Page 35 of Haunted Spurs

And I can't afford to get emotional.

Not here. Not with him.

"Because it's true, and I figure someone ought to tell you," he states, with that blinding optimism of his that doesn't seem to give a damn about my walls.

Ollie steps forward and gives Ron's hand a small, affectionate nudge with his snout. Ron looks down, gives him a scratch behind the ears, and then looks back up at me with a smile, that dimple popping on his cheek. "See? Ollie feels exactly the same way."

I shake my head, rolling my eyes, but my lips betray me. I can't stop myself from smiling. Ron catches it instantly, and the flash of pure triumph that crosses his gaze tells me exactly how pleased he is with himself.

Meanwhile, the crunch of footsteps on the gravel announces the arrival of the other contestants.

I look around, suddenly hyper-aware of the space around us. At least we didn't get the wrong day... it's a ghost town out here. No sign of the crew. No sign of Aunt Tina. Shouldn't there be the usual, overflowing chaos that Elm Hollow is known for? Or, at the very least, an army of cameramen, boom operators, and producers ready to mic us up?

"No one else here yet?" Levi's cheerful voice breaks the silence. He steps up beside Ron and claps him amicably on the shoulder, while Emma, wrapped in a pastel yellow sweater, stops right next to him. She and I lock eyes and give a small wave, exchanging a silent greeting.

"So it's not just me who thinks this is weird?" Ron replies, returning Levi's shoulder pat with a handshake.

"No, guys... this is absurd." Carolina and Indya walk up at a brisk pace. They're both wearing high-waisted jeans and fitted t-shirts that hug them perfectly, looking like they just stepped out of a Texas tourism commercial. Carolina looks around, frowning, hands planted on her hips. "Are we sure there hasn't been some kind of mistake?"

"What mistake could there be?" Indya counters, checking her phone screen. "The day and location look right to me. The email from production was pretty clear."

"Yeah, but... I was on Summer Lovin' this summer," Carolina insists, gesturing to the empty space around the massive iron gates. "This is absolutely not how Elm Hollow handles its reality shows. Usually, there's a marching band, a buffet, Francis, the mayor, and the whole damn squad!"

"Everything okay, guys?"

Four new figures join the circle. It's Sam and Katherine, followed closely by Josh and Lizzie.

"We were just saying how weird it is that... there's no one here to welcome us," Ron comments, turning to the newcomers. As always, he slips right into the group dynamic with disarming ease; it's like he was born to be the social glue holding people together.

"Well, hey there! Aren't you just a handsome boy!" Completely ignoring the conversation about the mysterious production crew, Josh lights up. He flashes a smile that shows off two magazine-cover dimples, crouches down, and starts vigorously petting Ollie. Lizzie, the brunette who I think is his girlfriend, can't resist the Labrador's charm either and drops down to give him some love. I don't follow hockey, but... I seem to recall reading some headlines about a fierce past rivalry between the two of them. Seeing them now, crouched on the ground baby-talking a dog, makes the idea of the "terrifying NHL captain" seem pretty ridiculous.

"Yeah... but shouldn't there at least be cameramen?" chimes in the girl with the brown braid and oversized gold wire-rimmed glasses. Katherine, the archaeologist. She studies the closed gate with a critical eye. "Or someone to give us directions?"

Her boyfriend, Sam, shrugs, shoving his hands into his pockets. "It's a small-town reality show... maybe they just have a more chill, laid-back approach."

Carolina bursts out laughing, a clear, ringing sound that echoes against the iron gate. "No, guys... trust me. Around here, things are usually anything but chill."

"Can confirm," Levi echoes, nodding solemnly. "We were on Summer Lovin' too, and it was completely unhinged right from minute zero."

I nod to myself. Yeah... even I’ve heard how much of a stir past reality shows have caused in this town. I've even replied to a few social media posts talking about Sebastian and his read-alouds of my monster romances... it was fun, I’ll admit.

"So... what do we do?" Emma interjects, chewing on her lower lip, her eyes darting nervously toward the imposing house in the background.

"Is everyone here?" Josh asks, standing back up and dusting off his jeans. He starts counting us with his index finger, doing a quick scan of the group. "Looks like we're still missing a few people, judging by the intro videos... speaking of which, great job guys, I loved them."

"They were a blast to shoot! Great job on yours too, man. Straight out of Hollywood," Ron replies, reaching out to give Josh a high-five.

While they chat, laugh, and mesh together perfectly, I start to shrink into myself. I feel exactly like a fish out of water. The buzz of their voices, the group's energy... it's all too much, and it makes me want to retreat.

Maybe Ron notices, or maybe it just happens by accident. Right in the middle of his conversation with the others, he brings his hand back to me.

His warm palm settles on my arm again, solid, reassuring. I look up. He's already looking at me, tuning out the rest of the group for a split second, and he smiles. The din of the chatter fades into a dull hum. For a single heartbeat, the rest of the world stops completely. I swallow hard, entirely unable to tear my eyes away from his.

"Hey, wait, isn't this your ranch?"

Josh's question breaks the spell I was trapped in. I blink, trying to reconnect my synapses. Ron turns back to the captain, and yet his hand stays exactly where it is. On my skin.

"Yep," he confirms with a nod.