Page 11 of Come A Little Closer

I smiled and quickly ducked my head to hide it as he turned to face me again. “Well, while you’re staying, would you like to hear about some of the ideas I’ve had for the festival?”

He regarded me for a moment, then unbuttoned his coat and swept across the room, elegantly lowering himself into one of the gothic armchairs. “I’d love to. I must admit, I’m already impressed that you’ve even suggested it. It speaks to your work ethic.”

“It doesn’t really feel like work when you’re having so much fun with it,” I said lightly, padding across the room to take a seat opposite him. Now that I wasn’t all alone in the dark, I was already perking up again.

I felt his eyes on me even though I couldn’t really see them. “You know what they say, right? If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

“I’m finally starting to understand that sentiment,” I said, clasping my hands together in my lap as I tried to gather my thoughts. “Right, so I’ll start by saying that I love what you’ve done with previous festivals, but I feel like we need to inject more oomph.”

“What on earth is oomph?”

I chuckled. “Don’t sound so confused. The festivals so far have been amazing, but it’s going to be even better this year. We’ll have the haunted tours, of course, but I feel like we should also be utilizing the grounds more.”

“We have the band playing and all sorts of food and drink trucks outside.”

“Sure, but we could also have a haunted maze of sorts, perhaps a hall of mirrors, and then maybe some tamer stuff for the little kids. Pony rides and a little petting zoo, but we’ll decorate it so it’s also Halloween themed.”

“That sounds good.” He paused for a beat. “It’s rather simple, but you’re right. It will definitely elevate the event as a whole. More attractions give them more value for their dollar. I like it. Good job, Tallulah.”

I preened a little bit at the praise, then remembered that I wasn’t a peacock and rolled my eyes at myself in the dark, glad that he couldn’t really see me. “I still feel like I’m missing something, though. My plan for tonight was to watch some scary movies in the hopes of finding inspiration.”

“I detest scary movies,” he said suddenly. “I’m suddenly glad that the power is out and your plan can’t come to fruition.”

“The more I learn about you, the more surprised I am that you live where you do and that you’re in the line of business you’re in.”

Niall shrugged, turning to the window to watch the lightning. I did the same, strangely content with the amicable silence that had fallen between us. He didn’t let it last long though, his gaze still on the storm as he started speaking.

“I like to think that where I live and my line of work chose me,” he said, his voice only just loud enough to be heard above the storm. “Right out of college, I knew I wanted to start a business in real estate, but as I researched the possibilities, I realized I wasn’t excited about the idea of tearing down the old to bring in the new. One day, I was walking around town and it occurred to me that perhaps my calling was to restore the old and leave the new to other people.”

“Why?” I asked.

“No one really cares about the modern skyscrapers, do they? As a practical matter, there is definitely a place for rejuvenation, but there were already so many people in that game that I felt like someone had to step in for the old. There are some new buildings, of course, that draw in crowds, like the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, but mostly, people are interested in history. As am I. I felt compelled to do what I could to protect that which people care about.”

“Ah.” As I listened to him intently, I found that I liked hearing him talk. He had a nice voice and a quietly confident manner of speaking that I truly enjoyed listening to. I was loving every second of his story, but when I told him so, he frowned.

“Are you teasing me or being serious?” he asked. “Normally, I can read people, but not you. Plus it’s dark.”

“I’m serious,” I said honestly. “I really like your voice. I’m also curious to find out how it all chose you.”

“Right,” he said, pausing again briefly. “Buildings in a state of neglect or disrepair are obviously far more affordable than land situated in a prime spot, but buildings that are rumored to be haunted? One can often purchase them for a steal.”

“So you decided to start there?” I guessed. “That’s actually pretty smart.”

“I won’t lie, the idea scared the crap out of me at first,” he admitted. “Eventually though, as I looked deeper into the history of the houses, I realized what a travesty it would be if they weren’t restored. They’d seen so much. Had so many legends surrounding them. They’d become part of the very fabric of the city and yet they were abandoned. Neglected. People often didn’t even look at them as they rushed past. Once I realized that, it was a done deal. Like the idea had attached itself to my soul and I couldn’t simply stand by anymore.”

“I think it’s safe to say you definitely stepped up for Team Old.”

He chuckled, and the sound was a lot richer and more genuine than I had expected from him. I wasn’t sure I’d ever heard or seen any sign of amusement from him, yet the sound had been easy. Like he was actually capable of humor.

“Every new project is still daunting when I first start digging into its history,” he confessed. “Plantations have so many horror stories. Completely heartbreaking stuff. But preserving that history is crucial. To show how far society has come, we have to show people how things used to be. And with history like that, obviously folks think the place is haunted by more than bad memories.” He shrugged. “Maybe it is.”

I glanced around the room, fully convinced a specter would materialize from the darkness. The shadows made the place look a lot less friendly and warm in here than it had this afternoon. “It’s getting pretty late. We should probably head to bed before a restless spirit decides to join the conversation.”

“Agreed,” he said. “Well, about getting some shuteye. Not about the ghosts. Which bedroom have you chosen? I’ll take one next door so I’m within hollering distance. Just in case you’re right about any uninvited guests showing up.”

“Do you really think it’s necessary for us to sleep in separate bedrooms?” I asked, uncomfortable with the idea of being by myself in the impenetrable gloom. Lightning revealed the world in split-second flashes. It was just enough time to think you saw something before the world went black again.

It might’ve been my imagination, but he sounded pretty relieved himself when he agreed. “I can sleep on the floor in whatever room you’re staying in—if that will make you feel safer. I’ll just take some of these cushions up with me.”