Brittany says, and she and Gwen touch the planchette, too.
Lily hesitates, eyes downcast. “This is wrong.”
