Page 8 of With All My Haunted Heart

Xander laughs. “Come on, Lou, they’re not bad stories. And it’s not like I told them all last night. Half of those I told while tipsy in college.”

The ground sways beneath my feet as they continue to bicker in that sibling-like way of lifetime friends. I knew Xander opened this business with his childhood bestie, but actually seeing her tugs at a worry I didn’t know I had. It feels a lot like loss, especially when I remember the second lived-in room upstairs.

Xander moved in with his original best friend. My heart clenches painfully, and even though I know it’s ridiculous, I can’t stop myself from feeling like I’ve been replaced. And I absolutely cannot think Elle is hot. Not when I know who she is to Xander. Especially not when he’s reeling from a broken engagement. I swallow the confusing, painful blend of emotions. Professional Pippa. That’s who I need right now. That’s who I can be.

I cut into their continued bickering. “Whoever cleared the house for you the first time did a passable job. The house was already free from any active ghosts. I removed all the lingering energetic trails. As far as spiritual activity is concerned, your B&B is ready for living guests.”

Xander and Elle share a look that isn’t at all the congratulations or relief that I expected. Something silent passes between them, a full conversation in the tiniest of facial expressions, a connection so deep words are unnecessary. A sudden ache throbs under my ribs as painfully as my lower back often does after too many hours spent bent over my personal grimoire. Frustrated, I shove the wayward emotion into the black box of my heart.

Finally, Xander nods. “You tell her, Lou. It was your brilliant idea.”

Elle stares down at me from her place on the porch. “First, for the record, my full name is Eloise Thompson. I go by Elle. Not Ellie. Not Eloise. And for anyone who isn’t Alex, not Lou, either.”

I nod, the feeling of outsider pulsing painfully in my chest. “Elle only. Noted.”

“And secondly…” She hesitates a moment, bracing her hands on her hips, drawing my attention to the flex of her forearms. “We want you to haunt our business.”

Chapter

Four

There’s no way I heard Elle right the first time. Her forearms must have distracted me.

I blink up at the pair of them. “You want me to what?”

Elle’s posture stiffens, knuckles turning white as she grips her hips. “We need you to bring ghosts to the building. Polite, sociable ones, obviously. We’re going to run an authentically haunted bed-and-breakfast.”

“You can’t be serious.” I shift my attention to Xander. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”

Xander shrugs. “Nope. Louie’s adamant. So are the investors.”

“It’ll set us apart from all the competition in the travel space. With Airbnb and Vrbo and all the other rental options these days, we need a unique hook. There isn’t anything like this in a three-state radius.” Elle studies me, a hint of challenge in the tip of her chin. “So, can you do it?”

I shove down the prickle of curiosity building at the back of my head. Toying with unknown forms of magic has gotten me in trouble more than once. Ignoring Elle’s question, I climb the steps, grab Xander by the arm, and drag him inside. “Have you lost your mind? You can’t seriously think haunting your own business is a good idea.”

“She ran the numbers, Pip. The marketing plan seems sound.”

“The marketing plan is sound.” Elle follows us inside and closes the door against the autumn chill. “And we’ll obviously put safety measures in place to protect our guests. All we need you to do is bring the ghosts here.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Alex said you were good at your job.” Elle crosses her arms, the movement flexing the muscles in her shoulders and biceps. My stomach dips with desire despite the frustration building in my chest. “He said you were the most creative witch he’d ever met.”

“I am.”

“But you can’t figure out how to attract a few ghosts to our location?”

The mere suggestion has my brain spinning with possibilities, combinations of sigils popping into my brain, but that isn’t the point. “It’s not whether I could figure it out. It’s whether I should.”

“Are you misquoting Jurassic Park at me?” Elle raises one eyebrow, and the expression is so similar to Xander’s it widens the chasm in my chest. Is that something she picked up from him during their lifetime of friendship?

“Not intentionally,” I snap. Every word out of her mouth makes my skin burn with irritation. “But my point stands. I won’t prevent souls from moving on so you can turn a profit.” I glance at Xander. “No offense.”

He shrugs, like the increasingly heated argument between Elle and me doesn’t bother him in the slightest. Like he knew this might happen.

“Offense very much taken,” Elle cuts in.

I bite back several inappropriate retorts. In my head, I imagine Deanna talking me down. Telling me to salvage this and turn it into a paying gig. I take a deep breath and reach for the magic always waiting for my call. It washes through me, soothing the sharpest corners of my emotions.